How to Do The Laundry During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

Doing the laundry during the COVID-19 outbreak is as vital as any other steps like washing your hands thoroughly and keeping your social distance. Washing your clothes the right way could be crucial to your family’s health. Here are some simple steps to take, especially if you have someone at home who is sick or at high risk.

4 Tips on How to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 While Doing The Laundry

1. Keep a Separate Contaminated Laundry Bin

Are you caring for someone who is sick or exposed to the virus? Their clothes are most likely contaminated. Prepare a separate laundry bin for them. Do not mix their clothing items, towels, and even linen with the rest of the family member’s laundry. This separate laundry bin helps keep the contaminated clothes until it’s ready for the wash. Keep the laundry bin clean by placing a washable liner that can be washed with the contaminate cloths. This could something simple like a spare linen.

2. Handling Soiled Items

The best way to go when handling dirty laundry of someone who is exposed to the virus is to use gloves. Use these gloves and dispose of them immediately after each use. But if this is not available to you or if you’re against single-use products you can use your bare hands and wash them thoroughly. Avoid touching your face and other surfaces throughout this process.

3. Use the Warmest Appropriate Wash & the Dryer

Wash contaminated clothes, towels, and linen in the warmest appropriate wash. Most times towels and linen can be washed together as they can take higher temperatures, above 40 degrees. When it comes to clothes, they generally can’t take anything more than 40 degrees. Check the labels for this information.

Use bleach is possible as it may help inactivate viral microbes on the soiled items. If your wash is all whites or light colours you can add bleach directly to the load. Otherwise, you could use a detergent that contains a colour-safe bleach. Be sure to check what is suitable for the fabric.

Once the washing is done, it’s time to dry the clothes well. Using a dryer is a better option if compared to hanging the clothes out to dry because heat also helps inactivate viral microbes. This way you don’t have to depend on the weather to get basic chores like this done.

Don’t have a dryer? It’s a good time to invest in one. Check out our washer and dryer options on The CBF Store.

An additional tip: Use white linen and white towels as you don’t have to worry about decolorization when washing in high temperatures or using bleach.

4. Disinfect All Surfaces

Once you have put the load for wash, disinfect everything in the laundry area. Clean the laundry bin, washing machine, knobs, and door handles. It is not a bad idea to go out of your way to do additional surrounding surfaces. You can use bleach or other household disinfectants.

Be sure to wash your hands now and maybe even take a shower.