Does Isopropyl alcohol kill surface germs?

[Nikosmith]

Questions for somebody intelligent out there.

 

I like to clean my keyboards, remote controls, sometimes faucet and door handles, etc. with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).

I do this usually when somebody in the household is sick or has been sick. Ill do it randomly like once a week as well.

 

Does this kill germs on surfaces? It damn sure gets everything nice and clean looking I know that. Ive done this forever as I learned it from my parents.

 

So is it an effective way to disinfect these surfaces?

[CharonY]

Yes, it is commonly used as disinfectant. However, many cases it does not kill on contact, but can require a few minutes of incubation, depending on how resilient the buggers are.

[Nikosmith]

But as far as say wiping down your laptop keyboard, cell phones, etc.... This should be enough? Correct. Like I said I clean phones, laptop, desktop keyboards and mouse. You know.. The things that you touch everyday. I like to give them a good wipe down with isopropyl alchol (70 percent) every few days or maybe just once a week.

[CharonY]

Enough for what? If you want to have a really sterile surface it certainly is not. But just to have it cleaned up a bit, sure. In either case transmission of disease is not terribly likely, unless the surfaces were handled by a sick person.