Kako oprati perilo med pandemijo COVID-19
Moram vedeti
- Oblačila lahko prenašajo virus, ki povzroča COVID-19, vendar verjetno že počnete vse, kar morate s perilom.
- Obstajajo stvari, ki jih lahko storite, da dodatno zmanjšate tveganje, tudi ko skrbite za nekoga, ki je ujel virus
Številni mikrobi, vključno s koronavirusom, ki povzroča COVID-19, se lahko prenašajo prek kontaminiranih oblačil in brisač.
Na žalost ne vemo, kako dolgo lahko koronavirus COVID-19 živi na tkaninah, zato se splača upoštevati nekaj varnostnih ukrepov.
Dobra novica je, da ti previdnostni ukrepi niso pretežki, razen če ne skrbite za nekoga, ki je okužen ali spada v kategorijo visokega tveganja.
Na tej strani:
- Kako oprati perilo med pandemijo
- Ali sušilni stroj ubija viruse?
- Ali lahko UV svetloba ubije viruse?
- Ali Steam ubija viruse?
- Kateri čistilni izdelki ubijajo viruse?
- Kako si umijete obrazno masko?
- Ali morate dekontaminirati svoj pralni stroj?
Ali bo vaš pralni stroj obvaroval COVID-19?
Če imate opravka z rahlo umazanimi predmeti, za katere menite, da predstavljajo majhno tveganje (tj. niste prišli v stik z znano okužbo), potem sta vaš trenutni pralni stroj in običajni detergent za perilo odlična orodja v boju proti prenosu.
Kombinacija detergenta, vroče vode, mešanja, izpiranja in ožemanja, ki je sestavni del vaše obstoječe rutine pranja, je zelo učinkovita pri neaktivnosti, odstranjevanju in odplakovanju virusnih obremenitev.
Po podatkih Nacionalne zdravstvene službe (NHS) v Združenem kraljestvu, kjer se ukvarjajo z veliko več primeri kot mi v Avstraliji, bo "normalno pranje oblačil zmanjšalo tveganje za prenos klic".
Tudi če imate dodaten razlog za zaskrbljenost – na primer, če ste morda prišli v stik z virusom – vam ni treba bistveno spremeniti rutine pranja perila, da bi ostali varni. Po mnenju NZS je treba "v določenih situacijah oblačila prati pri temperaturah, ki so višje od običajnih, in z izdelkom na osnovi belila, da čim bolj zmanjšamo tveganje prenosa."
Kako oprati perilo med pandemijo
Tukaj je opisano, kako operete oblačila in druge predmete, da zmanjšate tveganje za izpostavljenost bolezni COVID-19.
Perite na najbolj vročem programu, ki ga priporoča vaša etiketa za nego
Čeprav običajno priporočamo umivanje v hladni vodi, je toplota eden najboljših načinov za onemogočanje virusov. Če perete ročno, naj bo tako vroče, kot lahko prenesete.
Oblačila z visokim tveganjem perite pri 60 °C ali več
Oblačila z visokim tveganjem je najbolje prati pri 60 °C ali več.
Oblačila, ki so bila izpostavljena telesnim tekočinam – kot so kri, bruhanje, znoj in blato, vključno z oblačili, ki jih nosite čez odprto rano, in skupnimi brisačami – lahko hitro širijo viruse. To pomeni, da morate opremo za vadbo, brisače, spodnje perilo in zlasti plenice za večkratno uporabo in otroška oblačila prati pri 60 °C ali več.
Močno umazane predmete in oblačila, ki ste jih uporabljali pri pripravi hrane, je treba prati ločeno in ne oblecite znova svojih smrdljivih telovadnih oblačil – dajte jih naravnost v pranje, tudi če še vedno telovadite sami.
Ne delite brisač
Skupna raba brisač je higienska grozljivka in eden najlažjih načinov za širjenje mikrobov s človeka na človeka. In to vključuje tudi brisače za roke – tudi če ste si pravkar umili roke potrebnih 20 sekund.
Po pranju perilo temeljito osušite
Virusi se lažje širijo prek mokrih površin kot preko suhih, zato se prepričajte, da je vaše perilo po pranju popolnoma suho, da zmanjšate tveganje okužbe.
Ali sušilni stroj ubija viruse?
Ni nujno, vendar lahko, odvisno od tega, kako vroče lahko postane. In čeprav običajno zagovarjamo sušenje na vrvici, če je to mogoče, je to trenutek, ko bi lahko koristila uporaba sušilnega stroja. Kljub temu, da sončna svetloba blago uničuje mikrobe, bo vroč zrak v vašem sušilnem stroju veliko bolje onemogočil viruse.
Ali lahko UV svetloba ubije viruse?
Da, lahko, čeprav obstaja več različnih vrst UV-svetlobe z različno učinkovitostjo proti virusom, kot je SARS-CoV-2. UVC je najučinkovitejši pri zaustavljanju virusov, v nekaterih zdravstvenih ustanovah pa se uporablja za razkuževanje površin in opreme. Uporablja se lahko tudi za ubijanje škodljivih bakterij v pitni vodi, UV sterilizatorji pa so priročno orodje za popotnike in pohodnike.
Sončna svetloba vsebuje tudi UV svetlobo, čeprav je večinoma UVA in UVB. Te vrste UV-svetlobe so manj učinkovite pri onemogočanju SARS-CoV-2, čeprav vam zagotovo lahko povzročijo neprijetne sončne opekline. Torej, čeprav ima sončna svetloba – imenovano tudi sušenje linij – blag protivirusni in antibakterijski učinek, se ne morete zanašati, da bo uničila COVID-19 na vaših oblačilih ali v vas.
Ali Steam ubija viruse?
V določenih okoliščinah, da, in para se uporablja za uničevanje virusov v avtoklavih.
Vendar se para v avtoklavih uporablja v nadzorovanem okolju pod pritiskom in pri visokih temperaturah in ni jasno, ali bi bila para iz pralnega stroja s funkcijo pare učinkovita proti SARS-CoV-2 ali kateremu koli drugemu virusu na mehkih materialih, kot so oblačila. . Čeprav zagotovo ne bi škodilo, če bi vaš pralni stroj imel nastavitev za paro ali razkuževanje, nasvet strokovnjakov, vključno s Centrom za nadzor bolezni v ZDA, ostaja, da je pranje v vroči vodi najučinkovitejši način za spopadanje s COVID-om. -19 v pralnici.
Eterična olja, ki ubijajo viruse
Čeprav obstaja nekaj dokazov, ki kažejo, da so nekatera eterična olja učinkovita pri razgradnji nekaterih virusov z ovojnico, kot je gripa, so raziskave zelo omejene. Čeprav je Sars-CoV-19 tudi virus z ovojnico, trenutno ni dokazov, ki bi kazali, da bi eterična olja kakorkoli vplivala nanj, in niso priporočljiva pri njegovem zdravljenju ali preprečevanju.
Kateri čistilni izdelki ubijajo viruse?
Detergent za pranje perila
Tako kot milo tudi vaš običajni detergent za perilo odlično razgrajuje in uničuje koronaviruse. Za redno vsakodnevno pranje mora vaš običajni detergent v toplem pranju popolnoma zadostovati, da uniči virus na vaših oblačilih.
Če ste prišli v neposreden stik z virusom ali ste v okolju z visokim tveganjem, si prav tako prizadevajte prati v najbolj vroči vodi, ki jo vaša oblačila in vaš pralni stroj zmoreta (trenutno velja, da so temperature nad 60 °C dovolj, da postane COVID-19 neaktiven), in razmislite o uporabi belila s kisikom ali o prehodu na detergent, ki vsebuje belilo.
Bleach
Bleach is one of the best household cleaners to use with any virus, and laundry-specific oxygenated bleach is a powerful antiviral tool in the laundry, particularly for clothing that may have come into contact with the virus.
Follow the dilution instructions on the bottle and not only will bleach help keep your whites their whitest, but according to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, it may help render viruses inactive in the wash. Many laundry detergents already contain colour-safe bleaching agents, so check the box or bottle in your laundry, and if yours doesn't, consider switching to one that does.
Do not use chlorine bleach in your washing machine, it can damage and discolour fabrics, and never mix bleach with vinegar or other cleaning products as this can create toxic gas.
Like bleach, Hydrogen Peroxide is also a powerful disinfectant, and will do a good job of sterilising surfaces but may not be suitable for use on clothing.
Alcohol
Ethanol in concentrations greater than 65% will effectively render most coronaviruses inactive. While ethanol has limited uses in the laundry, it's the basis for most hand sanitisers which, in the absence of soap, are recommended for keeping your hands virus free.
Does vinegar kill viruses or bacteria?
Vinegar is a popular, cheap and natural surface cleaner. White distilled vinegar contains 5% acetic acid, a compound that can dissolve dirt, debris, and grime, but it only has limited effectiveness as a disinfectant. It can't kill all germs, and this includes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
How do you wash a face mask?
If you wear a face mask (or gloves for that matter), then you should change it often. Face masks can quickly build up large viral loads as they have warm, moist air (your breath) constantly moving through them. Think of wearing a contaminated mask as the same as holding a damp cloth soaked in germs to your mouth and nose and you'll see why it's a problem.
Fabric masks should be washed in hot water, and dried thoroughly before you wear it again. Disposable masks are strictly single use, so throw them away (responsibly) after use.
Extra precautions for someone with COVID-19
Doing the laundry safely is particularly important if someone in your household might have the virus (confirmed or suspected), is in a high-risk category (such as those with a compromised immune system), or is a frontline care worker who is likely to come into contact with the virus.
The above washing practices are effective in rendering contaminated clothing safe (and you should consider all clothing, towels and linen used by these groups as contaminated), so it's fine to combine contaminated clothing with your regular clothes in the machine, but there are a couple of additional precautions you should take.
Handle contaminated clothing with care
The United States' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing gloves when handling contaminated clothing, particularly if it has come into contact with bodily fluids. Dispose of gloves safely after loading the washing machine (the CDC has an excellent guide on how to remove gloves safely).
Whether you're wearing gloves or not, be mindful of keeping your hands away from your face during the entire process, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds afterwards.
Wash hot and with bleach
Wash contaminated clothing in hot water – ideally 60°C or above (provided it won't damage the fabric) – and use a bleach-containing detergent, or if washing whites, then add bleach to the wash itself (following the manufacturer's recommendation) for the best virus-destroying performance.
Store contaminated laundry separately
While you're fine to wash contaminated clothing together with other items (unless it's heavily soiled), keep it in a separate hamper until laundry day. And on the subject of laundry hampers, do use one rather than the 'floordrobe', so contaminated clothes are put away safely. You should use a washable or disposable liner for that hamper, and change it when you wash.
Give flicking the flick
Do not shake out contaminated laundry – it can release viruses and other germs into the air. Carry contaminated clothing carefully and load your washing machine gently.
Sanitise contact surfaces
Once the laundry's on, clean and sanitise any surfaces you've had contact with in the course of doing the laundry using bleach or household disinfectant. This includes the door and control panel of your washing machine, the laundry doorknob, and of course the hamper you've kept contaminated clothing in (and throw the hamper liner in with the wash too, if it's reusable).
Change clothes early and often
If you're a frontline health worker or have likely come into contact with the virus during your day, then change clothes as soon as possible or at least as soon as you get home, and treat what you were wearing as you would other contaminated clothing. This minimises your exposure if your clothes do happen to have the virus on them.
Do you need a washing machine with a sanitise program?
For most of us, a regular wash with hot water and detergent will do a perfectly good job of getting your laundry clean and virus-free.
A sanitising washing machine is a washing machine with a special program that uses super-heated steam or water to kill off germs and bacteria in your clothes, sterilising them and leaving them smelling better.
They tend to be more expensive than regular machines and unless you're a frontline health worker, immunocompromised, or have a bad reaction to dust mites and the like (which sanitising programs kill as well) then your current washing machine's just fine.
Do you need to decontaminate your washing machine?
The same combination of hot water, detergent and agitation that releases viruses from your laundry and flushes them away should keep the insides of your washing machine virus-free.
While you can use bleach to sanitise the doors and controls, you shouldn't use it undiluted inside the machine at all (other than oxygen-based bleaches as part of a wash cycle, following the manufacturer's instructions), as it can potentially damage rubber seals and hoses.
There are several commercially made antibacterial washing machine cleaners available, many of which use an oxygen-based bleach to kill most of the microbes that may have gathered. While this might give your washing machine a good spring clean, clearing out scrud and helping it work (and probably smell) better, it's worth noting that viruses and bacteria are two different things, so they may not help protect against COVID-19 anyway.
Can you carry the COVID-19 virus inside on your shoes?
ja Shoes can and do pick up all sorts of nasties (not just coronavirus), but you can consider them low risk because you typically don't put them on the dining table or in your mouth – you're already naturally treating them as dirty.
You can keep shoes clean the same way you clean and sanitise hard surfaces (wipes are good for this, and you can dispose of them after), but you can also kick them off outside so as not to track the virus into your home.
Can you still use dry cleaners, laundromats or shared laundry facilities?
Even in the age of social distancing, doing the laundry is a fairly low-risk activity. You're more at risk from someone coughing near you than you are of infection from touching surfaces, so a few simple precautions are all that's needed to protect yourself and others.
Sanitise hard surfaces
Treat communal laundry facilities the way you would if you were doing the laundry for a COVID-19 carrier at home, and sanitise hard surfaces – controls, washing machine lids and door handles – on your way in and out.
Practice social distancing
Stay 1.5 metres away from other people, and don't linger while you're waiting for your laundry to be done – sit outside in the fresh air or go for a walk instead.
Wash your hands on entry and exit
Use soap and water, or failing that, use hand sanitiser – just as you would when visiting any other establishment.
If you're self-isolating, then stay self-isolated
It should go without saying that if you're quarantined or self-isolating you shouldn't venture to the laundromat. Once your self-isolation has ended, you should still wait a couple of days before doing the laundry, because the virus can survive on clothing for a little while and this will reduce the risk of turning laundromat patrons into patients.