‘I thought this was common knowledge’: Woman uses Clorox disinfectant wipes to clean. Then she reads the fine print on the Great Value cleaner

A woman says she discovered she was using Clorox and Great Value cleaners incorrectly after reading the fine print.

In a video with over 398,000 views, TikToker Grace Homer (@grace.homer) says she grew up using disinfecting wipes to clean her bathroom.

"Now into adulthood, I've been using the same wipes to disinfect every part of my apartment," she says, "Whether that be doorknobs, light switches, countertops, phone, AirPods. You name it, I'm disinfecting it."

However, she says she decided to switch from name-brand Clorox wipes to a Great Value disinfectant spray from Walmart to save money. On the bottle of disinfectant, she notices something that surprises her.

"It says to generally clean, spray the soiled area then wipe dry. To disinfect, spray until thoroughly wet. Let stand for 10 minutes," she reads. The fine print prompts her to check the instructions on the Clorox wipes that she used for years.

"To clean and remove allergens, wipe surface clean. To disinfect, wipe surface and use enough wipes for treated surface to remain visibly wet for four minutes," she exclaims.

Does wiping a surface with Clorox disinfect or not?

Simply cleaning removes particles of dirt and debris, like pollen and pet dander. On the other hand, disinfection kills germs that could cause illness, according to MedlinePlus. For an extremely deep clean, some brands recommend a general cleaning before disinfection to improve the effectiveness of the product.

In the comments, viewers debated whether simply wiping down a surface with Clorox or another disinfectant is sufficient to remove harmful pathogens. Many reassured Homer that wiping down the surfaces in her apartment was likely sufficient to clean.

"You've done harm reduction! Cleaning is better than not cleaning! Wiping down has reduced the amount of germs. Disinfecting is just a step further, you're still good :)" one said.

"I’m sure the majority of what you have wiped had enough wetness to kill most things. Don’t stress so much!" another wrote.

"Disinfecting is largely unnecessary in a private residence IMO… and I say this as the least crunchy, most evidence-based practice person and nurse and mom," a third added.

Others said she should let the disinfectant sit for longer to truly disinfect.

"All cleaners have a sitting period. we use rescue in vet med and it's a 10 min sit time," a commenter wrote.

"Dwell times is needed for all disinfectants! Wiping does move germs away but will leave some on the surface. Leaving it wet ensures the germs are killed no matter what," another said.

Dwell times for popular disinfecting products, such as Clorox, Lysol, and generic brands, range from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, varying by product and brand.

What's the best way to disinfect a surface?

Some commenters shared their favorite economical methods for disinfecting surfaces in their homes.

"I clean professionally and if you want to disinfect you should use a cleaner like a vinegar, dish soap, water mixture first and then use a disinfectant. Especially in areas like the bathroom+ kitchen," a viewer suggested.

"You can mix your own bleach spray - 4tsp bleach to 4 cups water. spray and walk away! the spray is only good for 24 hours though :) remake each time you need it," another said.

"I've recently switched to medical-grade disinfectant wipes. More if a bleach base. only made this change after getting the norovirus and figuring out that Clorox/Lysol wipes don't fight against it," a third wrote.

@grace.homer #cleantok #fyp ♬ original sound - Grace

The Daily Dot reached out to Homer, Walmart, and Clorox for further comment.

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