This household cleaner is effective against coronavirus, EPA says

Clorox's Pine-Sol Original Multi-Surface Cleaner was found to be effective against COVID-19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says.

The common household cleaner was added to the agency's growing list of products that are effective against SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, earlier this month after being tested by a third-party laboratory.

What scientists discovered was that the disinfectant was found to be effective against the virus with a 10-minute contact time on hard, non-porous surfaces, Clorox said.

With this new development, the company hopes the new "Pine-Sol kill claim will increase access to disinfectants that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19," said Chris Hyder, vice president and general manager of the cleaning division at Clorox.

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The company says the product should be applied with a clean sponge or cloth to hard, nonporous surfaces and should remain wet on the surface for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.

The EPA registration number for the product is 5813-101. It is listed under the product name Tuck 3 on the EPA's rolling list, according to Good Housekeeping.

The EPA's list now comprises over nearly 500 products that meet the agency's criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2.

All of the products listed must demonstrate efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, demonstrate efficacy against a pathogen that is harder to kill than SARS-CoV-2, or demonstrate efficacy against a different human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2, the EPA said.

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Additionally, the EPA is also working to combat "imposter disinfectant products" that have "potentially dangerous claims of protection against the novel coronavirus."

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