In Michigan, we endure Arctic Blasts, crippling humidity, potholes large enough to swallow entire cities, and now, we get to battle the norovirus year-round. Hooray for us. Ready for the real fun? Chances are your favorite cleaners might not be tough enough to stop it from spreading to you and your entire family.

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The norovirus is a charming little bug and master of stomach chaos. Imagine your insides as a packed movie theater when the fire alarm goes off, and flames burst from behind the screen. None of the exits are marked, so the masses move to the closest door, tripping over each other on the way out—that's what the norovirus does to your insides. But how do you stop it? With the right cleaning solution.

Norovirus: The Unwelcome Houseguest

A man holds his stomach as the word GURGLE is written on his mid-section. A bottle of bleach is also seen.
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This isn't your average bug that folds up and leaves after a good wipe-down with a rag. Norovirus sticks around like a bad ex at your favorite coffee shop. It survives on surfaces, not for minutes, but for days. While some of the disinfectants we normally use in Michigan can handle everyday bugs, norovirus laughs in the face of your sprays and wipes.

If you've been relying on wipes, let's just say your place may not be nearly as "clean" as you think.

Bleach to the Rescue

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Don't panic; you're not defenseless. The one thing norovirus can't outwit? Bleach. yes, the stuff that makes your whites whiter and your nose twitch. Here's how you can use it to give the norovirus the boot, according to the National Insitute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA):

  1. Mix it Right: Add 5 to 25 tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water. Your tolerance for the smell of bleach may help determine how much to use
  2. Pre-Clean the Scene: Remove any, (cough), visible debris using disposable products like gloves and paper towel
  3. Don't Get Cheap With the Bleach: Spray or wipe the bleach solution on surfaces. Make sure to let it sit for at least five minutes so the bleach can work its norovirus-killing magic
  4. Wipe It Down: Once the bleach has done its job, clean up the residue and repeat steps 1-4 as needed

Listen, norovirus in Michigan, or any state for that matter, isn't playing around. It's known for turning your weekend plans into a marathon/sprint spent between your bed and "quality bathroom time." Be smarter than the bug, keep bleach handy, clean thoroughly, and maybe don't rely on wipes when the norovirus is running around.

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