Do Vinegar and Other Green Cleaners Work on COVID-19?

Looking to avoid harsh cleaners while still protecting the family against the novel coronavirus? You might be tempted to stick with a natural product, or even straight vinegar, to avoid the chemicals in traditional cleaners. But it’s important to make sure the cleaners you’re using are actually doing the job. Are vinegar and “green” cleaners enough to fight off COVID-19?

It’s important to keep your home clean even when you aren’t fighting to keep a pandemic away, but you don’t want to fumigate your family in the process. At the same time, you want to ensure the cleaners you do use are effective — especially now.

Vinegar

Vinegar has a long list of uses, and it can make a decent cleaner. It’s perfect for getting mirrors and windows squeaky clean, making the coffee maker brew like new and even scrubbing the bathtub. It’s even known to disinfect harmful bacteria, including E. coli and S. Typhi.

But that's not always enough. Now more than ever. Unfortunately, vinegar isn’t registered with the EPA as an effective disinfectant, according to the CDC. There’s no evidence that it has any effect on the coronavirus. If you’re depending on vinegar as your big-gun cleaner, you could be putting your household at risk.

Hydrogen Peroxide

While hydrogen peroxide hasn’t been tested on COVID-19, it does show a lot of promise. The CDC reports that hydrogen peroxide is capable of stopping rhinovirus, which, according to Consumer Reports, is much harder to destroy than coronaviruses. A 3% solution should be able to disinfect surfaces after only a minute or so of exposure. It’s not corrosive, making it a good choice for metals and numerous other surfaces, although it may bleach some fabrics.

Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is an effective disinfectant, as long as the concentration is at least 70%. (The higher the concentration, the better). Apply it to clean surfaces and allow them to sit for 30 seconds before wiping them down. You can use it on most surfaces without a problem, although it may discolor certain plastics.

Essential Oils

Essential oils could be an exciting area of future research. The antiviral properties of numerous botanicals have demonstrated themselves in multiple studies — but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. They’re not regulated, and some can be dangerous or even deadly if they’re not properly used.

There’s also no research yet to suggest essential oils may protect against COVID-19. The FDA has already begun to crack down on essential oil retailers making claims that their products can protect against coronavirus infection. Until we know more about their uses and safety, it’s best to find other alternatives.

Soap and Water

Soap and water, yes, old fashioned soap and water, may be one of the most effective and safest cleaners any of us can use. It breaks down the protective lipid layers that surround viruses, and this renders them vulnerable and non-viable. Non-viable is as good as dead in a world where you're trying to stay healthy. No matter what infection you’re dealing with, soap and water is an excellent first-line choice to clean potentially infected surfaces. Moreover, soap is still readily available.

Commercial “Green” Cleaners

There are commercially available “green” cleaners that use alcohol and other safer disinfectants in place of bleach and ammonia. Just because they’re safer, however, doesn’t mean they’re better. Make sure a product has been evaluated and approved by the EPA before you trust that it’s an effective choice.

Some safer cleaning products to consider:

• Clorox Compostable Cleaning Wipes Free & Clear
• Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes
• Honest Multi-Surface Cleaner
• Berkley Green Multi-Surface Cleaner
• Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner

Regardless of the brand you choose, check the product label for EcoLogo and Green Seal certification logos to know a cleaner is both safe and effective.

Vinegar and other “green” cleaners have their place, but not all of them are effective enough to stop COVID-19. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s registered with the EPA, with a track record of neutralizing viruses that are even tougher than coronavirus. There’s no room for guessing games or taking chances on this one — the safety of your household is at stake.

Copyright 2020, Wellness.com