Quick facts
- Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus.
- It causes vomiting and diarrhea.
- Norovirus is spread through person-to-person contact by touching infected surfaces or eating food contaminated with norovirus.
- Avoid handling food while sick, use proper handwashing techniques and avoid handling food with bare hands
- Norovirus can survive on surfaces for up to two weeks.
- Wait 72 hours after you or a household member no longer have symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea before preparing food.
Step-by-step guide to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces contaminated by norovirus
Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces immediately after a vomiting or diarrhea event is critical to removing and destroying norovirus. Following thorough sanitation practices is key to minimizing the risk and spread of the virus.
- Block off and clear individuals and pets from the exposed area.
- Put on personal protective equipment to reduce your exposure to the virus:
- Single-use disposable gloves
- Disposable plastic apron
- Mask
- Use disposable absorbent material to soak up visible vomit or stool, such as:
- Paper towels
- Kitty litter
- Baking soda
- Disposable cloths
- Scrape up vomit or stool with paper plates or cardboard.
- Dispose of soiled items, waste, and personal protective equipment in a plastic trash bag.
- Throw away food and packaging materials within a 25-foot circle of the vomit or stool.
- Wash your hands. This step is critical in preventing the spread of norovirus.
- Use soap and warm running water.
- Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Dry with paper towels.
- Turn off the faucet with a paper towel to prevent re-contamination.
- Put on clean single-use disposable gloves.
- Clean the contaminated surfaces with disposable cloths and a soapy water or detergent solution. Clean surfaces such as handrails, tile floors, countertops, sinks, toilets, doorknobs, and other commonly touched items.
- Discard the disposable cloths and the cleaning solution when finished.
- Sanitize surfaces such as handrails, tile floors, countertops, sinks, toilets, doorknobs, and other commonly touched items with a chlorine-bleach sanitizer solution. Use the table below to determine the concentration needed to disinfect the surface. Depending on the sanitizer use instructions, allow the surface to air-dry or wipe the area with dry paper towels.
- Depending on the sanitizer use instructions, allow the surface to air-dry or wipe the area with dry paper towels.
- Discard all disposable clothes and other waste in a sealed trash bag.
- Isolate the contaminated area for two hours as norovirus particles can remain in the air for two hours after an incident.
| Amount of water | Bleach strength 2.75% | Bleach strength 5.25-6.25% | Bleach strength 7.5% | Bleach strength 8.25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 gallon | 1 tablespoon | 2 teaspoons | 1 ½ teaspoons | 1 teaspoon |
| 1 quart | 1 teaspoon | ½ teaspoon | scant ½ teaspoon | ¼ teaspoon |
To stop the spread of Norovirus, use either chlorine unscented bleach or EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registered antimicrobial products effective against Norovirus. Product labels must specify they are effective against Norovirus. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for concentration and contact time to ensure the surface is disinfected.
Prepare a chlorine bleach solution or use an approved disinfectant solution. Use liquid unscented bleach. For a chlorine bleach solution, use the table below to determine the concentration needed to disinfect the surface.
Disinfect the contaminated area and the surrounding 25-foot circle of the infected area. After a vomiting event, the virus can spread through the air and contaminate surrounding surfaces.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for contact time. The surface must be wet the entire time. If the surface dries, apply more of the disinfectant solution.
Depending on the sanitizer use instructions, allow the surface to air-dry or wipe the area with dry paper towels.
- Depending on the disinfecting solution and surface, a freshwater rinse may be required. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
| Bleach (hypochlorite strength) | Water amount | Bleach amount | Concentration PPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.25% Regular | 1 gallon | 1/3 cup | ~1000 |
| 6 – 6.25% Ultr | 1 gallon | 1/4 cup | ~1000 |
| 8.25% Concentrated | 1 gallon | 2-1/2 tablespoons | ~1000 |
- Remove visible vomit and stool from clothing and linen before washing.
- Separate contaminated items from regular laundry.
- Use detergent and a 1/2 cup of bleach to wash clothing and linens according to label directions.
- If bleach cannot be used, use an oxygenated detergent according to label directions.
- Wash contaminated items in a pre-wash cycle followed by a regular wash cycle using the hottest setting.
- Dry using the hottest setting.
Note: Using bleach could cause discoloration.
- Don't vacuum the area before cleaning as this will cause pathogens to become airborne and spread.
- Apply kitty litter or baking soda to the affected area.
- Clean carpet or upholstered furniture using steam at 158° F for 5 minutes or 212° F for 1 minute, or disinfect with an EPA-registered antimicrobial product effective against Norovirus that is approved for porous surfaces.
- Remove personal protective equipment and dispose of in a plastic trash bag.
- Put on a new set of single-use disposable gloves and transport the bag to a secure trash container.
- Wash your hands again. This step is critical in preventing the spread of norovirus.
- Use soap and warm running water.
- Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Dry with paper towels.
- Turn off the faucet with a paper towel to prevent re-contamination.
How does norovirus spread?
Person-to-person contact with an infected person
- A person infected with the virus can continue to spread the virus for several weeks even after their symptoms have stopped.
By touching contaminated hard and soft surfaces
- Hard surfaces include counters and the handles of doors, toilets and sink faucets.
- Soft surfaces include upholstered furniture, carpet and linens.
Eating food contaminated with the virus
- Food can become contaminated when an infected person prepares food, or when a healthy individual touches a contaminated surface and handles food with their bare hands.
Norovirus is very contagious because a person only needs to be exposed to a small number of virus particles to become sick
- Norovirus can survive on surfaces for two weeks.
- A person infected with the virus can continue to spread the virus for several weeks even after their symptoms have stopped.
- Proper handwashing is very effective in reducing the risk of person-to-person spread.
When can I handle food after exposure to norovirus?
Do not handle, prepare, package, serve, or distribute food for 72 hours after you or a household member no longer have symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea.
- Individuals are most infectious while symptoms are occurring and for up to 72 hours after symptoms subside.
- It can take 2 weeks to remove norovirus completely from your body.
- Practice proper handwashing and avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
- Do not touch ready-to-eat food or food contact surfaces with bare hands.
- Use single-use disposable gloves, tongs or spatulas to create a barrier between your hands and the food.
“EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products Effective Against Norovirus (Feline Calicivirus) [List G].” United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2025. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/epas-registered-antimicrobial-products-effective-against-norovirus-feline.
"Norovirus Infection Prevention and Control." County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality, 2024. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/deh/fhd/food/pdf/publications_norovirus.pdf
"Cleaning and Disinfecting with Bleach." United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/cleaning-and-disinfecting-with-bleach.html
"Norovirus Information Guide." Ecolab and Food Marketing Institute, 2010. https://www.fmi.org/docs/food-safety-best-practice-guides/norovirus-info-guide.pdf?sfvrsn=4
"Norovirus Outbreak Response Guide." Kentucky Public Health, 2024. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Documents/NorovirusResponseGuide.pdf
Reviewed in 2025