Lysol Disinfectant Spray has been approved by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, Parsippany-based manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser announced Monday.
Lysol Disinfectant Spray was also reviewed in a peer-reviewed study of its effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, which was published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist are the first disinfectant products approved by the EPA to be effective against the virus.
Lysol Disinfectant Spray was found to kill the virus at 2 minutes of use, RB announced.
“Hygiene is both the foundation of health and essential in preventing the spread of illness-causing germs,” said Rahul Kadyan, executive vice president of North American hygiene for RB in a prepared statement. “The EPA’s approval recognizes that using Lysol Disinfectant Spray can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on hard, non-porous surfaces. In the face of the pandemic, Lysol continues to work with a wide range of scientific and health experts to educate the public on the importance of hygiene.”
The study published in the AJIC in May was the first comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of brands like Lysol products to combat COVID-19. Lysol has a greater than 99.9 percent efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, the study found.
The study was commissioned by RB as part of its commitment to contribute to scientific knowledge and advances around hygiene and COVID-19, the company said.
Lysol is currently testing the efficacy of other disinfectant products in the brand portfolio. Until those results are available, the EPA has a list of disinfectants that meet their criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2.