Different Kinds of Surfaces
It’s unlikely to catch COVID-19 from a surface, but the risk still exists. Lab studies have found that the virus may last on different materials for varying amounts of time. We don’t know if these findings always apply in the real world, but we can use them as a guideline.
Metal
Examples: doorknobs, jewelry, silverware
5-9 days
Wood
Examples: furniture, decking
4 days
This video is from the WebMD Archive.
Plastics
Examples: milk containers and detergent bottles, subway and bus seats, elevator buttons
2 to 3 days
Stainless steel
Examples: refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles
2 to 3 days
Cardboard
Examples: shipping boxes
24 hours
Copper
Examples: pennies, teakettles, cookware
4 hours
Aluminum
Examples: soda cans, tinfoil, water bottles
2 to 8 hours
Glass
Examples: drinking glasses, measuring cups, mirrors, windows
Up to 5 days
Ceramics
Examples: dishes, pottery, mugs
5 days
Paper
Examples: mail, newspaper
The length of time varies. Some
strains of coronavirus live for only a few minutes on paper, while others live for up to 5 days.
Food
Examples: takeout, produce
Coronavirus doesn't seem to spread through food.
Water
Coronavirus hasn't been found in drinking water. If it does get into the water supply, your local water treatment plant filters and disinfects the water, which should kill any germs.
Fabrics
Examples: clothes, linens
There’s not much research about how long the virus lives on fabric, but it’s probably not as long as on hard surfaces.
Shoes
One study tested the shoe soles of medical staff in a Chinese hospital intensive care unit (ICU) and found that half were positive for nucleic acids from the virus. But it’s not clear whether these pieces of the virus cause infection. The hospital’s general ward, which had people with milder cases, was less contaminated than the ICU.
Skin and hair
There’s no research on exactly how long the virus can live on your skin or hair. Rhinoviruses, which cause
colds, survive for hours. That’s why it’s important to wash or disinfect your hands, which are most likely to come into contact with contaminated surfaces.