Can You Get Mpox From Something You Touched?

As the number of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) cases in the United States hit—and passed—10,000, some people are remembering the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when they were wiping down their groceries with disinfectant.

Eventually, we were reassured that we didn’t have to worry too much about surface transmission with COVID—but that’s not necessarily the case with mpox.

Since the mpox virus is spread mainly through close skin-to-skin contact, people are worried that they could also catch it if they touch something an infected person touched.

Before you reach for the Lysol, know that experts say that mass mpox contamination through commonly touched surfaces is not a concern right now.

How Long Can Mpox Stay on Surfaces?

Experts aren’t sure how long the mpox virus can stay on a surface and be in a form where it’s still able to spread.

One investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the live mpox virus hung around for about 15 days after a patient’s home had been vacated.

It’s important to know that orthopoxviruses—including mpox—have a particular foe: They are very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. The virus can thrive in a dark, dry, cool environment but not in one that's exposed to a lot of sunlight.

Plus, available data doesn't prove that surface transmission is much of a thing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 23% of the over 30,000 cases of mpox worldwide have reported the mode of transmission. Of the cases where transmission was noted, only nine people were thought to have caught the virus from an infected surface.

Mpox on Home Surfaces

Andrew Noymer, PhD, an associate professor of Population Health and Disease Prevention at the University of California, Irvine, told Verywell that while surface transmission of mpox is possible, it’s unlikely, especially in public settings.

If mpox is going to be found on a surface, it’s probably going to be a soft surface.

According to Noymer, live mpox virus “has been recovered from surfaces like bed linens,” and those soft surfaces in your home could be an area of concern.

“Bed linens absorb not only the virus but also a little bit of moisture that will allow the virus to persist for longer in a viable state,” said Noymer. “Desiccation is the enemy of all viruses, so porous surfaces will help sustain the virus longer.”

If someone in your home gets mpox, the surfaces that would be most vulnerable to the virus would be things like their sheets and towels. And the infected individual can pass the virus to a surface as soon as they start having visible symptoms.

Mpox on Public Surfaces

Noymer said that hard surfaces like countertops, seats, and handholds in public places are not likely to harbor the mpox virus for very long—at least not in a viable form. However, he cautions that we don’t yet have enough data to completely rule it out.

You are unlikely to catch mpox from touching a handle while riding the subway, for example.

How to Kill Mpox

Robert Amler, MD, MBA, Dean and Professor of Public Health at New York Medical College, told Verywell that the mpox virus is considered a Tier 1 virus, which means it can easily be killed with common household disinfectants like bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

The CDC has a complete disinfection guide for surfaces, but there’s one key point you should keep in mind in case someone in your home gets mpox: If possible, have them take care of their own cleaning—especially washing their own bed linens.

“The name of the game is still primarily skin-to-skin contact,” said Noymer. “I won’t rule out surface transmission, but personally, I’m not doing anything extreme.” His advice? “Keep up good hand hygiene.”

Amler said that you don’t need to start quarantining your mail, wiping down groceries, or sanitizing everyday objects around your house. If someone you live with does get mpox, the cleaning steps you’d take to prevent another infectious illness from spreading through your household will help reduce your risk of catching it.