Swine flu disinfectants used the wrong way can lead to infection risk

Bad virus! Bad!
This is it - the H1N1 "swine flu" virus. (Photo - CDC)

Flu viruses can live up to 72 hours on some surfaces. Letting them hang around that long – ready to pounce from doorknob to their own private party room in your respiratory system - can be risky.

There are common household products that can kill flu viruses, but which ones really work as they claim?

And among other things you should know if you’re trying to live more infection-free: If you just spray some Glorox 9000 Virus Kill on a counter, then wipe it up, you may not have killed many of the little creeps at all.

To find out which products have been tested and approved for killing viruses, including the H1N1 “swine flu” model, check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s page on registered antimicrobial products.

The EPA says that these approved potions specifically have label information which says they're effective against viruses.

I checked out that claim by visiting Fume World – otherwise known as our kitchen-sink cabinet. There it was: “Glorox” says it "Kills Flu Virus! Influenza A2/Hong Kong.”

If you’re using a product with no virus-killing claim, see if it’s on the agency’s list of 500-plus tested products.

A lesser-known pitfall for flu scrubbers is not following the label’s directions. With my product, it says I need to let it stand for 30 seconds. A spray and wipe won’t cut it. Disinfectants need time to kill those 99.99 percent of germs. Some John McClane hombres take up to 10 minutes to die … hard.

Speaking of Fume World, be sure to read the warnings on disinfectants, too. Here’s a nice little side effect: “Do not use or mix with other household cleaners such as ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers or acid, as this releases hazardous gases.”

“Hey, honey, I’ve got good news and bad news: Our house is virus-free! But one of my lungs melted.”

P.S. Here are some tips on keeping up with the swine in Seattle.