COVID-19 commonly known as the coronavirus, is thought to spread most commonly through near invisible respiratory droplets sent into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Those droplets can then be inhaled by nearby people or land on surfaces that others then touch, who can then get infected when they touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.

        The good news from investigations of the coronavirus spread, says Juan Leon, an environmental health scientist at Emory University, is that past studies show common household disinfectants, including soap or a diluted bleach solution, can deactivate coronaviruses on indoor surfaces. “Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses with a protective fat layer,” Leon says. Disinfectants tear apart that fat layer, Leon says, which makes coronaviruses “fairly wimpy” compared to noroviruses and other common viruses that have a more robust protein shell.

         So, how long does the coronavirus stay around in the air or on surfaces? That depends. According to some researches, the virus can linger in the air for up to 3 hours and can last for 2 to 3 days on stainless steel and plastic surfaces. Thus stating that the virus could be spread by people who don’t properly wash their hands. So cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces is a step we should all take, even if we aren’t leaving the house. Anytime items or letting other people coming in and out of your home or office still leads to possibility of exposure to the virus.

High-Touch Surfaces to Clean and Disinfect Daily:

• Doorknobs/ Handles
• Table surfaces
• Hard dining chairs (seat, back, and arms)
• Kitchen counters
• Bathroom sinks
• Faucets and faucet knobs
• Toilets (seat and handle)
• Light switches
• TV remote controls
• Game controllers
• Parcels
• Counter Surfaces
• Computers

First Clean, Then Disinfect:

1. First, clean the surfaces, removing any contaminants, dust, or debris. You can do this by wiping them with soapy water (or a cleaning spray) and a hand towel.
2. Then apply surface disinfectant. The quickest and easiest way to do this is with a disinfectant spray.
3. That’s it. Just adding these to your daily routine can help lower the risk of infection for you and anyone else in your household and workplace.