As demand soars, Yuhan-Clorox offers disinfection tips

South Korean pharmaceutical and chemical company Yuhan-Clorox said Monday that it had posted information on its website about how to use its bleach as a household disinfectant.

The company said the tips on “sterilization and disinfection methods to prevent infectious disease” -- posted on March 2 -- were available on the Yuhan-Clorox website in response to an increasing number of customers inquiring about the efficacy of household disinfectants amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommend using sodium hypochlorite -- a major component of Yuhan-Clorox bleach -- to disinfect surfaces in accordance with WHO guidelines.

In the notice, the company cited the KCDC, which advises users to dilute the bleach to a concentration level of 0.1 percent or 1,000 parts per milliliter for disinfection of surfaces at home. This involves mixing 1 liter of water with 20 milliliters of bleach with a 5 percent concentration level.

Yuhan-Clorox warned on its website that this diluted solution should not be sprayed, as microorganisms can be spread through the air. Rather, users should wipe surfaces with a saturated cloth, according to the company.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)