In this post, we explain how you can use liquid household bleach to disinfect hard surfaces.

As we work together to combat the novel coronavirus that causes the disease commonly known as COVID-19, it’s essential to know how to create and use effective cleaning solutions. In this post, we explain how you can use liquid household bleach to disinfect hard surfaces.

What is household bleach?

Liquid household bleach is a chemical used frequently in laundering white clothing and disinfecting hard surfaces. The active ingredient in liquid household bleach is a sodium hypochlorite solution at 2–10%.

Will bleach kill the coronavirus?

The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization recommend (1,2) using a bleach solution as one way to disinfect areas contaminated with the novel coronavirus.

There are other cleaning solutions available, including sprays, wipes, and more that can help disinfect areas exposed to the novel coronavirus.

What do I need to know about bleach?

Bleach has an expiration date and loses efficacy fairly quickly if not stored properly (1,2,3):

Bleach expires 1 year from production.

from production. Bleach can start to lose potency quickly after opening if not stored correctly.

Homemade cleaning solutions made with bleach lose efficacy after 24 hours.

How do I disinfect hard surfaces in my home with a bleach solution?

Before disinfecting a surface, you should clean the area of any surface dirt or grim.

Using the recipe recommended from the CDC and the WHO you will need:

liquid bleach containing 2%-10% sodium hypochlorite active ingredient

gloves

cool tap water

measuring devices including cup and teaspoon

a container such as a bowl or a spray bottle

Follow the manufacturer’s disinfecting directions.

Step one

Wearing the gloves, carefully measure the bleach and add it to the water solution.

Step two

Wearing the gloves, apply the solution to the hard surface, such as doorknobs or non-porous countertop.

Step three

To properly disinfect, the solution needs to be in contact with the surface for at least 5 minutes.**

Step four

Discard the solution by adding water and pouring it down a sink drain after 24 hours as it loses potency.

Do I need to take precautions when using bleach?

Yes, bleach can be corrosive and cause harm to the skin, eyes, and lungs. Always use bleach in a well-ventilated area and to wear gloves when handling the product or solution.

Make sure to read the label and follow all safety and first aid protocols outlined on the bleach bottle.

Never mix bleach with any product containing ammonia or acids (such as toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers, etc.) as it’s dangerous.

The good news.

This cleaning solution will disinfect surfaces from more than just the novel coronavirus.

Cleaning regularly can help prevent the flu, food born illness, and more which can in turn help decrease other infections which can lessen the burden on our healthcare systems.

*The table is designed to make a 0.12% sodium hypochlorite bleach solution based on CDC recommended 1:48 dilution of 6% sodium hypochlorite bleach (1,2)

**Prior to March 26, 2020, the CDC recommended a 5 minute contact time for their bleach disinfecting solution recipe intended to disinfect areas contaminated with the novel coronavirus. This recommendation was changed on March 26 and the contact time now states, “at least 1 minute.”

However, when we reviewed the contact time recommendations for CDC recommended products containing sodium hypochlorite on the EPA website we found great variability on the contact time, with sodium hypochlorite products recommending 1, 3, 5, or up to 10 minutes for disinfection.

Additionally, WHO published recommendations around the prevention and control of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections suggest an approximate 5-minute contact time for a bleach solution with the above potency.

Taking all of this into consideration, we maintain the 5-minute recommendation as it is the most conservative approach.