Q: What is the difference between cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting?

Read more at “ What’s the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting? ”

Question 1

What is mpox and how is it spread?

Accepted Answer

Mpox is a virus in the same family as cowpox virus, smallpox and several other, animal-related poxviruses.¹ According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mpox is transmitted through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact. Exposure consists of direct contact with body fluids, lesions or scabs, or indirect contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding or towels) and surfaces that have been used by someone with mpox.

About Mpox. CdcGov 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/about/index.html (accessed July 25, 2022).

Question 2

Can cleaning and disinfecting prevent transmission of the mpox?

Accepted Answer

According to the CDC, disinfection is recommended for all areas where a person with mpox has spent time, as well as for items considered to be potentially contaminated. Spread from contaminated items can and does occur, so cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection play an important role, especially in healthcare settings. Those taking care of an infected individual at home or in a professional setting should wear a mask, gloves and disinfect any surfaces or sanitize linens used by the sick individual.

Question 3

What Clorox products are eligible to use against mpox?

Accepted Answer

Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emerging Viral Pathogen Policy, the following Clorox products are eligible for use against mpox:

EPA Reg No.	Product Name(s)	Follow the directions for use and contact time for this/these organism(s)	Surface Usage
5813-40	Clorox^® Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner Clorox^® Scentiva^® Bathroom Disinfecting Foamer	Rhinovirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-73	Formula 409^® Multi-Surface Cleaner Clorox^® Disinfecting Mist Clorox^® Scentiva^® Disinfecting Surface Cleaner Clorox^® Disinfecting All Purpose Cleaner	Rotavirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-79	Clorox^® Disinfecting Wipes₁ Clorox^® Disinfecting Wipes₃	Rotavirus (4 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-89	Clorox^® Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach Clorox^® Toilet Bowl Cleaner - Clinging Bleach Gel	Rhinovirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-93	Clorox^® ToiletWand^®	Rhinovirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-113	Clorox^® Scentiva^® Disinfecting Wet Mopping Cloths Clorox^® Disinfecting Wet Mopping Cloths	Rotavirus (4 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-120	Clorox^® Disinfecting Bleach	Canine Parvovirus (10 min) Feline Parvovirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-121	Clorox^® Germicidal Bleach₄ Clorox^® Performance Bleach₂	Canine Parvovirus (10 min) Feline Parvovirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
5813-122	Clorox^® Splash-Less^® Bleach₁ Clorox^® Scented Splash-Less^® Bleach		Rhinovirus (6 min)
5813-124	Clorox^® Original Bleach (Puerto Rico)	Canine Parvovirus (10 min) Rhinovirus (5 min)	Hard Nonporous
1839-166-5813	Clorox^® Disinfecting Multi-Purpose Spray Cleaning System	Rotavirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
1839-166-5813	Clorox^® Disinfecting Bathroom Foamer Cleaning System Starter Kit	Rotavirus (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
34810-37-5813	Clorox^® Plant-Based Disinfecting Wipes	Rhinovirus (3 min)	Hard Nonporous
67619-16	Clorox^® Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach	Rotavirus (10 min) Rhinovirus 39 (10 min)	Hard Nonporous
67619-29-5813	Clorox^® 4 in One Disinfecting Spray	Coxsackievirus (5 min) Hepatitis A virus (5 min) Rhinovirus (5 min) Rotavirus (5 min)	Hard Nonporous
67619-38-5813	Clorox^® Turbo^™ Disinfectant Cleaner for Sprayer Devices	Adenovirus Type 2 (2 min)	Hard Nonporous

Question 4

What is the difference between cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting?

Accepted Answer

Read more at “What’s the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting?”

Question 5

What is the difference between washing laundry and sanitizing it?

Accepted Answer

It is important to understand the differences between cleaning and sanitizing your laundry. Cleaning — or in this case washing — laundry, removes dust, debris and dirt from a surface, whereas sanitizing reduces the number of bacteria present to levels acceptable by public health standards. Learn more about sanitizing clothing, bedding and towels at “How to sanitize clothes, bed sheets and towels.”

Question 6

What are other ways to prevent the spread of mpox?

Accepted Answer

You can find additional precautions from the CDC to prevent the spread of mpox at home on the CDC website.

Question 7

What Clorox products are eligible to use against COVID-19?

Accepted Answer

You can find a full list of Clorox products that kill or are eligible for use against SARS-CoV-2 [here].

Question 8

Are Clorox Products effective against the new, variant COVID-19 strains?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Clorox products that are EPA-registered against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are expected to kill all strains of SARS-CoV-2. Visit our product catalog for a full list of products.

Question 9

Will ingesting bleach help kill coronavirus?

Accepted Answer

Bleach and other disinfectants are not suitable for consumption or injection under any circumstances. People should always read the label for proper usage instructions. Disinfecting surfaces with bleach and other disinfecting products is one of the ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Our products are safe when used properly. It’s critical that everyone understands the facts in order to keep themselves safe and healthy, which is why we continue to educate people about how to use disinfectants safely and effectively against COVID-19.

Question 10

Can I buy Clorox products directly from Clorox?

Accepted Answer

Currently, Clorox products are available from our retail partners at their physical store locations, through their order and pick-up services or through their online sites. Explore the Clorox lineup and click Find a Retailer on any product page to see where you can make a purchase.

Question 11

Do all Clorox products with bleach disinfect?

Accepted Answer

Clorox sells several bleach products — some are labeled as disinfectants and others are not. To determine if a product disinfects, check the label. All our disinfecting products — registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — prominently state their ability to kill germs.

Question 12

What percentage alcohol is in Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes?

Accepted Answer

The CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, however the guidance on alcohol percentage is not pertinent to disinfectants, which use different active ingredients.

Question 13

What is the difference between cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting?

Accepted Answer

Read more at “What’s the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting?”

Question 14

Requests for SDS sheets:

Accepted Answer

The Clorox Company provides product information to support a safe and healthful work environment. Please find the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for our products at this link: https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/brands/safety-information/sds/.

Question 15

Ingredient Questions:

Accepted Answer

You’ll find detailed information on all of the ingredients we use in our products on the individual product pages within our site: clorox.com. You may also access information for all of the products that Clorox manufactures on our corporate website: https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/products/ingredients-inside/

Question 16

Is this safe to use if I have a septic system?

Accepted Answer

Clorox cleaning products do not contain any ingredients that will harm your septic system when used as directed.

Question 17

Disinfecting Advice:

Accepted Answer

Clorox has several products that disinfect. Below are links to each product for specific information on how to use each.

Question 18

Can Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach be used to disinfect water?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach can be used to disinfect water.

Remove suspended particles by filtering or letting particles settle to the bottom.
Pour off clear water into a clean container.
Add 25 drops (1/4 teaspoon) of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach (not scented or Clorox® Plus® bleaches) to 2 gallons of water (4 drops to 1 quart).
Allow the treated water to stand for 30 minutes. Water should have a slight bleach odor. If not, repeat and wait another 15 minutes. The treated water can then be made palatable by pouring it between clean containers several times.

See more at: Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach

Question 19

Troubleshooting Spraying Problems:

Accepted Answer

Our SMART TUBE® TECHNOLOGY is a built in tube that gets all the way to the bottom of the bottle – so you don’t have to. Watch our video to help you refill all your Clorox® SMART TUBE® TECHNOLOGY spray bottles from Clorox®, Formula 409® and Clorox® Plus Tilex®: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHqcRJEYoAs

Question 20

Where can I buy your products?

Accepted Answer

You can find our product availability on the product detail page. Shop now

Question 21

How can I manage orders placed on Clorox.com?

Accepted Answer

Our online shop is now closed. If you have an inquiry about an order placed on Clorox.com, please send us a message.

Frequently asked questions.

Mpox (formerly monkeypox)

Coronavirus

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