How to Clean for C. diff.

How Can You Get C. diff?

Older adults are most likely to contract C. diff, especially those in rest homes or hospitals. Typically, one will contract C. diff after using various antibiotic medications. Despite this, there has been an increase in cases of C. diff among young and healthy people who are not on antibiotics or living in healthcare facilities. 

Outside of rest homes, you can contract C. diff from feces. For instance, if someone who has C. diff goes to the bathroom and then doesn't wash their hands, they can spread contagious bacteria to any person or surface they touch. Once C. diff bacteria are outside of the body, they are called spores. These spores can live on surfaces for months, sometimes even years. 

What can kill C. diff?

• EPA-registered disinfectants 
• Cleaning products that have a sporicidal claim (when C. diff bacteria is outside of the body, they are called spores)
• Bleach or products using bleach
• Clorox healthcare products 

Is C. diff contagious?

Those with C. diff are contagious as long as symptoms persist or their stool shows signs of toxins. Those who have C. diff should use their own bathrooms and should thoroughly wash their hands and bodies frequently.

You do not need to isolate a person completely but making sure they are using a restroom separate from others is a great way to help prevent the spread. If the sick person is not frequently washing their hands, you may need to quarantine them to prevent the spread of the bacteria to surfaces the person is touching. 

It is okay to visit someone with C. diff, just make sure to wash your hands after or consider wearing gloves. Don't touch any surfaces in the area where they are staying since C. diff spores can live on surfaces for long periods of time. 

How do you prevent C. diff?

• Wash your hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom.
• Avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. Extended use of antibiotics is proven to increase the chance of contracting C. diff since antibiotics wipe out both bad and good germs, leaving your body at risk.
• Clean your home and bathrooms thoroughly. Do this even if no one is sick, since there are still harmful bacteria everywhere.
• Disinfect your devices and other small objects frequently using PhoneSoap products.

Cleaning after someone has contracted C. diff

If you or someone you live with has recently had C. diff, it’s extremely important that you clean and disinfect your home, especially the bathroom. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of registered detergents/disinfectants that you should use plus information regarding the amount, dilution, and contact time. Typically, you will need to use a mixture of bleach and water. Soak a clean rag in this mixture and wipe everything down, starting from clean to dirty. Dirty items will be ones directly used by the sick person. These can also include bed linens, clothing (especially underwear), and towels. 

While you or someone in your household are sick, make sure to clean all surfaces and objects that are touched frequently, including remotes, tables, doorknobs, and phones. After wiping down some of these objects, make sure to disinfect. For surfaces, disinfect using wipes or bleach.

Did you know that your phone is 18x dirtier than a public bathroom? And we know bathrooms are one of the main places where C. diff spores and bacteria thrive. So basically you could be carrying C. diff spores and other harmful bacteria on your phone and other devices RIGHT NOW. Don't worry, in just 10 minutes our PhoneSoap 3 can kill 99.99% of that harmful bacteria.* 

Following these preventative practices will protect your family from C. diff and from thousands of other bacteria and viruses. Cleaning and disinfecting your home and items are essential and should be done whether you are healthy or sick. PhoneSoap can help with that. 

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*PhoneSoap 3 has been tested by an independent, 3rd party laboratory to be 99.99% effective against Salmonella, E. coli, MRSA, H1N1, Coronavirus 229E, Staphylococcus, Rhinovirus, Rotavirus. It has been tested on actual phones, Apple™ watch, headphones, credit cards, and keys. PhoneSoap 3 has also been tested to be 99.99% effective against Salmonella, H1N1, rotavirus, and rhinovirus using a modified ASTM E1153 and ASTM E1053-11 for efficacy of UV light on general hard non-porous surfaces such as glass, metals, and plastics. Real world results may vary depending on size, shape, and material of phone or phone case.