On Sunday, Pine-Sol’s original cleaner was added to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of products for use against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, according to a CNN report.
The Clorox Company said in a press release that the product was tested by a third-party laboratory that showed the disinfectant can kill the virus within 10 minutes of being used on hard, nonporous surfaces.
“With a long-standing history of being a powerful cleaner and disinfectant, and the trusted brand choice within the Black community, Pine-Sol Original Multi-Surface Cleaner now offers the clean families have trusted through generations with the protection they need right now against the spread of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,” Chris Hyder said, vice president and general manager of The Clorox Company’s cleaning division.point 500 |
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To disinfect against coronavirus, the company advised that customers should apply full-strength Pine-Sol with a clean sponge or cloth on a surface, wait 10 minutes, then rinse. For heavily soiled surfaces, the company said precleaning to remove excess dirt first is required.
Clorox, the world’s largest manufacturer of disinfectant cleaning materials, has 36 more other products on the agency’s list of disinfectants for use against Covid-19, including Clorox bleach, disinfecting bathroom cleaner, and disinfecting wipes.
Because of overwhelming demand, Clorox says it will continue to experience a shortage of its disinfecting products into 2021.
According to a CNN report, the EPA said companies can apply for an “emerging pathogens claim” based on previously approved claims for harder-to-kill viruses. The agency reviews them and determines whether the company can safely make that claim. It’s important to follow instructions on the disinfectants’ labels and pay attention to how long the product should be applied to a surface being cleaned.
Despite this, handwashing with soap and water is still the best way to prevent transmission of the virus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.