Cleaning After COVID-19
What to do if someone in your household has had the coronavirus
You may think it’s essential to disinfect your home from top to bottom if someone there recently recovered from COVID-19. But experts suggest a moderate approach. “The virus doesn’t survive, either in the air or on surfaces, for a long period of time,” says Bill Carroll, PhD, a chemist at Indiana University. Cleaning surfaces with just soap and water may be enough, he says, but you may want to ensure you’ve eradicated lingering germs with the following steps. “You’re just adding an extra layer of safety with these,” he adds.
Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the April 2021 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.