Two Lysol disinfectant products have proven effective at killing the SARS-CoV-2 virus when used on hard, nonporous surfaces, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday.
The EPA approval is based on laboratory findings that demonstrated that Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist kill the coronavirus two minutes after contact.
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The EPA has a list of more than 420 products that are reportedly strong enough to kill the coronavirus, but these are the first two products to be directly tested against it. Other products on the list are expected to be tested soon.
The list includes products that qualified through the agency's Emerging Viral Pathogen program, activated in January in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program allows product manufacturers to provide the agency with evidence that their products are powerful enough to kill the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.
Lysol released a statement saying that it is working to test the efficacy of its other disinfectants too.
"In the face of the pandemic, Lysol continues to work with a wide range of scientific and health experts to educate the public on the importance of hygiene," said Rahul Kadyan, executive director of Reckitt Benckiser in North America, Lysol's parent company.
Consumers using these products should follow manufacturer's instruction carefully. Pay particular attention to how long the disinfectant should remain on the surface.