A nurse is caring for a client who has AIDS. Which of the following solutions should the nurse use to disinfect the client's overbed table following a blood spill?

A. Isopropyl alcohol: Alcohol is effective for surface cleaning and disinfection of small areas but is not sufficient for deactivating bloodborne pathogens such as HIV on surfaces after a blood spill. It evaporates quickly and may not provide adequate contact time. B. Bleach: A freshly prepared dilute bleach solution (typically 1:10) is the standard disinfectant for blood spills because it effectively destroys HIV, hepatitis B, and other bloodborne pathogens. It provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and is recommended by infection control guidelines. C. Chlorhexidine: Chlorhexidine is primarily used for skin antisepsis and is not recommended for disinfecting environmental surfaces or inactivating bloodborne pathogens on furniture. It lacks the efficacy required for cleaning blood spills. D. Hydrogen peroxide: While hydrogen peroxide has antimicrobial properties, it is less reliable than bleach for inactivating HIV and other bloodborne pathogens on environmental surfaces. It is not the preferred solution for blood spill decontamination.