What the kit contains
Each kit (LTIHCPUS for human patients, LTIDCPUS for feline patients) provides everything needed for the standard 90-day post-treatment isolation window:
- S4FE-D® Decontaminant Concentrate (16 oz) for laundry and refilling spray bottles
- S4FE-D® Decontaminant Ready-to-Use Spray (32 oz)
- S4FE-D® Hand & Body Soap with the same Bind-It™ surfactant
- S4FE-D® Wipes — pre-wetted, in a resealable go-bag
- Disposable bagging for short-term decay storage
The general protocol
Wherever you are cleaning, the steps are the same:
- Spray S4FE-D® Decontaminant on the surface (or use a wipe directly).
- Wait 30 seconds so the Bind-It™ chemistry has time to attract and bind the iodine.
- Wipe with a paper towel until the surface is dry.
- Place the used towel or wipe in the decay bag. Hold for 90 days for I-131. After 90 days the bag is normal household trash.
Where to clean (and where not to)
The instructions document is specific about the high-touch surfaces that matter most. These are the places contamination realistically transfers from the patient to the rest of the household.
| Where | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Doorknobs | Spray, 30s dwell, paper-towel wipe (~45 sec total) | The single highest-transfer surface in the home. |
| Refrigerator handle | Spray, 30s dwell, wipe (~45 sec) | Touched dozens of times a day, often after eating. |
| Toilet handle & seat | Spray, 30s dwell, wipe | Critical contact point during isolation. |
| Toilet interior bowl | 2 oz concentrate poured in, scrub 60+ seconds, flush twice | Heaviest contamination point; clean after every use. |
| Bathroom floor, bathtub, shower, sinks | Spray surface, 30s dwell, wipe with paper towels | Daily. Sinks especially after handwashing or rinsing. |
| Telephone / cell phone | Wipe only — do not spray | Use a wipe to avoid liquid intrusion into electronics. |
| Remote controls, keyboards, game controllers | Wipe only — do not spray | Same caution: electronics first, decon second. |
| Bed sheets, towels, patient clothing | Pre-soak in 6 oz concentrate per gallon for 1 hour, then standard wash | Wash patient laundry separately from family laundry. |
Where not to use S4FE-D®
The product is designed for surfaces, not for food contact. Do not use S4FE-D® on:
- Eating utensils, plates, drinking glasses, or anything that contacts food directly. Use disposable utensils and paper plates during isolation; place them in the decay bag with the wipes.
- Skin wounds or as a wound cleaner (it is a surface decontaminant, not a medical antiseptic).
- Pet food bowls or aquariums.
Refilling the spray bottle
The 32 oz Ready-to-Use spray is a working dilution of the concentrate. When the spray runs out, the kit is designed to be refilled rather than thrown out. Mix 3 oz of S4FE-D® concentrate with distilled water to top off a 32 oz bottle. The 16 oz concentrate in the kit will refill the spray bottle multiple times across the 90-day isolation window.
Hand washing matters more than you think
The S4FE-D® hand & body soap uses the same Bind-It™ chemistry as the spray. Used after the patient touches surfaces — and used by family members after they touch shared surfaces — it dramatically reduces the amount of iodine that ends up on the next door handle. The instructions document calls this out specifically: handwashing greatly reduces room contamination over the isolation window.
The 90-day rule
Iodine-131 has a physical half-life of about 8 days. After roughly ten half-lives — 90 days — the radioactivity in a sealed wipe is below background and the bag is ordinary trash. This is why the kit's bagging is sized for the full window. Tape the bag closed, label it with the date treatment ended, and store it somewhere out of regular foot traffic. After 90 days it goes in the household trash.
A note on stress
I-131 treatment is unsettling for patients and family members alike. The level of contamination in a normal home isolation is very low — the cleaning is a precaution, not a hazmat response. The single best thing a family member can do is follow the protocol calmly and consistently for the few weeks it really matters, and let the half-life do the rest.