Which statement about C. difficile cleanup is true?

• A. Alcohol-based cleaners are sufficient to kill spores.
• B. Use sporicidal cleaners on surfaces.
• C. No cleaning is required after exposure.
• D. Bleach is the only required solution.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that environmental cleaning for C. difficile must involve products that actively kill spores, not just standard cleaners. C. difficile forms hardy spores that can survive many ordinary disinfectants, so relying on alcohol-based cleaners on surfaces won’t reliably prevent transmission. To effectively reduce spread, use an EPA-registered sporicidal disinfectant on surfaces, following the label for contact time and proper use. Bleach is a common example of a sporicidal cleaner, but it isn’t the only option, and correct application is essential. Cleaning should also remove organic matter first, and you may need to repeat cleaning after contamination or heavy soiling to ensure spores are eliminated. The statement that no cleaning is required after exposure is unsafe, and the idea that bleach is the only required solution ignores other effective sporicidal products and proper usage. So the best practice is to use sporicidal cleaners on surfaces to prevent C. difficile transmission.