Coronavirus appears to adhere to surfaces with varying degrees of intensity, with some materials being easier to clean than others. The type of cleaning agents used also affected the results, according to preliminary findings of a study headed by the University of Tampere.
The study was a joint project carried out by Tampere Universities Community and enterprises, a group aiming to gather evidence-based data on the effectiveness of various cleaning agents on eliminating coronaviruses and other pathogens from surfaces. The study's findings are intended to help the restaurant, tourism and care sectors during and after the Covid crisis, according to the group.
In the laboratory tests, various surfaces were contaminated with endemic coronavirus samples and then were cleaned with various cleaning agents. The researchers found that no method was totally effective.
"Generally, it can be said that disinfectants were the most effective cleaners. All detergents [tested] cleaned the virus from surfaces moderately effectively. Overall, all cleaning agents played a major role in helping to keep surfaces clean," Sami Oikarinen, a Tampere University senior research fellow, said in a statement.
Buffet utensils
The researchers also studied the effectiveness of cleaning agents in wards that treat Covid-19 patients at Tampere University Hospital.
The study found that cleaning did reduce virus amounts on surfaces in the hospital setting, it did not always eliminate them completely. But, according to the researchers, due to their low concentrations, the virus left on cleaned surfaces using any of the tested agents would not be enough to cause infection.
The study found that there was a decreased infection risk in restaurant settings as diners were placed further apart from each other and when the serving utensils at buffets were replaced with clean ones every half hour.
The study's partners include Tampere University, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kemvit, Berner, Kiilto Clean, Poistoa and Norlandia Care, as well as other domestic partners.
The researchers said further results of their study would be released later.