Cleaning clothes

It is currently unclear how long the COVID-19 virus can survive on fabric, but many items of clothing have plastic and metal elements on which it might live for a few hours to several days.

Exercise caution and common sense. Good practices to consider include removing your shoes when you enter your home and changing into clean clothes when you return home after being in crowded places, and washing your hands with soap and water immediately afterwards.

Doing laundry at home

Clean bed sheets, towels and clothes regularly.

• Don’t shake dirty laundry to minimize the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air.
• Launder items with soap or detergent, using the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely — both steps help to kill the virus.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub, immediately afterwards.
• Wash or disinfect your laundry bag and hamper as well. Consider storing laundry in disposable bags.

Doing laundry outside your home

If you need to use laundry facilities outside of your home, take sensible precautions:

• Prepare laundry before leaving your home to help minimize the amount of time you spend outside.
• Try to go at a time when there are fewer people.
• Maintain physical distance to other people.
• Wear disposable gloves if available, disinfect the surfaces of all machines you use and don’t touch your face.
• For indoor laundry facilities, wait outside for your laundry to finish if you can.
• Fold your laundry at home.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub, immediately afterwards.
• Wash or disinfect your laundry bag/ hamper as well. Consider storing laundry in disposable bags.

If you don’t have access to laundry facilities, hand wash your clothes at home with soap or detergent and the warmest appropriate water.