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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say... it's a fucking VIRUS

315 replies

ArtisanBreadBin · 09/04/2020 18:45

The number of posts on here about how the NHS have recommended "antibac" no they haven't. I wipe it with "antibac" why would you. I can't find any "antibac" handwash, you don't fucking need it.

AIBU to hope that people can learn the difference between a fucking virus and a bacteria. If it was a bacteria it would be called CORONA fucking BACTERIA!!!!

In any case "antibac" is a waste of time and money, use soap and water. FML.

OP posts:
Tatty101 · 09/04/2020 18:47

Except antibacterial soap and sprays work on viruses too for the most part ...

Thymelord · 09/04/2020 18:47

I hear you. My local Aldi today wouldnt let people in until they'd "sanitised" their trolley and hands....with anti bacterial spray. Pointless!

TimeAintNothing · 09/04/2020 18:49

Antibacterial gel/wipes destroy the shell of the virus which kills it but they're only effective if they have an alcohol content of 60%+. Soap and water is preferable, easier, and more gentle on your skin but gels and wipes are a viable alternative.

Hedgehogblues · 09/04/2020 18:49

Most antibac has enough alcohol in it to kill viruses

Northernsoullover · 09/04/2020 18:49

It depends on the formula. My dettol spray is labelled as an anti bac but also kills viruses.

DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 09/04/2020 18:50

They work on some viruses too....

Thymelord · 09/04/2020 18:50

Well fair play, I didn't know that.

Looneytune253 · 09/04/2020 18:51

It's actually on the bottle of dettol that it kills Coronaviruses lol

Pinkblueberry · 09/04/2020 18:51

I think it does work - but as long as you wash your hands properly for 20 seconds it doesn’t matter whether it’s anti bac or normal soap. Anti-bac might be more effective than normal after a quick flimsy wash.

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 09/04/2020 18:52

Most antibac wipes etc do kill viruses too. Dettol for one as well as any antibac gel that has 60% alcohol or more. Same with Zoflora and the like. Mix it up strong enough, it'll kill most things.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 09/04/2020 18:52

My antibacterial spray and my disinfectant both say they kill 99.9% of bacteria AND viruses.

HappyHammy · 09/04/2020 18:52

I haven't seen any health professional say you should use antibac.

Linlinds · 09/04/2020 18:52

I worked in pharmacy and people get it wrong all the time lol! Also norovirus can only be killed with a bleach solution. Theres no use in antibacterial wipes after a sick bug.

Doyoumind · 09/04/2020 18:52

YABU because many products that are antibacterial will also kill viruses. In normal life the antibacterial message is just more relevant when you are talking about cleaning hands, the kitchen, the bathroom because bacteria is normally more of a risk.

Sparklesocks · 09/04/2020 18:53

If people are outside and can’t access soap and water then a squeeze of hand sanitiser while they’re at the supermarket isn’t the end of the world. You sound very angry!

recrudescence · 09/04/2020 18:53

Bacterium

Voxx · 09/04/2020 18:53

Lots (not all) antibacterial sprays will also kill viruses. Dettol does, for example. Lots of people also use ‘antibac’ as a shorthand for ‘disinfect’. I can’t get worked up about it.

MissDollyMix · 09/04/2020 18:54

The key word on disinfectant products that claim to kill viruses (yes dettol, I’m looking at you!) is the word some viruses. One of those is not the novel coronavirus that’s causing our current epidemic. YANBU, I was just ranting about this on another thread. The 3 best ways to kill this virus are hot soapy water, 60% + alcohol solution or bleach! I really worry that people are relying on anti-bac/dettol and as a result not taking proper precautions. I’ve been sure for years that this reliance on anti-bac products is the reason why we see norovirus spreading so effectively. PSA: That doesn’t respond to anti-bac either!

Sounsociable · 09/04/2020 18:57

I have an antibacterial hand gel which claims to be effective against norovirus....

Theflushedzebra · 09/04/2020 18:57

I don't even know how anyone is getting hold of anything 'anti-bac' - I haven't been able to get it for about a month now. Always out of bloody stock.

But we did have plenty of soap and detergent, which is just as effective. And normal household bleach, diluted as per instructions on the bottle, for surfaces and floors, is very effective.

Weirdly DH had a big bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol stashed in the garage (god knows what for) so we've been using that for phones, door handles etc. I've got through half the bottle in about 4 weeks.

Daftasabroom · 09/04/2020 18:58

2% sodium hypochlorite kills Corona viruses in 60seconds.

That's a very weak mix of bleach, Milton etc

MissDollyMix · 09/04/2020 18:58

My antibacterial spray and my disinfectant both say they kill 99.9% of bacteria AND viruses.

This is clever marketing. It’s 99.9% or bacteria for sure the trick is in the and viruses. If you read the small print the 99.9% is just referring to the bacteria. The percentage of virus killed by the product will be much much lower. I think Dettol were actually in trouble a few years ago over this misrepresentation.

dragonicicle · 09/04/2020 18:59

Sorry that's incorrect. We use antibacterial wipes in hospitals as long as the alcohol %age is high enough. Around 60% off the top of my head. So actually anti bac is sufficient usually.

chomalungma · 09/04/2020 19:00

Soap is great with hot water.

Destroys the lipid membrane

Hand sanitisers

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hand-hygiene.html

Hand washing mechanically removes pathogens, while laboratory data demonstrate that 60% ethanol and 70% isopropanol, the active ingredients in CDC-recommended alcohol-based hand sanitizers, inactivates viruses that are genetically related to, and with similar physical properties as, the 2019-nCoV.

An anti-bacterial hand gel which contains 70% ethanol should kill the virus as well

carex.co.uk/product/carex-hand-gel-aloe-vera-50ml/

chomalungma · 09/04/2020 19:05

Dettol's statement on Coronavirus

www.dettol.co.uk/about-us/understanding-coronavirus/

Specific Dettol products have demonstrated effectiveness (>99.9% inactivation) against coronavirus strains from the same family as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in third party laboratory testing, when used in accordance with the directions for use. These products are: Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray, Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Wipes, Dettol All-In-One Disinfectant Spray, and Dettol Disinfectant Liquid.

Given the structural similarities of the COVID-19 virus to the coronavirus strains tested previously (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, Human Coronavirus), and based on the evidence available to us, we would expect our Dettol products (listed above) to be effective against the new strain. Definitive scientific confirmation of this, as with all other commercially available virucides, can only be provided once testing against COVID-19 Coronavirus has been conducted, following release of the strain by relevant health authorities.

The CDC and World Health Organization specifically advises people to wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a key preventative measure against the spread Coronavirus COVID-19.

A good quality disinfectant will help reduce risk to families. Our Dettol Hand Sanitizers use ethanol (alcohol) as the germ disinfection active ingredient in line with CDC and WHO recommendations.