En esta noticia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (CDC) explain on their official website what the safe and recommended mixture is to disinfect surfaces with bleach.
When carrying out this task, it is not only important to use the product correctly, but also to ensure that the appropriate type of bleach is being used and that all necessary safety conditions are in place.
“Never mix bleach with other cleaners or disinfectants. This could release fumes that can be very dangerous to inhale”, it warns.
How bleach should be used to disinfect surfaces
To dilute bleach and use it as a disinfectant, the main recommendation is always to follow the instructions on the bottle being used.
However, if the bottle does not include a recommended preparation method, the safe mixture indicated by the CDC is:
- 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) of bleach for every 3.8 liters of room-temperature water
- 4 tablespoons of bleach for every 960 ml of room-temperature water
It is essential to always use safety items - such as gloves - and maintain good ventilation indoors.
What type of bleach is used for disinfecting
The bleach intended for disinfecting is regular, unscented bleach that contains between 5% and 9% sodium hypochlorite.
The experts’ advice is not to use any bleach product for disinfecting purposes that does not fall within that range or does not specify this percentage.
How bleach should be used to disinfect
Again, CDC details that following the manufacturer’s instructions is always the best option, but if they are not listed, the bleach preparation should be left for at least 1 minute on the surface to be disinfected before removing it.
In addition, it is important that areas with dirt are first cleaned with soap or detergent and then disinfected, and finally hands should be washed thoroughly.
Can I save the bleach mixture for another day?
It is not recommended. Specialists explain that bleach and water mixtures lose their effectiveness after being prepared for more than 24 hours.