A science-based guide for fellow germaphobes!

SNL's Kate McKinnon character Lysol'ing a phone into oblivion

I'm sure everyone has the smell of 'rubbing alcohol' as one of their first memories of encounters with a cleaning product.

Some people like to keep an array of antimicrobial wipes on hand, have at least several bottles of hand sanitizers stashed in their homes and cars, and also keep an emergency bag away in the closet stuffed with bleach wipes and other strong disinfecting supplies just in case! Thanks to the pandemic, (no really, thanks COVID) you are not alone. In a 2021 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, 42% of respondents said that they now identified as germaphobes. But it also turns out that many popular cleaning practices aren't very effective, and some are completely unnecessary.

First: Focus on the bad bugs

Viruses and bacterias are unequivocally "bad", but many bacteria do good things, like those found in our gut helps us digest food and build our immunity. Microbes are everywhere and that is not a bad thing. Research has found that children who grow up on farms are surrounded by microbes and have a lower risk of developing asthma and allergies than other kids.

Before getting into it, let's explain the scientific difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning removes things like dirt, crumbs, germs, and dog hair from surfaces. Disinfecting things, on the other hand, KILLS them — typically viruses and bacteria. Cleaning is something that we want to do regularly but we need to worry about killing only the dangerous, disease-causing germs.

Then: Put down the bleach, geez.

For example, you don't need to disinfect your kitchen counters every day unless you've handled raw meat. You also don't need to obsessively disinfect your bathroom unless someone in your home has an infection that spreads through stools, like salmonella or norovirus.

For standard messes, for example, say maple syrup is spilled all over the kitchen table at breakfast, you don't need to reach for the disinfectant wipe. Go for the soap and water instead which will remove the sticky residue just fine.

There are long-term risks associated with the overuse of certain disinfectants such as quaternary ammonium compounds. Quats are found in many popular household cleaning products including sprays and wipes made by Lysol and Clorox. These quats-based cleaners may increase the risk of antibiotic resistance. Experts disagree on just how much to worry about this — but disinfectants like bleach, ammonia, and quats do release fumes that can be harmful. So use disinfectants only when you need to disinfect but not when you just want to clean.

Curious about DIY disinfectant alternatives?

Cassandra Quave is an ethnobotanist at Emory University and offers the following wisdom and tips.

For a disinfecting bleach solution, mix one-third cup of household bleach with one gallon of water. (Note that bleach breaks down rapidly in water, so you’ll need to make a new solution each day. And never mix bleach with chemicals other than water.)

Sprays containing 70 percent ethanol or isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water are also effective, Dr. Quave said. She emphasized that you should mix alcohol with water because otherwise, it evaporates before it has a chance to disinfect.

You can also make or buy plant-based disinfectants, some of which are less toxic and more environmentally friendly than conventional options. But note that botanical disinfectants may not work as quickly or thoroughly as bleach, quats, or alcohol. Household vinegar, for instance, is a popular botanical disinfectant, but it’s not nearly as effective at killing germs as bleach or alcohol. One study found, for instance, that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, was not inactivated even after soaking in a potent vinegar solution for five minutes. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a list of disinfectants that meet certain environmental and health safety standards.

Curious about which disinfectants are effective against which pathogens? Check out this E.P.A. webpage. Do note, for instance, that norovirus, which causes stomach bugs, is an especially hardy virus, and so bleach solutions are most effective against them.