When rare or new viruses cause outbreaks of disease, “there may be few if any disinfectants that have been tested and registered for use against that specific pathogen,” the EPA says. Shopping Where to find a KN95 mask right now The best disinfectants to kill viruses and bacteria We also rounded up a list of disinfectants registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as recommended by the CDC. We talked to experts to learn more about when to use disinfectants and how. “But it’s important to be cognizant that there are different levels to cleaning - from soap and water to disinfectants - for different jobs.” “A lot of times, people think they need to use everything in the kitchen sink to clean,” said Bill Wuest, a chemistry professor at Emory University. Disinfecting - a practice the CDC says “kills most germs on surfaces and objects” - should be done at home “when someone is sick or if someone is at a higher risk of getting sick due to a weakened immune system.” Otherwise, basic cleaning with soap and water is usually effective.

With that being said, disinfectants are helpful to have at home, but they’re not everyday, all-purpose cleaners and should not be used as such, experts told us. SKIP AHEAD What are disinfectants? | How to disinfect surfaces

Touching objects, fabrics and surfaces used by someone with monkeypox can spread the virus, though research has shown that it “primarily spreads through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact with the rash, scabs, lesions, body fluids, or respiratory secretions of a person with monkeypox.”

Department of Health and Human Services declared monkeypox a public health emergency this August, interest in disinfectants rose once again. When the pandemic began in early 2020, people were buying disinfectants like Lysol and Clorox en masse, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eventually clarified that the risk of contracting Covid through surfaces is generally low.

Among the products you use to clean your home - from vacuums to laundry detergent - you likely keep a bottle or two of disinfectant on hand, especially if you’re concerned about viruses like Covid-19 or monkeypox.

Prosurface disinfectant wipes