Remember that episode of Friends where Monica finds out that Phoebe tried to “cut” her out of her life several years earlier? Essentially, Phoebe tried to ghost Monica, but she explains that Monica is “scrappy” and refused to be cut out. She tells her, “No matter what I tried to do, I couldn’t keep you out of my life. Of all the people I have cut out, you were the only one who ever clawed her way back in.”

COVID-19 is the person that we simply CANNOT. CUT. OUT. It’s like…COVID-Monica.

And while “scrappy” seems far too nice of a word to describe this nasty virus, the reality is that it’s certainly persistent. With cases still being reported constantly, and kids and teachers back at school, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Knowing that hot water alone cannot kill COVID-19, what is the best cleaning agent to use against it?

Here’s the good news: The EPA has assembled a massive list of products that can be used to fight COVID-19. For the full thing, check out their website.

The bad news: A lot of those options are intended for places like hospitals that do cleaning and disinfecting on a huge scale and need LOTS of product that isn’t suitable for the average home.

Luckily, we’re here to save you from ripping out your hair in frustration as you Google one of the EPA product only to find out that, for the fiftieth time, it’s actually a drum of disinfectant used to clean a stethoscope. To keep your sanity fullly intact, we’ve assembled a list of household cleaning products that are sure to keep your home germ-free when used as directed. 

Clorox Germicidal Bleach

Price: $6.48 at Walmart

Product Description: "Clorox Germicidal Bleach kills 99.9% of germs while it eliminates odors, whitens, disinfects, and kills mold and mildew on a variety of surfaces. Suitable for food-contact surfaces, this disinfecting bleach kills salmonella, E. coli, and listeria and its EPA-registered to kill 63 organisms, including multiple strains of MRSA, Norovirus, and 5 strains of influenza. Clorox Germicidal Bleach kills Clostridium difficile spores in 5 minutes on hard, nonporous surfaces when used as directed. . . . A little goes a long way with Clorox Germicidal Bleach.” 

Clorox Pet Solutions Stain & Odor Remover

Price: $5.69 on Petco.com

Product Description: "A pet may be your best friend, but its stains can be your worst (and stinkiest) enemy. Clorox Pet Solutions Stain & Odor Remover eliminates the toughest messes left by your favorite fur baby, from both hard and soft surfaces.

• For stains and odors from urine, feces, drool, and vomit
• Good for carpets, floors, furniture, clothing, and more
• Bleach-free, and safe around pets"

Lysol Wipes

Price: You can get a 4-pack at Walmart for $11.52!

Product Description: "Tackle quick cleaning touch-ups and help stop the spread of germs with Lysol Disinfecting Wipes. Strong enough for even the toughest messes, Lysol Disinfecting Wipes can be used on most hard, non-porous surfaces. In addition to killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses [when used as directed], Lysol Disinfecting Wipes also removes allergens, including pet dander, dust mites, and pollen."

Lysol Disinfectant Spray

Price: At Target, you can get a 2-pack for $10.99.

Product Description: "Lysol Disinfectant Sprays kills 99.9% of the viruses and bacteria your family comes in contact with every day. Our disinfectants can be used to eliminate germs on commonly touched hard and soft surfaces. This spray eliminates odor-causing bacteria and kills mildew, mold, viruses on most household surfaces"

Lysol Bathroom Cleaner

Price: $3.45 at Big Lots!

Product Description: "Clean bathroom surfaces to a brilliant shine with Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner. The powerful foaming action tackles even the toughest cleaning challenges — removing soap scum, limescale, and everyday dirt and grime — with little or no scrubbing. Simply spray the entire surface, wipe with a cloth or sponge, and enjoy a brilliant, clean shine and fresh scent. This cleaner prevents the growth of mold and mildew while helping to fight viruses and bacteria" 

Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter

Price: $8.82 at Walmart

Product Description: "Powers through tough soap scum and grime. Kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. Has a pleasant scent without harsh smells. Effectively removes dirt from multiple hard, non-porous bathroom surfaces"

Windex Disinfectant

Price: $3.77 on Amazon

Product Description: "Don’t leave the streak-free shine behind when you reach for a multi-surface cleaner that kills 99.9% of germs, viruses, and bacteria on hard, non-porous surfaces. Windex Disinfectant Cleaner Multi-Surface leaves behind a fresh citrus scent without any dull residue."

What Are the Best Practices for Fighting COVID-19?

The best practices are the simple answers you’ve been hearing all along: wearing masks, washing our hands, using sanitizer, and especially using the PhoneSoap. Your hands pick up germs, and what’s in your hands all the time? That’s right — your phone. By using the PhoneSoap, you eliminate 99.99% of germs at the push of a button and increase your likelihood (and that of those around you) of avoiding all kinds of viruses.

As to whether PhoneSoap (and UV-C light in general) can kill coronavirus specifically, as we’ve stated in the past, only organizations like the CDC and those working to contain COVID-19 have access to this novel strain of coronavirus to test, so PhoneSoap has not tested and therefore, cannot claim that our products kill COVID-19. That being said, we do know that coronavirus is an enveloped virus, similar to Influenza A (H1N1) which we have tested and know that PhoneSoap kills at a 99.99% reduction rate. 

What are your favorite cleaning products on the EPA list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!