Bleach is the Flu Solution

[UKGuy]

Read the following from

http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2007...he_flu.php#more

Then go and read the entire peice

 

Controlling viral populations on household surfaces is an effective way to cut down on the spread of flu. Although flu viruses require live host cells to multiply and spread, they can live on inanimate surfaces for hours or even days. Chlorine bleach is a readily available and effective disinfectant for many germ-busting tasks. It kills flu viruses as well as a broad variety of bacteria, including Salmonella and Staph, on hard surfaces.

It's important to remember, anti-bacterial dishwashing liquids and hand soaps contain an ingredient that kills bacteria on skin, but are not formulated for killing other germs such as cold and flu viruses.

 

Disinfect frequently used surfaces with a diluted chlorine bleach solution or disinfectant wipes.

Some common surface areas are "hot spots" for germs, including doorknobs, counters, table tops, dials, handles and switches. In fact, it can take up to 3 days for viruses on surface areas to die. To use chlorine bleach for general surface area disinfection, use a fresh mixture of ¼ cup of household bleach with one gallon of cool water (if you need a small amount, use one tablespoon of bleach in a quart of water). Apply to surfaces. Leave wet for 10 minutes, then rinse.

 

Disinfectant wipes also can be used to eliminate viruses on everyday items, such as telephones, cell phones, computer keys, computer mouse, arm rests and children's toys.

 

Clean dishes, cups and utensils in the dishwasher.

 

If washing by hand, use very hot water and use a diluted bleach solution in the rinse water to disinfect. The right mix is 1/4 cup of household laundry bleach in one gallon of water.

 

Use chlorine bleach on white bedding, towels and other laundry as appropriate.

 

According to a 2004 study by the National Institute of Nursing Research, households that use hot water and bleach in the laundry experience almost 25% less infections than households that do not bleach.

 

 

Yes, that's right. The flu solution is a bleach solution. Bleach, as in the dilute sodium salt of hypochlorous acid, as in "made with chlorine." Because that's what it's all about. Some years ago I had the "pleasure" of working on a major EPA rulemaking about water disinfection. One of the issues was the propensity of the most common water disinfectant, chlorine, to form unwanted carcinogenic and teratogenic by-products during disinfection (named, appropriately, disinfection by-products, or DBPs). Chlorine disinfection has been enormously important in providing safe water to communities worldwide, but with the discovery of chlorine's DBP "darkside" there has been a move towards other disinfectants like ozone (widely used in Europe) and ultraviolet light. This has been accelerated by the discovery that some important parasites, like giardia and cryptosporidium, are not affected by chlorine.