Our old friend SDStaff Hawk (our resident expert on DNA and other science matters) has published this information on social media. We’re happy to share it with you.
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SDStaff Hawk says:
I’ve been sharing this info:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200317-covid-19-how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces?
I did the math for you:
*Rubbing alcohol is available as 70% isopropanol, so it doesn’t need dilution. It also comes as 91%, which means to dilute it down to 71%, you should take one cup of 91% rubbing alcohol and add 1/4 cup (it’s actually 72.8%, but unless you have graduated cylinders at home like I do, it’s close enough.) I keep mine in a spray bottle, apply lightly, and just let it evaporate. Be aware that isopropanol is a solvent and will cause a lot of inks and dyes to bleed, so test for steadfastness.
*Household bleach can range in concentration, so read the label. Here are the three most common concentrations that I’ve found on labels, with the appropriate dilutions:
*At 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, a 0.1% solution is equal to 1 tablespoon of bleach mixed with 3-1/3 cups of water.
*At 6.05% sodium hypochlorite, a 0.1% solution is equal to one tablespoon of bleach mixed with about 3-3/4 cups of water.
*At 8.25% sodium hypochlorite (a.k.a., concentrated bleach), a 0.1% solution is equal to one tablespoon of bleach mixed with about 5-1/4 cups of water (or one teaspoon of bleach mixed with about 1-3/4 cups of water).
**I don’t know whether a 0.1% solution is strong enough to bleach fabric, so I don’t recommend using it on clothing or furniture.
**Bleach is stabilized in the bottle, but becomes unstable when diluted and/or exposed to light, so (a) make small batches fresh daily, (b) put it in a spray bottle and apply sparingly to surfaces for one minute (I just let it dry on its own), and © if the bottle is transparent or translucent, just keep it in a dark place or cover the bottle with aluminum foil.
*Consumer-grade hydrogen peroxide solution is 3% hydrogen peroxide, so a 0.5% solution is equal to 1/2 cup of peroxide mixed with 2-1/2 cups of water. Please check the bottle to make sure that it’s 3% hydrogen peroxide.