Could this be a Superior Substitute for Hand Sanitizer?

[Jon]

I've decided on saying that the disinfectants "deactivate" the virion, so I can avoid the discussion about whether viruses are alive or not (probably not).

I'm not sure how to compare bacteria recommendations vs. virus recommendations.

I didn't know this before the pandemic, but: concentrated bleach expires, bleach solution expires, concentrated bleach lasts longer at room temperature, and thicker non-splash bleach is at a lower concentration than regular bleach. For ebola, CDC recommended to make new bleach solution every day:

https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/3....h-solution.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/cl...uid-bleach.pdf

I do 1/2 cup bleach per gallon, which is a little more than CDC recommends. We get everything delivered to the house now, so I mix up a fresh batch before we decontaminate that day's packages. Then I'll let that same batch sit, and I'll spray the next day's packages with it too. After that, I'm outside the 24-hour window, so I throw away the batch of bleach.

I'm watching carefully for any solid evidence indicating that we can relax our decontamination procedures, but I'm just not seeing it yet. Current understanding is that fomites are not the primary means of infection, but that coughs/sneezes/breaths from an infected delivery person onto the cardboard of a package can last up to 24 hours, and can last for days on plastic packaging tape.

[Unkle Fuzzy]

Jon,
Your preference for Lysol reminded me of a couple of things. My dad, a Ham radio operator since he was 14 (Technician Level when he passed away), who worked at Brown engineering in Huntsville, AL during the Gemini missions, swore by soaking his hands in a solution of hot water and Lysol nightly. We were running an antique restoration business at the time doing mostly furniture, and the splinters you get from 150-200 year old furniture get infected like you won't believe.

I also recall seeing a documentary on the CDC center in Atlanta, GA and all the nastiness they have in storage. Guess how they decontaminate the positive pressure suits when you come out of the hazard areas through the airlocks...you walk through a shower of 1% Lysol solution. Cheap, easy to get, doesn't eat up the clean suits, and kills just about anything in minutes.

As for hand washing, a major university medical center did a study decades ago that determined a good hand washing by vigorously rubbing hands together under running water, is almost as effective as using soap. Tap-water of course contains a weak solution of Chlorine.

[Saltfever]

By now we have all heard about the life time tests for the Corona virus. Paper/cardboard a few hours, copper 30 minutes, plastic 1 day, stainless steel 3 days, and smooth surfaces 1-3 days. You can quibble on the precise time lines and/or the terminology of killing the thing. Bottom line, the goal is to stop its efficacy i.e., its ability to do harm. The World Health Organization (WHO) published 2 formulas. One with Ethanol and the other with Isopropyl. The WHO’s intent was an effective sanitizer, easy to mix, cheap, and with materials available in all countries. Ethanol and Isopropyl were chosen because all countries can get one or the other. The WHO formula (google it) will “kill” the virus within 30 seconds! That is why there is water added to it so the drying time (evaporation) is delayed a bit. Before you fire up your still just try to buy yeast anywhere today. Almost impossible!

PS: Percentages greater than 80% alcohol were found to be less effective than 65%-75% and the percentages are slightly different for the 2 alcohols. My numbers are recall only with no guarantee of accuracy. Do your own fact-checking.