Anti-Viral products are selling at unseen rates at the moment but how effective are anti-virus sprays? Many people are now turning to sprays to keep their workplaces clear from Coronavirus. The anti-viral sprays are used to kill different types of bacteria and germs to prevent the spread of viruses. As the product has risen in popularity due to COVID-19, in this article we will explore the effectiveness of anti-virus sprays.
How Long Does COVID-19 Remain on Surfaces
It is now common knowledge that Coronavirus can be spread via surface transmission, but how long does it remain on surfaces for? There is not an exact answer to this question as it depends on the type of surface, however, studies have shown that the virus can remain in the air for up to 3 hours and can survive on some hard surfaces for up to 3 days. In terms of specifics, copper surfaces have the lowest time of survival of 4 hours, whereas the virus may remain on plastic and stainless steel for around 72 hours. Another surface we touch daily is cardboard and the virus can remain on this surface for up to 24 hours. As we will come into contact these surface types frequently in our daily lives, we must be careful and cautious when touching these surfaces. This moves us onto the next part of how we can control the spread of the virus by using anti-virus sprays on our surfaces to eliminate the virus.
How Do Anti-Virus Sprays Work
Anti-virus sprays are very simple to use as they just need to be sprayed onto a surface then left for 5 minutes before being wiped down with a damp, clean microfibre cloth. Most antiviral sprays and disinfectants will kill a wide range of pathogenic viruses as they are proven to eliminate 99.99% of germs within 5 minutes of being left on everyday surfaces.
As anti-virus sprays are suitable to use on the majority of non-porous surfaces, they work as a great solution to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. So, whether you are trying to control the spreading of viruses at home or in your workplace, antivirus sprays are highly effective to ensure your environment remains as safe as possible. The great advantage of these sprays is that they can also be used as a general-purpose sanitiser as well, so you can ensure your premises is frequently sanitised.
What is The Current Evidence
Current research shows that alcohol-based anti-virus sprays inactivate COVID-19 particles by disrupting the structure of the proteins on the surface of the virus. This process is called denaturing as the alcohol breaks down the hydrogen bonds between amino acids which hold the viral proteins in shape. This leads to the proteins losing their structure so they can no longer function which causes the virus to become inactive. UK Research and Innovation have found that these solutions are most effective when they are around 60%-80% alcohol-based rather than 100%. This is due to water also playing an important role in breaking down Coronavirus proteins.
Antiviral sprays also cause disruptions to the virus lipid membrane which can also breakdown COVID-19. This takes place through a different mechanism as the small polar molecules interact with the surface of the lipid membrane to disrupt its structure to kill the virus. The current research supports the use of anti-virus sprays and highlights their effectiveness in breaking down Coronavirus, so this is a product you should be using in this period.
Now you know the effectiveness of anti-virus sprays it is time to ensure that you are stocked up to fight back against Coronavirus. If you require COVID-19 essentials we have a great collection of antibacterial soap and alcohol hand sanitiser available to keep your workplace safe.
