Clothes

c68zapdsm5i1ru

This Probably sounds like a really stupid question, but if you go somewhere like a supermarket and you're living with a vulnerable person should you change your clothes and wash them when you get home?

Been reading that it can be transmitted through clothes and don't know if this is just daft scaremongering.

fryup

imo...if someone coughs or sneezes within your vicinity then...yes, otherwise no

and throw in a splash of dettol into the wash for good measure

Fr_Dougal

If you adhere to proper social distancing then there is probably no need.

I’d imagine a lot of the scaremongers are not actually washing their clothes after a shop, and they certainly wouldn’t be wiping down all shopping with alcohol, the surfaces of groceries themselves probably pose a bigger risk.

biko

Virus droplets can survive on clothes.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-long-coronavirus-live-clothing-washing_l_5e724927c5b6eab779409e74

There's no need for Dettol in the wash, detergent will kill the virus.

Akrasia

fryup wrote: »

imo...if someone coughs or sneezes within your vicinity then...yes, otherwise no

and throw in a splash of dettol into the wash for good measure

No need for the detol, soap kills viruses, the washing detergent will be enough

fryup

Akrasia wrote: »

No need for the detol, soap kills viruses, the washing detergent will be enough

well just to be sure to be sure

Akrasia

fryup wrote: »

well just to be sure to be sure

The detol will either do nothing at all if the concentration is too low, or make your clothes smell.
Soap or washing detergent are specifically formulated to break down oils and fats. This virus has lipids (fats) in its protective envelope that are dissolved in detergent and it’s RNA structure is easily degraded by detergents. Don’t waste your detol,

There are some tougher types of microbes that are resistant to soap, but this doesn’t seem to be one of them (thankfully)

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Thanks. Should I be washing them after any trips to the supermarket or only if someone coughs or sneezes near me.

Kerry25x

I think it's more important to disinfect your phone regularly

greasepalm

That would be like a rolling stone gathering moss as if your clothes have it and you drove to shop would it not also be on seats and seat belts.

Akrasia

Karsyn Little Minority wrote: »

Thanks. Should I be washing them after any trips to the supermarket or only if someone coughs or sneezes near me.

Most clothes are inhospitable to viruses because they draw the moisture out and the virus dries out and degrades. If your clothes are damp, the virus will survive longer, so in wet weather, change and wash your clothes when you come inside. Waterproof clothes like raincoats don’t absorb water so they can allow the virus to survive for a few hours until the water evaporates

If I just came inside after sitting on a crowded bus, I would consider Changing my clothes just to prevent it from contaminating my furniture as there is a higher risk on things like public transport, but other than that you’re probably fine

Akrasia

greasepalm wrote: »

That would be like a rolling stone gathering moss as if your clothes have it and you drove to shop would it not also be on seats and seat belts.

Yes but fabrics tend to dry out the virus and deactivate it. If you have leather or vinyl seats, maybe spray them with anti bacterial spray or wipe them with a cloth that has some soapy water on it, especially the hard plastics and metal buckles

A spray bottle with some soapy water is good for cleaning your hands if you don’t have any sanitizer

Keep it in your car so you can use it before you exit the car and when you get back in. Soap is very safe for humans, but very damaging to this virus

If you are wearing rubber gloves, you can spray them with the soapy water after you put them on just for extra protection, won’t do any harm

Akrasia

Kerry25x wrote: »

I think it's more important to disinfect your phone regularly

Do many people other than yourself hold your phone?

Do you disinfect the TV remote regularly? The kettle handle, the fridge handle?

The most important thing to do is keep the virus out of your house. If you use your phone while outside and your hands may be contaminated, then definitely wipe it when your washing your hands after you get home. But if you’re not washing your hands when you get home then cleaning your phone is pointless because you’ve also contaminated all the communal surfaces in your household

It must be very stressful for people in shared accommodation who can see that others are not following these guidelines, especially if they are in a high risk category

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Thanks everyone. Lots of helpful posts.

fr336

It's kind of funny how we are all so (rightly) terrified of this yet a bit of soap can kill it stone dead. Obvious i know, but we think of it as this unstoppable monster when really it's just another virus and risk to humans.

Happyilylost

Karsyn Little Minority wrote:

Thanks. Should I be washing them after any trips to the supermarket or only if someone coughs or sneezes near me.

I understand working in the health service we follow a more stringent set of rules but I would highly recommend have a set of "indoor clothes"