What concentration of bleach should be used to clean a blood spill greater than 10 mL?

Using a bleach concentration of 1:10 for cleaning a blood spill greater than 10 mL is based on effective disinfection practices. The 1:10 dilution of bleach (which is typically 10% bleach mixed with 90% water) provides a strong enough solution to effectively inactivate pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, while being safer to handle than higher concentrations.

Bleach is a powerful disinfectant that is often recommended for blood spills, as blood can harbor infectious pathogens. A 1:10 ratio is considered to have sufficient efficacy against a wide range of infectious agents present in blood. Additionally, this concentration is also safe enough for most surfaces where blood spills may occur, ensuring that there is minimal damage to the material being cleaned.

Dilutions higher than 1:10, such as 1:20, 1:50, or more, may not provide the same level of efficacy in disinfecting blood spills, which requires a more concentrated bleach solution to ensure effective pathogen inactivation. Using a concentration lower than 1:10 could increase the risk of leaving infectious agents behind, posing a potential health risk. Therefore, the 1:10 bleach solution balances effective disinfection with practicality in handling.