The best disinfecting cleaners you can buy

Why you'll love it: Bacteria can cling to fabrics for several hours after exposure and athlete's foot fungus continues to multiply in our damp clothes hamper. If you are looking for one product that will sanitize your laundry and not damage your clothes, Lysol Laundry Sanitizer Additive is your best bet.

While most viruses and bacteria are transmitted during human-to-human contact, some can be transmitted from inanimate objects like clothes. Sanitizing laundry is particularly important if someone in your home is ill or has a compromised immune system. Healthcare workers and anyone working with young children should also take precautions, especially during any community healthcare crisis.

We've all heard that hot water kills germs. That's not always true and the water in our clothes washers don't reach the necessary temperature anyway, and many fabrics simply can't stand up to hot water. What to do?

Chlorine bleach is an effective disinfectant but it can't be used on colored clothes or on synthetic fabrics safely. It's time for Lysol Laundry Sanitizer Additive (EPA registration number 777-128). This product contains a phenolic disinfectant that is safe to use in any water temperature, in both standard and high-efficiency machines, with any detergent, and on any washable fabric.

I simply add it to the rinse cycle and make sure that the cycle is set for at least 16 minutes. To be effective, the product and water must be in contact with the fabrics for a period of time, so be sure to follow the bottle directions carefully. The clothes come out feeling soft and lightly scented with the Lysol Crisp Linen fragrance.

I recommend it for any clothing worn close to the body, children's clothes, and bed linens to protect against possible cross-contamination. Of the more than 500 reviewers on Amazon.com, 68% have given the product 5 stars.

Pros: Comes in three fresh scents, easy-to-use, kills 99.9 percent of bacteria on fabric, no chlorine bleach

Cons: Does not come in a dye and scent-free formula for those with sensitive skin

Buy Lysol Laundry Sanitizer Additive, Crisp Linen Scent in a 41-ounce bottle for $5.97 on Amazon

Why you'll love it: Available in a dozen scents and a top performer, Lysol Disinfectant Spray kills 99.9% of bacteria on fabrics and hard surfaces.

When a family member was sick with the flu or a cold, did he stay in bed or wander out to the couch, use the TV remotes, and head to the kitchen to grab a snack from the refrigerator? If it's the latter, he probably left some bacteria for everyone else.

That's why you need a good disinfecting spray like Lysol (EPA registration number 777-127). This is not just an air-freshener: It contains the ingredients necessary to kill bacteria and is safe to use on fabrics and hard surfaces.

The key to proper protection is to cover the surfaces with the mist and allow them to remain wet for 30-seconds or up to 10 minutes. The active ingredients in the spray need time to work. Drying times for a specific virus are listed on the container. If you are spraying surfaces that will be used for food preparation, they should be rinsed with clean water after the Lysol has dried. The same applies to toys that children might put in their mouths.

With more than 400 reviews of the Crisp Linen scent on Amazon.com, 92% rate it as 4 or 5 stars. Reviewer Shalom says it all: "Am a lifelong user of Lysol products. Can't say enough how great they are for disinfecting. Colds, flu, you name it ... it gets it. Crisp Linen scent is refreshingand& gives the area used a nice clean fresh scent."

If Crisp Linen is not your thing, there are 11 other scents to choose from to protect your family.

Pros: Disinfects fabrics and hard surfaces, kills 99.9% of bacteria, available in a dozen fragrances

Cons: Not available in an unscented formula, surfaces used for food preparation and children's toys must be rinsed with water before use

Buy Lysol Disinfecting Spray, Crisp Linen Scent in a two-count package (38-ounces) for $10.54 on Amazon

Why you'll love it: While the main reason to use a disinfecting wipe is to kill germs, Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes also offer excellent cleaning capability.

Clorox knows a thing or two about killing germs and they made life much more simple when they introduced disinfecting wipes. The wipes offer a simple, less messy way to clean surfaces without needing liquids and cleaning tools.

While all of the Clorox wipes contain ingredients that kill 99.9% of the viruses and bacteria on hard surfaces, the Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes (EPA registration number 5813-79) are 30% thicker and textured to better absorb greasy messes and gently scrub away dried-on stains. If I'm going to disinfect a surface, I want the wipe to clean it as well and these wipes do that.

To get the most disinfecting benefit from Clorox wipes, don't try to do an entire bathroom or kitchen with the same wipe. In the bathroom, use one wipe for the sink area. Grab another one for the toilet and a third for the shower. There must be enough disinfectant left on the surfaces to properly kill the bacteria. After wiping an area down, allow it air dry before using to get the greatest benefit from the disinfectant.

I found the Ultra Clean wipes to be a favorite because they remove sticky messes in the kitchen and dried-on toothpaste in bathroom sinks easily. They are safe to use on granite, acrylic, and even sealed hardwood surfaces. Any areas used for food preparation should be rinsed with plain water after the disinfectant dries.

Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes is the rebranded name of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes with Ultra Strength Blue, which is rated an average of 4.8 stars by more than 1,300 reviews on Walmart. According to one commenter, ”If I ever had a complaint about cleaning/disinfecting wipes, it was that they needed more scrubbing 'manpower' — thank you Clorox for coming to the rescue for this! Best thing to happen to cleaning wipes since cleaning wipes came about!"

Pros: Thicker, heavier wipe with excellent scrubbing power, kills 99.9% of bacteria

Cons: Not available in an unscented formula, must rinse down surface when used in food preparation areas

Buy Clorox Ultra Clean Disinfecting Wipes, Lemon Twist in a 70-count container for $5.48 from Walmart

Why you'll love it: No one wants to spend any more time than necessary cleaning the toilet bowl. With Method Antibacterial Toilet Cleaner, you can clean and disinfect all at once.

Toilet bowls, for good reasons, are some of the germiest spots in a home. Cleaning is essential for proper hygiene and there are plenty of cleaners that work well enough to remove watermarks and stains, but do they disinfect? Method Antibacterial Toilet Cleaner (has EPA registration number 75277-2) cleans and kills 99.9% of toilet bowl germs and leaves a fresh spearmint scent, to boot.

I found the baby-blue squeeze container with the angled dispenser the perfect way to reach under the toilet bowl rim. Squeeze, brush, and flush. But if you want to really disinfect the bowl, turn off the water source and flush to empty the bowl of water. Squeeze, brush, and walk away for 10 minutes. That allows time for the disinfectants to really do their work (and helps remove stains). Give the bowl a quick scrub, turn on the water, flush, and you have a germ-free toilet bowl.

With more than 300 reviews on Amazon, raters give the Method Antibacterial Toilet Cleaner an average of 4.6 stars and recommend it for both adult toilet bowls and children's potty chairs. Many purchasers love the philosophy behind Method products of fewer toxic chemicals, no animal testing, and sustainable energy manufacturing.

One reviewer switched from another brand and wrote, "I have to say I am in love with it. It cleans without a doubt better [than] any more chemically cleaners. I love that it’s made with safe and natural cleaners and the smell is AMAZING."

Pros: Effectively removes toilet bowl stains and kills 99.9 % of bacteria, angled, squeeze dispenser, fresh spearmint scent

Cons: Bottle is not refillable, does not remove hard water stains and mineral build-up

Buy Method Antibacterial Toilet Cleaner in a 24-ounce bottle from Amazon for $3.99