Hi everybody. Since I’m traveling this month in Asia, I’m researching basic virus precautions. I’ll share my findings with you here regarding how it is spread, and how to clean surfaces. I hope it’s helpful. Most important of course is to avoid stress, get plenty of liquid, and rest. Build your health and immune system so you are strong. Check out these four articles from my food website on how to be well-defended against any virus:
- 10 Steps to Smart Anti-Viral Foods & Lifestyle,
- Prevent a Virus with Anti-viral Herbs,
- Vanquish a Virus with Food & Lifestyle
- Bye-bye Colds and Flu, Virus-Busting Garlic Soup
Corona Virus – Executive Summary:
The corona virus can survive for up to nine days on surfaces including metal, glass or plastic. Treating those surfaces with a disinfectant will kill the virus within a minute.
Treating surfaces with either an alcohol-based disinfectant or bleach will likely remove the risk from surfaces within one minute.
The virus is known to spread person-to-person through air, respiratory droplets, most often through exhaled air, a cough, or a sneeze. It can easily be spread by touching an infected surface and then touching the mouth, nose, eyes, ears, or by touching another person. Research suggests that the virus can also be spread by a person with no symptoms.
Top Six Precautions for Homes, Restaurants, and Hotels.
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth (especially with unwashed hands).
- Disinfect anything that people touch frequently. This can include but is not limited to light switches, door handles, toilet handles, kitchen and bath faucets, spray nozzles, telephones, keyboards, remote controls, and countertops.
- Bleach can be used as a disinfectant for cleaning and disinfection (dilute 1 part bleach in 49 parts water, 1000 ppm or according to manufacturer’s instructions). Bleach solutions should be prepared fresh. Leave the bleach solution on a surface for least 10 minutes. Don’t spray it. Pour and wipe.
- Alcohol can be used to wipe down surfaces where bleach is not suitable, e.g. metal. Don’t spray it. Pour and wipe.
- Wash hands after handling money. (Chinese banks have been ordered by the government to disinfect cash with ultraviolet light and high temperatures before storing it for 7 to 14 days. Only then can it be re-released to customers.)
Other Precautions:
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Communicate with cleaning staff. Remind them of the importance of washing hands frequently, and give a detailed list of items to disinfect.
- Provide sanitizer to guests and staff. Be mindful, there is a risk of running out of hand sanitizer in the world.
- Inform guests that sanitizers are available and the management has introduced risk mitigation measures.
- Review your daily operations and carry out a trial exercise to find out if you are prepared for a worst-case scenario.
- For at least until the situation is contained, suggest to avoid handshakes.
- An appropriate disinfectant with indication of effectiveness against corona viruses can be used. Disinfectants should be prepared and applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation. Ensure that appropriate contact time is given before removing any disinfected materials. Please refer to the “Interim List of Household Products and Active Ingredients for Disinfection of COVID-19” for a list of disinfectants that can be used.
More details if you need them:
| A. Suggested Cleaning agents and disinfectants |
Interim List of Household Products and Active Ingredients for Disinfection of COVID-19
Revised on 23 February 2020
First released on 04 February 2020
For general precautionary cleaning, detergent and water are adequate. Many general household products contain the appropriate concentrations of active ingredients (A.I.s) for disinfection of areas that are very likely to be contaminated with COVID-19 virus (e.g. bedroom of a person confirmed to have a COVID-19 virus infection).
The active ingredients and their effective concentrations listed in Table 1 have been shown to be effective against coronaviruses. In addition to the use of cleaning agents, other treatments effective against coronavirus include steam and heat treatment. As the COVID-19 virus is new, no study has been published on the virus. This assessment is thus based on published scientific studies on coronaviruses, a group to which the COVID-19 virus would belong.
Table 2 lists common household products that can be used as effective disinfectants.1 Both tables will be updated as new data emerge and data from more products are gathered.
Important points to note when using disinfectants:
- Check the labels and use according to instructions, and be aware of the potential hazard of each product.
- Avoid contact with eye and skin when handling cleaning products, and keep them away from children.
- Do not mix different cleaning products and use in a well-ventilated area.
- For disinfection of highly contaminated surfaces or material, avoid the use of spray, and allow appropriate time needed for disinfection (refer to product instruction).
- This product list should be read in conjunction with the Guidelines and Advisories issued by NEA with instruction and guidelines on how to conduct proper cleaning and disinfection of premises.
1 The product either contains the appropriate active ingredients listed in Table 1 or is accompanied with data that shows efficacy against corona viruses.
| Disclaimer: Any posting shown in the listing does not constitute or imply any affiliation, relationship or sponsorship by NEA of the products in the listing. Every product needs to be used in the right way and according to specification. NEA will not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from or incidental to any use of products/services in the listing. |
Table 1. Active Ingredients and Their Working Concentrations Effective Against Corona viruses
| S/N | Active Ingredient (A.I.) |
| 1 | Accelerated hydrogen peroxide (0.5%)5 |
| 2 | Benzalkonium chloride (0.05%)*4 |
| 3 | Chloroxylenol (0.12%)3 |
| 4 | Ethyl alcohol (70%)1 |
| 5 | Iodine in iodophor (50 ppm)4 |
| 6 | Isopropanol (50%)4 |
| 7 | Povidone-iodine (1% iodine)1 |
| 8 | Sodium hypochlorite (0.05 – 0.5%)1,2 |
| 9 | Sodium chlorite (0.23%)4 |
*Alternative name: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
1 Sattar SA, Springthorpe VS, Karim Y, Loro P. (1989). Chemical disinfection of non-porous inanimate surfaces experimentally contaminated with four human pathogenic viruses. Epidemiol. Infect. 102:493-505; Tested against coronavirus 229E.
2 Lai, M. Y. Y., Cheng, P. K. C., & Lim, W. W. L. (2005). Survival of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 41(7), e67-e71.
3 Dellanno, C., Vega, Q., & Boesenberg, D. (2009). The Antiviral action of common household disinfectants and antiseptics against murine hepatitis virus, a potential surrogate for SARS coronavirus. American Journal of Infection Control, 37(8), 649-652. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2009.03.012
4 Saknimit M, Inatsuki I, Sugiyama Y, Yagami K. (1988) Virucidal efficacy of physico-chemical treatments against coronaviruses and parvoviruses of laboratory animals. Jikken Dobutsu. 37:341-5; Tested against canine coronavirus
5Omisbahakhsh, N., & Sattar, S. A. (2006). Broad-spectrum microbicidal activity, toxicologic assessment, and materials compatibility of a new generation of accelerated hydrogen peroxide-based environmental surface disinfectant. American Journal of Infection Control, 34(5), 251-257
Table 2. List of Household Disinfectants/Cleaning Products Effective Against Coronaviruses
Additional precautions for each product are denoted by the respective alphabets:
A. Corrosive to metals, wipe away residues with wet cloth after 10 minutes.
B. Flammable at high concentration. Keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces.
C. Not all recommended dilutions stated on the label meet the concentration requirement indicated in Table 2. Adjustment in dilution ratio may be required.
2.1 General
| Product Name | Active Ingredient(s) | Additional Precautions | |
| 1 | Aeris Active | Benzalkonium chloride* (1.1-2.4%) | – |
| 2 | CIF Professional All Purpose Cleaner | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.75%) | – |
| 3 | CIF Professional Disinfectant Floor Cleaner 5L | Benzalkonium chloride* (1.2-1.4%) | C |
| 4 | Clorox Disinfectant Wipes | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.184%) | – |
| 5 | Clorox Scentiva Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner (Various Scents) | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.3%) | – |
| 6 | Dettol Anti-bacterial Surface Cleanser Trigger Spray | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.096%) | – |
| 7 | FairPrice Anti-Bacterial Wet Wipes | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1%) | – |
| 8 | Force Wipes | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1212%) | – |
| 9 | Force Wipes 2 | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1778%) | – |
| 10 | Mr Muscle Multi-Purpose Cleaner (Various Scents) | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1-0.5%) | C |
| 11 | Simple Green Clean Finish Disinfectant Cleaner | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.15%) | – |
| 12 | Softess Anti-Bacterial Wet Wipes (Various Scent) | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.08%) | – |
| 13 | Yuri Aganol Floor Cleaner | Benzalkonium chloride* (1%) | – |
| 14 | Yuri-Sol | Benzalkonium chloride* (1%) | C |
| 15 | Zazacorona | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.05%) | – |
| 16 | Dettol Antiseptic Disinfectant Liquid | Chloroxylenol (4.8%) | C |
| 17 | Dettol Antiseptic Germicide | Chloroxylenol (4.8%) | C |
| 18 | FairPrice antiseptic Germicide | Chloroxylenol (4.8%) | C |
| 19 | Walch Antiseptic Germicide | Chloroxylenol (4.5-5.5%) | C |
| 20 | Jackie Disinfectant & Air-Freshener | Ethyl alcohol (>80%) | B |
| 21 | Jackie Disinfectant Spray | Ethyl alcohol (>80%) | B |
| 22 | Lysol Disinfectant Spray | Ethyl alcohol (>60%) | B |
| 23 | BestChem Disinfectant (250 mL, 500 mL) | Isopropyl alcohol (60-70%) | B |
| 24 | EnviroCare Blue Max Disinfectant | Isopropyl alcohol (75%) | B |
| 25 | BestChem Bleach Disinfectant | Sodium hypochlorite (3.5-4.5%) | A |
| 26 | Budget Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (3.25%) | A, C |
| 27 | Clorox All Purpose Cleaner with Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (2.4%) | A |
| 28 | Clorox Bleach Original | Sodium hypochlorite (5.25%) | A, C |
| 29 | Clorox Clean-Up All-Purpose Cleaner with Bleach (Various Scents) | Sodium hypochlorite (2.4%) | A, C |
| 30 | Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (1.84%) | A |
| 31 | Domesto Thick Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (5.2%) | A, C |
| 32 | Essential Waitrose Thick Bleach Original | Sodium hypochlorite (2.5-5.0%) | A, C |
| 33 | FairPrice Anti-Bacterial Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (5%) | A, C |
| 34 | Giant All Purpose Household Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (>=5.25%) | A, C |
| 35 | HomeNiks Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (3.25%) | A, C |
| 36 | Mr Muscle Mold & Mildew | Sodium hypochlorite (1-5%) | A |
| 37 | Yuri Bleach (Various Scents) | Sodium hypochlorite (5.25%) | A, C |
*Alternative name: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
2.2 Bathroom
| S/N | Product Name | Active Ingredient(s) | Additional Precautions |
| 1 | Dettol Healthy Clean Bathroom | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1%) | – |
| 2 | Mr Muscle Bathroom 5 in 1 | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1-0.5%) | C |
| 3 | Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (2.4%) | A |
| 4 | Domesto Professonal Toilet & Bathroom Cleaner | Sodium hypochlorite (2.4-3.0%) | A, C |
| 5 | Domex Ultra Thick Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (1-3%) | A, C |
| 6 | Magiclean Bathroom Stain & Mold Remover | Sodium hypochlorite (2.7%) | A |
| 7 | Magiclean Toilet Bleach Power Cleaner | Sodium hypochlorite (3.2%) | A, C |
| 8 | Mr Muscle Foaming Bleach Gel (Various Scents) | Sodium hypochlorite (1-5%) | A |
*Alternative name: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
2.3 Kitchen
| S/N | Product Name | Active Ingredient(s) | Additional Precautions |
| 1 | Dettol Healthy Clean Kitchen | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1%) | – |
| 2 | Mr Muscle Kitchen Cleaner | Benzalkonium chloride* (0.1-0.5%) | – |
| 3 | Magiclean Kitchen Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite (6%) | A, C |
*Alternative name: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
2.4 Others
| S/N | Product Name | Active Ingredient(s) | Additional Precautions |
| 1 | Magiclean Pipe & Sink Cleaner | Sodium hypochlorite (2.7%) | A |
| 2 | Magiclean Pipe & Sink Declogger | Sodium hypochlorite (2.9%) | A |
| 3 | Mr Muscle Sink & Drain Declogger | Sodium hypochlorite (1-5%) | A |
*Alternative name: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
This list is based on the information of the active ingredients and concentrations declared by the suppliers.
Any company marketing disinfectants that are effective against coronaviruses can contact us at 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632) or submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.
Sources:
For sanitizing areas confirmed cases of coronavirus, read here: https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/public-cleanliness/environmental-cleaning-guidelines/guidelines/guidelines-for-environmental-cleaning-and-disinfection