If you want to launder your money, soap and water is best, the Bank of Canada says.
“If you want to take additional safety precautions, you can clean your polymer bank notes with a bit of soap and water since they are resistant to moisture,” bank spokeswoman Amelie Ferron-Craig said.
“Note that this is not the case for older paper bank notes.”
The bank says it has tested the notes for durability against common household products. “Repeated contact with substances such as bleach and ethanol resulted in damage that could make the notes unrecognizable as legitimate money,” Ferron-Craig said. “We therefore do not recommend using these substances to disinfect your bank notes.”
The bank said health risks posed by handling cash are the same as those from touching common surfaces such as doorknobs, kitchen counters and handrails. After handling cash, wash your hands with soap and water, the bank said.
A 2017 article in Scientific American said Canadian polymer-based bills tend to carry fewer viruses and bacteria than those made primarily from cotton, such as the U.S. greenback.
An attempt by The Canadian Press to wipe down plastic cash with the disinfectant Lysol started removing the pigment.
“We have not conducted tests with Lysol and cannot comment on its impact on bank notes,” said Ferron-Craig.
