Posted by Lee Rogers on 05/08/2020 11:22:55:
Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 03/08/2020 14:50:20:
…
Things that don't work: Antibiotics; and most Disinfectants, Antiseptics & Germicides.
…
Dave
Don't know where you get the idea that disinfectants don't work . They do .
The sanitisers used in catering ( pink liquid spray bottle by the trolleys at your supermarket) have the advantage that they remain effective for 24 hours on hard surfaces. Some washing up liquids have the same 24h residual .
The confusion here is that many sanitisers are not great cleaners but that's not what they are for.
Bleach is a fairly useless cleaner /sanitiser and is actually banned from many companies due to it's danger in use and ineffectiveness. It will take the colour out of detritis but not always remove it , so the breeding ground remains in tact.
What should we do?
keep hands away from the face, wash or sanitise hands regularly especially after contact with the face. Sanitise hard surfaces twice a day with 24h residual product.
Hi Lee, I said most Disinfectants don't work on Coranavirus, which is true. Disinfectants target Bacteria and maybe Fungi. Virus are very different; maybe not even alive in the sense animals, bacteria and fungi are. Many substances effective against bacteria have no effect on viruses. Although some disinfectants are anti-viral a particular disinfectant's effectiveness depends on what it's made of, read the small print. I'd be surprised if a Supermarket or informed employer was using the wrong one. We might!
English abounds in words with subtly different technical, lay and trade meanings. I mentioned Antibiotics, Disinfectants, Antiseptics & Germicides and Lee adds Cleaners and Sanitisers. Sanitizer is American, and originally just meant disinfectant. Today a Sanitiser is more likely a combined cleaner and disinfectant, but they're not special. A particular Sanitisers effectiveness against COVID depends on its active ingredients. Necessary to use the right one.
Killing is an exact science. Most organisms dislike strong heat or extreme cold. Most are vulnerable to skin damage caused by strong chemicals. Many can be dehydrated with high-proof alcohol. Others can be poisoned with antibiotics or chemical agents. To deal with a threat some weakness is identified and exploited. It's a matter of selecting the best weapon for the job.
Cleaning alone isn't a particularly good way of dealing with a virus. While washing most of it safely down a drain is useful, the remainder stays active. And cleaning makes some of it airborne. Therefore best to combine cleaning with a potent anti-viral, so the beast is washed away and killed.
Bleach and Hydrogen Peroxide are oxidising agents effective against bacteria, fungi and viruses. Powerful chemicals capable of damaging surfaces and people. Good for Toilets rather than Kitchens. And these chemicals aren't good cleaners on their own. But bleach is a very good way of killing a virus, and it doesn't matter if detritus is left behind because a virus can only reproduce inside a host – there is no 'breeding ground' as would help a bacteria.
Lee's advice is good – wash hands regularly and don't touch face. Happens that Covid-19 is damaged by soap so it's quite simple to reduce the risk simply by washing hands.
The real danger is other people! In Sainsbury's yesterday I saw 4 old friends completely forget COVID precautions in the excitement of meeting for the first time in months. The women kissed and the men shook hands before standing in a tight ring to enjoy a long chat. On the way out they were still gas-bagging and I noticed one of the men had taken his mask off…
I would only Covid-clean tools in a workshop shared with someone else. You can't catch Covid-19 off yourself!
Dave