how to launder in the covid era

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How to launder clothing in the COVID era

If you’re washing clothing because you’re concerned that you’ve been exposed to the virus, follow these simple tips:

• place your clothing and reusable fabric masks in the washing machine when you remove them
• don’t shake out dirty clothing items, in case you release the virus into the air
• wash your clothing with the warmest water that’s allowable for those items
• consider using bleach or color-safe bleach, which may inactivate the virus, if it’s present
• place your cleaned clothing into the dryer, rather than air drying
• dry your load of laundry thoroughly in the dryer

“If you follow the entire laundering process – which includes heat, detergent and agitation during the wash and spin cycles, plus the dryer – it should remove or inactivate the virus from your clothing,” says Dr. Sensakovic.