The One Thing That Reliably Kills Norovirus and How to Keep it From Spreading in Your Home

And for soft surfaces like carpets and sofas? Carefully wipe up any visible bodily fluids while wearing disposable gloves and a mask, and then use a steam cleaner. (These generally heat up well beyond the ~140°F necessary to zap norovirus.)

2. Wash clothing on the hottest setting possible.

You’ll also want to give special treatment to any clothes that might be harboring norovirus particles—especially anything with visible vomit or poop stains, items someone wore when throwing up, or clothes you had on while cleaning afterward—and ASAP.

Before doing anything, put on a fresh pair of disposable gloves and a mask. Carefully carry these clothes to your washing machine with as little movement as possible to keep viral particles from shaking off. (If you’re bringing them to a laundromat, transport them in a plastic bag that you can throw out immediately after.) Then, run them at the highest temperature setting on the longest cycle (with both detergent and bleach, if the fabric allows), and dry them at high heat, Dr. Pischel says.

3. Disinfect any utensils or dishes the sick person uses.

It’s helpful to designate plates, cups, and utensils that the sick person will use while they’re experiencing symptoms and for two days afterward, and ensure everyone else in your home steers clear of those during that time. Dr. Pischel notes that a dishwasher on high heat may kill norovirus (particularly if it has a “sanitize” setting, which generally entails reaching a temperature of 150°F). But she says it’s still good practice to have the sick person use specific kitchen items that others don’t touch, and to run these in their own dishwasher cycle.

If you don’t have a dishwasher with a high-heat or sanitizing setting, or you need to share utensils or dishware among family members, you can disinfect these items by both washing them thoroughly and soaking them in a bleach solution. In this case, one tablespoon per gallon of water will do. Here’s what to do: While wearing disposable gloves and a mask, scrape off any leftover food, then wash the items in hot soapy water and thoroughly rinse before soaking them in the bleach solution for at least one minute. Then, pull them out and let them air-dry.

4. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

You can’t rely on hand sanitizer to kill norovirus because, again, the main ingredient (a form of alcohol) isn’t capable of degrading the virus’s tough exterior. Though hand soap may also lack the power to effectively quash norovirus, there’s a separate benefit to using it: You scrub your hands with it and then rinse it off—so you’re actively dislodging virus particles and sending them down the drain, Dr. Pischel explains.