Talk:Virucide

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is not a virucide in any clinical sense. The only references to this I could find were alternative medicine echo-chamber sites linking back and forth to each other. No primary sources. I'm also leery of "Lysol" being listed, since I'd put that in the same category as "fire" and "hard radiation". It may kill viruses, but you shouldn't use it in or on a person for that purpose. LordQwert (talk) 01:25, 18 July 2016 (UTC)


 * Hi, article update, Vit C is no virucide per se. Lysol release a statement after the Trum-incident on disinfectants. All references point to med and scientific sources now. Enjoy! KR ✅ 17387349L8764 (talk) 13:01, 10 April 2021 (UTC)

Comments on LordQwert's post, and unsigned edit of that post
1. Regarding Vitamin C: I suppose Vitamin C was included in a long-ago version of this article. It isn't there now, and I agree with LordQwest, that it doesn't belong. 2. Regarding Lysol: Lysol is a brand name for many products. Certainly none of them should be used "in ... a person." Also, with an exception, none of the products should be used "on a person." (The exception is Lysol-branded products specifically intended for use on the skin.) When people say "Lysol," they almost always mean products that are not intended for use on the skin. Therefore, Lysol does belong on this list. What's below, about copper, is a previous edit to LordQwerk's post.

''Copper is an ABSOLUTE virucide. . It should be included on the list of virucides.''

Comments on copper: Under some circumstances, copper compounds will deactivate or destroy viruses. (Not all copper compounds; also, temperature and concentration must be specified.) But elemental copper is a solid, and so cannot have a virucidal effect. If copper metal is exposed to sweat, it would release some ions, and the ions might conceivably be virucidal; but soap and water, or hand sanitizer, are far better choices if you want to protect human health. Oaklandguy (talk) 18:39, 25 May 2020 (UTC)


 * Hi, article was update with med/scientific references. Yes, copper, zinc have viricidal attributes, see https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/14965, however https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Copper-HealthProfessional/ has nothing about microbicidal activity. CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/copper.html (not relevant), but https://www.pfonline.com/news/epa-authorizes-virucidal-registration-for-copper-alloys has relevant and very recent information, which I add to the main article now. Can we call this done? ✅ 17387349L8764 (talk) 13:11, 10 April 2021 (UTC)

Where is soap and water?
For the viruses that cause colds, flu, and Covid-19, plain ordinary soap and water is highly effective. I'm adding it to the top of the list. Oaklandguy (talk) 18:56, 25 May 2020 (UTC)


 * Hi, major update of article with many new sources/references, yes soap is helping (see citations), water is not helping, fixed wording too. KR ✅ 17387349L8764 (talk) 12:59, 10 April 2021 (UTC)

U.S. Regulatory Framework
The CDC is not a regulatory agency. Disinfectants and sterilants in the U.S. are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, with the Food and Drug Administration having joint authority over disinfectants and sterilants used on medical devices. Efficacy testing requirements generally involve testing against the organism to be controlled, not more difficult organisms. Personally, I would recommend removing the "Registration" section entirely, as the purpose is unclear and - speaking here as someone whose job is to register disinfectants in the U.S. - why is this relevant for an encyclopedia article? 97.65.163.2 (talk) 19:53, 11 June 2024 (UTC)