COVID19 and Laundromats

[no_hypocrisy]

I called the NJ COVID Hotline today to ask how to wash clothes at laundromats without taking the virus home.

The most advice offered was to wash my hands and to use a Clorox Wipe on the tubs on the washers and dryers.

I figured hot water and soap would destroy the virus, but I do a lot of wash on warm and cold.

Anybody else have advice on how to proceed?

[pansypoo53219]

1. use more soap + rinse twice?

[polichick]

2. I'd probably run a full cycle using hot water with bleach before putting clothes in.

[Sukee]

3. yes, you need wipes and clorox

Take a small spray bottle of a water/bleach solution to clean the handles of both the dryer and washer. While the heat from the dryer will kill the virus on the clothes (regardless of the washing cycle), you will risk more exposure from the handles of the machines. Distance! Distance! Distance! From others in the laundromat, and DO NOT buy anything from the vending machines. Keep Purell for your hands and if you're not using your laundry baskets, put them inside your car until needed. You do not need to pre-wash or wash twice. The microbes to the virus do not stay active in water with detergent (it's soap!!!). So you don't need to take extra precaution with the clothes, just yourself.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Thanks!

[MerryBlooms]

6. Rec.

[cos dem]

5. I've been wondering myself. I may need to use a laundromat in the coming weeks.

One thing to keep in mind is that viruses, unlike bacteria, molds, and most other "bugs", don't like water, and the COVID doesn't like soap. So this may be a case where a little caution, but not overboard, may be fine.

I'd add bleach to any load that could take it, but many of my clothes won't handle bleach. Which might mean running whites first, and then use the same machine for subsequent loads. Takes longer, but I'll have time to kill anyway.

You might worry more about the outside of the washer than the inside. Also, if I end up having to use a laundromat, I'll sit in my car to wait for the laundry, rather than waiting in the laundromat itself.

I wonder about the dryer. They get pretty hot, but is that hot enough to kill the bastard?

[LisaL]

7. Lysol sells laundry sanitizer.

Although it kills bacteria, not the virus.
But supposedly soap kills the virus.

[malaise]

8. I learned years ago that two capfuls of either Dettol or Savlon

should be added to each full load.
Mix 1 capful in 2.5L water with detergent and soak for 15 minutes for germ kill. Then wash in washing machine or by hand. Machine wash - Top loading: Pour 2 capfuls into water with detergent.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Where can I buy that please?

[malaise]

10. Walmart or Amazon for Dettol

Not sure where you find Savlon which is amazing since that's an American product. We get both here in JA

[HipChick]

14. Never without my bottle of Dettol

[malaise]

15. Got that from my mother

I think every Caribbean woman has her Dettol

[silverweb]

11. If you're concerned about bleach...

If you're concerned about bleach getting on clothes that it shouldn't, there's another option.

According to the Journal of Hospital Infection, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide will inactivate coronaviruses within 1 minute. What we normally find in drugstores here is 3% hydrogen peroxide for first aid disinfection, which will most certainly do the job.

My suggestion would be to wipe down the machines, handles, knobs, etc, with peroxide rather than bleach. It's just as effective and won't accidentally damage clothing like bleach can.

[Blue_true]

12. Your post is sort of confusing.

Are you concerned about touching surfaces of the washers, driers and coin dispense trays, or are you concerned that the virus will survive your wash cycle?

In both cases, you can use Washing Soda or Borax, Borax is the more potent, but both should be adequate. For your wash, add one cup of concentrated Washing Soda/Water, or concentrated Borax/Water solution to your pre-wash, then fill up your Conditional pocket with the solution. I use 4 TableSpoons plus 1 Teaspoon of either per Cup of water and make sure all is dissolved. It helps of you mix a head of time and pour from a sealed container.

To take care of your hands after touching something, put a little bit of Washing Soda or Borax in one palm, use water to make a slurry, them wash your hands with the slurry, follow up with a regular soap and water or warm water wash. Make sure you clean the water knobs that you are touching before starting the hand cleaning. Use regular hand lotion as soon as you can after you last hand wash.

[cyclonefence]

13. How about wearing latex or vinyl gloves during the whole process?

Then you wouldn't have to worry about the machine handles, etc.

[Iterate]

16. Or wash clothes in the tub or sink.

I did it for years in a small apartment. Not a big deal. Drop them in, let them soak. Clothes will be cleaner and last longer too.

No need for so much clothes washing when staying home.

[Niagara]

17. This question about communal laundry facilities was answered last night on MSNBC

The questions and answers episode was aired right after The Last Word last night (March 13, 2020). It was called "Medical Experts Answering Your Questions About Coronavirus." The panel featured Dr. Zeke Emanual, Dr. Rob Davidson and Joseph Fair and a few others.


The answer was that (and I'm paraphrasing a bit) was that soap inside the washer will kill the virus and the dryers heat will also help kill the virus. I apologize as I can't find the entire episode on MSNBC's official page, Facebook or YouTube channel. I'll share a few small segments of this particular episode. I would be grateful if anyone could find the entire episode to share.


If washing and drying laundry in a communal laundry facility, it wouldn't hurt to use extra precautions and wipe down the washers drum with 3% hydrogen peroxide and wipe down all doors, lids, handles, buttons and folding tables with disinfecting wipes.

&t=2s