Autumn Ryan on Local on 2: Winter Cleaning That Actually Works

Cold weather brings a lot of things with it — cozy blankets, indoor time… and a surge of colds, flu, and everything else we’d rather avoid. That’s why Autumn Ryan, Founder and CEO of SoRite Company, joined Local on 2 here in Nashville to break down common cleaning misconceptions and show how families can clean smarter during the winter months.

This segment is less about panic-cleaning and more about understanding where germs actually live, how disinfectants really work, and what most households are missing when they think they’re “clean.”

The places you’re probably skipping — but shouldn’t

One of the biggest takeaways from Autumn’s interview is that it’s not just obvious messes that matter. Germs thrive on high-touch surfaces we interact with every single day, especially in winter when everyone is indoors.

She calls out areas that often get overlooked, like cabinet doors, refrigerator and oven handles, remote controls, light switches, toilet handles, and computer screens. These surfaces quietly collect bacteria and viruses simply because we touch them constantly...and rarely disinfect them properly.

Winter adds another layer. Mud, salt, ice sludge, and bacteria get tracked inside on shoes, settling into carpets and rugs. Autumn explains why cleaning floors, rugs, and even the bottoms of shoes is critical during colder months, when bacteria can build up quickly indoors.

Why winter habits make sickness spread faster

Autumn also highlights something most people don’t think about: blankets. When someone in the house gets sick, everyone piles into shared spaces — the couch, the living room, the kitchen — wrapped in the same blankets night after night. Those blankets become perfect carriers for germs if they’re not cleaned regularly.

Add coughing, sneezing, shared remotes, and constant contact with high-touch surfaces, and it’s easy to see how sickness moves through a home so quickly in winter.

The disinfectant detail almost everyone gets wrong

A major educational moment in the segment is around dwell time — how long a disinfectant needs to stay wet on a surface to actually work.

Autumn explains that most disinfectants on the market require anywhere from two to eight minutes of wet contact to kill bacteria and viruses. The problem? Almost nobody waits that long. People spray, wipe immediately, and assume the job is done.

SoRite Disinfectant works differently. It’s a hospital-grade disinfectant that cleans, sanitizes, and disinfects with a 15-second kill time. That means it only needs to remain wet on a surface for 15 seconds to effectively kill bacteria like listeria and E. coli.

She also emphasizes that the formula is non-caustic, non-corrosive, and non-reactive — safe for families, pets, and all common surfaces — while still delivering professional-grade results.

Built by experience, not guesswork

Autumn brings more than science to the conversation. With 25 years of hands-on experience owning and operating a cleaning company, she designed SoRite to be practical in real homes and real workplaces.

During the interview, she notes that the product can be used for glass, degreasing, odor elimination, vehicle interiors, electronics, and everyday household cleaning: all without damaging surfaces or exposing people to harsh chemicals.

She also teases what’s coming next: SoRite disinfectant wipes, already approved at 62 seconds and soon expected to receive a 15-second kill claim, making them the fastest disinfectant wipes available.

Clean doesn’t have to be complicated

The biggest message from Autumn’s appearance is simple: cleaning doesn’t need to be overwhelming, but it does need to be informed. Knowing where germs live, how disinfectants work, and which products actually do what they claim makes all the difference — especially during winter.

You can watch the full Local on 2 interview above to see the demonstration and hear Autumn break it all down in her own words. To explore products by need and learn more about smarter disinfecting, stay right here at sorite.com.