Household cleaner launched that destroys COVID-19 in just 60 seconds

A British company is today launching a household cleaner which destroys the SARS-CoV-2 virus - which causes COVID-19 – in just 60 seconds.

Cert. is manufactured by Hydrachem, which has specialised in this area of disinfection for almost 50 years. Cert’s tablet has the same formula, strength and level of disinfection as the main one manufactured by Hydrachem for use by the NHS, and which has the strength of disinfectant, together with a detergent, recommended by Public Health England.

Cert. is a simple to use, safe and convenient combined detergent and disinfectant - which comes in a handy tablet form with its own applicator. Cert’s powerful formula works equally well on hard surfaces and hard floors, and also kills 99.99% of microorganisms and germs commonly found in households.

Robin Rough, managing director of Hydrachem, says: “We see Cert. as a real breakthrough for cleaning and hygiene. We’ve manufactured for the NHS for many years - now everyone can destroy COVID-19 at home or at work.” Cert. is aimed at the home cleaning market as well as offices, cafes, bars and many other businesses, including hospitality.

Leading independent experts from across Europe have tested Cert. in a variety of conditions. These include Dr Jochen Steinmann of the highly respected Dr. Brill +Partner, GMBH, Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. He has certified that Cert. effectively destroys all enveloped viruses in one minute, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus - which causes COVID-19.  

The strain used was modified vaccinia virus Ankara, the legally nominated and internationally recognised surrogate of SARS-CoV-2, as it is extremely rare that testing can take place on the actual SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Cert. complies with Public Health England’s guidelines on how to disinfect hard surfaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Public Health England states you should use: “a combined detergent disinfectant solution at a dilution of 1,000 parts per million available chlorine (ppm av.cl.).”

“That’s Cert. precisely,” Mr Rough explains. “In its pre-dosed tablet form of combined detergent and disinfectant Cert. delivers the correct concentration and dosage, as recommended by Public Health England - Cert. provides you with hospital-grade hygiene both at home and work.”

Dr. Andrew Kemp PhD, who is a specialist researcher in disinfection and decontamination, carried out rigorous testing on Cert. using the Kemp-Hirschman test for “wet in use” disinfectant products. Dr. Kemp says: “At the critical period - 5 minutes after treatment - Cert. killed 100% of the bacteria species used to contaminate the surfaces. You couldn’t ask for more.” The types of surfaces tested were a wooden food chopping board, an alloy metal sink and a man-made high gloss kitchen work top.

Using Cert. is simple – just fill the Cert. Trigger Spray with 500ml of water. Then pop in a tablet, spray and wipe COVID-19 away. And its tablet-based application means the Cert. Trigger Spray can be used over and over again, eliminating the need to buy single use plastic bottles of surface cleaners and disinfectants.

“Making Cert.'s polypropylene packaging widely recyclable and reducing the impact on water resources and transported volume and weight were extremely important to us," says Mr Rough.

Cert. is available from Cert’s website: www.certcleaning.com and on Amazon soon.

The standard pack comes complete with the Cert. System Trigger Spray Bottle and 2 tubes of 18 tablets each, and is priced just £17.99. That's less than 50p for a 500ml bottle of cleaner and disinfectant that can help protect your home from COVID-19. Replenishment packs of 36 Cert. tablets cost only £12.99 - that's just 36p per 500ml of cleaner and disinfectant.