Coronavirus, what disinfectant should I use?

Hot Issue I Corona

"Coronavirus everywhere

What kind of disinfectant will work?""

corona

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on March 17 a study showing that the coronavirus survives on hard surfaces for a long time

Since it can be transmitted by touching the surface of an object contaminated with the coronavirus, it is important to disinfect the surface of the object. 

Ethanol denatures the proteins of bacteria or viruses. The common disinfectant we usually use is 70% ethanol. But why is 85~95% ethanol more effective when targeting viruses? I asked Professor Sangsun Yoon.

Let's start with germs. In the case of bacteria with cell membranes, if 100% ethanol is used, the cell membrane is deformed first, and the ethanol cannot enter the cell. After the ethanol is blown away, the bacterial cells may come back to life. So, if you use 70% ethanol, the ethanol is enough to get into the bacterial cells and kill the bacteria properly.

But when it comes to viruses, it's a different story. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria, and when they come into contact with ethanol, the viral proteins are immediately denatured, destroying the virus. The higher the concentration, the more effective it is at destroying the virus.

Let's summarize the conclusion.

Hand sanitizers used on the skin must also consider the antiseptic effect and skin toxicity, so you can use a hand sanitizer (quasi-drug) that contains 70% ethanol.

However, since the coronavirus may be present on various surfaces for 2~3 days, a high concentration of ethanol such as 85% ethanol or 95% ethanol is recommended for wiping the exterior.

If ethanol is hard to come by, you can dilute your home detergent in water and wipe the surface of the object at a concentration of about 0.2% (for example, if it is 5% lax, mix 250 mL of water with 10 mL of 5% lax). Chlorous acid is also effective when used in a similar way to wipe the surface of objects to a concentration of 0.2%.