Effectiveness of common household cleaning agents in reducing the viability of human influenza A/H1N1

The purpose of this work was to test a representative range of common household cleaning agents for their effectiveness at killing or reducing the viability of influenza A virus. Active ingredients in a number of the cleaning agents, wipes, and tissues tested were able to rapidly render influenza virus nonviable, as determined by plaque assay. Commercially available wipes with a claimed antiviral or antibacterial effect killed or reduced virus infectivity, while non-microbiocidal wipes and those containing only low concentrations (<5%) of surfactants showed lower anti-influenza activity. The findings indicate that it is possible to use common, low-technology agents such as 1% bleach, 10% malt vinegar, or 0.01% washing-up liquid to rapidly and completely inactivate influenza virus. Thus, in the context of the ongoing pandemic, and especially in low-resource settings, the public does not need to source specialised cleaning products, but can rapidly disinfect potentially contaminated surfaces with agents readily available in most homes. PLoS One. 2010 Feb 1;5(2):e8987.