Do I Need to Wash My Clothes on Hot Because of COVID-19?

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Do you need to use hot water to kill germs in the laundry? What about COVID? I work with kids, so I’m around germs all day. I do all the standard stuff. I wear a mask and wash my hands frequently. I also change as soon as I get home, but what about my clothes? Do my roommates need to bleach the washer before they do their clothes?

This whole thing makes me anxious.

Signed,
Concerned in Concord

Dear Concerned in Concord:

Insert standard disclaimer here: I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice.

First, thank you. As someone who works with her youngest children practically perched on her head, I know the parents that have to leave their children with you are grateful. Thank you for being concerned. Thank you for taking precautions. It is important.

Second, we’re still learning, but we’ve learned so much since March 2020. Some of the early information and guidance isn’t the same as it was then. It doesn’t mean that the science community or those in charge of public health don’t know what they’re talking about. It means that as fallible humans learn as we go, and as we know better, we do better.

Know better; do better. It applies to all areas of your life.

Next, so far, I’ve only learned of one confirmed case of fomite transmission of COVID-19. Fomite transmission is when a disease is caught by one person depositing the virus on a surface, where another person gets the virus onto themselves, usually their hands, and then into their body, typically through a mucus membrane like the eyes, nose, or mouth—stop touching your face! That case took place in a nursing home. Does this mean it hasn’t happened elsewhere? Of course not. It just means that the chances are low, but keep washing your hands to be sure.

Do I Need to Wash My Clothes on Hot Because of COVID-19?

washing machine and laundry basket against blue wall to answer do i need to wash my clothes on hot

When you add in the process of washing your clothes, you’re adding in all kinds of other disruptors to the transmission process:

You are diluting the number of virus that can be transmitted at once.

You are rinsing away some of the virus, reducing what can be picked up.

But here’s the kicker: the coronavirus is covered in a lipid (fatty) coating, and detergents break down this layer, which causes the virus to fall apart. Yay!

So no, you do not have to wash your daily-wear clothing on hot to be safe concerning COVID. If you’re cleaning up after a sewage backup or diaper explosion, that’s a very different story.

Kids are little Petri dishes and are excellent transmitters of so many things. So, please don’t forget to get your flu shot this year; the normal germs are still going to make the rounds of preschools and daycares.

Stay healthy and send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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6 thoughts on “Do I Need to Wash My Clothes on Hot Because of COVID-19?”

  1. Great info!! Thank you. So why do sewage clothes need to go in hot water but Covid-19 clothes don’t. I was assuming I needed to pressure cook my clothes like we were told to pressure cook our masks.

    Reply
    • Sewage clothes = a completely different scenario and many different germs, with potentially a wide array of bacteria, virus, and protozoa. This is why the news people are always saying: STAY OUT OF THE FLOODWATER every high tide around here.

      For those who don’t know, I know Michael and have for a long time. He works in a hospital setting, so I’m going to assume that he has access to n-95 style masks which do require special care, as opposed to fabric masks.

      N-95 masks are designed to filter out much smaller particles than fabric masks the rest of us wear. Our masks tend to just catch the droplets that the virus is carried by, reducing our exposure, to low enough levels that we may not get sick at all, or if we do, hopefully, it’s a mild case.

      Tossing an N-95 mask in the washer would compromise the integrity of the filters, reducing its effectiveness. Don’t do that. Follow the instructions you were given.

      Your masks are protecting your airway and the associated mucous membranes from airborne droplets that you’d otherwise inhale.

      Your clothes are just there. They come in contact with the same airborne particles, but because of the porous nature of clothing and the random and dispersed nature they get distributed, you’re less likely to be able to pick up the virus on say your hand and then transfer it again. HOWEVER, if someone COVID positive sneezed or (sorry) coughed up a lot of phlegm on your sleeve and you then wiped your nose with the same area, yes, you absolutely could transfer quite a viral load.
      NOTE: This example is assuming incidental exposure, not extended exposure.

      Don’t touch your face. Stop it.

      Reply

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