Clothes
Your clothes must go right into the washing machine as soon as you’ve arrived home, and not just sitting around festering in a laundry hamper. “It is best to wash clothes in the washing machine on the warmest setting recommended by the manufacturer, and dry them on warmest setting recommended in the dryer,” says Dr. Mullans. “Regardless of the temperature, in addition to laundry detergent, I recommend adding bleach for white fabrics, towels, and sheets.”
The CDC warns that shaking dirty laundry may disperse the virus through the air, so avoid too much movement. Additionally, as previously mentioned, wash your hands after handling dirty laundry.
Jewelry
Now it is the time to keep your jewelry cleaner than ever, especially your rings and bracelets. If you’re only getting it cleaned during your normal hand-washing process, you should know that it may not be enough, because germs can hide in crevices and between your skin and the metal. “Clean jewelry and gemstones according to instructions from the manufacturer,” says Dr. Mullans, who tries not to wear jewelry during the pandemic.
Additionally, hard gemstones, such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires can usually be cleaned using isopropyl alcohol, but doublecheck with your jeweler first.
3 thoughts on “10 Things That Need to Be Cleaned After Returning Home from the Outside World”
I have read that regular detergent is sufficient to destroy COVID 19. No special soap nor bleach are necessary. Also, as with hand washing, it is the friction and not the actual soap that is instrumental in removing bacteria. Keep in mind that COVID 19 cannot survive temperatures over 80′.
Your hair should be covered as well as the eyes. You may want to use “gators” or “bandeaux”, which are a tube of fabric in a cotton knit that can be worn multiple ways; and goggles or if you wear glasses: “fit over” sunglasses/night vision glasses to prevent absorption via the lacrimal duct.
Finally, if you leave items in your car when you return home, I suspect the temperature inside a closed car sitting on the driveway in the sun exceeds the temperature that COVID19 can survive.
BTW: I am a retired nurse. Thank you.
What about men’s beards that hang down outside their masks?
I wash my grocery after I get back home. Then I use the plastic bags in my small trash can. Is this safe?