The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance about using disinfectants to clean everyday surfaces. The agency said that simply washing surfaces and other commonly touched objects with soap and water should be enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In the early days of the pandemic, there was a concern that the virus could live on certain surfaces for several days at a time and could spread to other people. That led to a shortage of Clorox wipes and other disinfecting products as people began wiping down everything from groceries to packages and mail.
The CDC said that instead of using disinfectants to clean surfaces, a simple wipe down with soap and water should do enough to kill the virus and lower the risk of spreading COVID-19.
"In most situations, cleaning surfaces using soap or detergent, and not disinfecting, is enough to reduce risk," the agency said.
The CDC did say that disinfecting surfaces is still "recommended in indoor community settings where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the last 24 hours."
The agency said that the risk of surface transmission can also be reduced by washing your hands, wearing masks, and wiping down heavily used surfaces on a daily basis.
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