Laundry During Time Of Covid-19

[launderess]

Good morning all, hope everyone is biding well and staying healthy.

Following is a NYT piece addressing queies about doing the wash during current Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/style/how-to-do-laundry-coronavirus.html

 

[vacerator]

So far yes,

Thank's Laundress! Hot water, soap, and or bleach. Also, allowing items that you suspect may be contaminated such as boxes, etc. delivered via any shipping carrier out in the dayligh and sun from 2 hours for bright sun, to all day for less than kills viruses.
My sister is a VA vision therapist at the hospiatl here. She normally works days, but went in at 9 p.m. last night. They are utilizing ayone who can help. A coworkers boyfriend whom is age 37 is currently in serious condition in the hospital from the virus. We're a bit concerned for her, as she is a cancer survivor.
My hubby is in the healthcare field and after conferring with many colleagues around the nation as this week progressed, are all very concerned the lockdowns may be extended if we are to curtail this from spreading. It is crucial because while we may be ok for the summer, ir is likely to resurge come fall and flu season. The nation should have been preparing and ramping up medical protective apparatus production in January.
Los Angeles expects to have as many cases as NY city in 2 to 3 days.

 

[mayken4now]

Warmest appropriate setting

Hello and thanks Launderess, yes doing well in VA, Winchester.

Hope you are alright in the BA!

Read the article in NYT. Have to say, the parts about "Warmest Setting" make me laugh. If newer machines or in the home, laundry facility, etc, FORGET IT. Even HOT is not hot unless valves are altered.

Any Thoughts?

 

[warmsecondrinse]

Yes, so far I'm healthy, thank you.

"Warmest appropriate setting" doesn't really say anything.

Follow the laundering instructions on the garment's tag. As has been discussed frequently on AW, those instruction frequently fail to reflect the physical nature of the garment itself. Eg. a black shirt with a tag warning not to wash it with dark colours.

A few years ago I once stayed with an elderly relative to give the caretaker a much needed long weekend away. The caretaker apologized for the state of the 'clean' laundry, saying "I followed the instructions and the stains just don't wash out." Having known the caretaker most of my life, blindly following the tag was a clear indication a break was needed.

Solid white mattress pads. 100% cotton. No elastics, fasteners, etc. The laundry instructions? "Machine wash warm. No bleach. Tumble dry low." Naturally I cranked the water heater, washed it in hot and used a thoroughly indecent quantity of Persil and Clorox. This was followed with several extra rinses. The result was hardly a surprise: Gleaming white mattress pads. Other items were treated similarly.

When the caretaker came back, the result was shock and awe. Although my wording was much more polite, the gist of my response was, "Solid white, 100% cotton, no plastic involved. Used in what is for all intents and purposes a hospital setting. That automatically means hot water and Clorox."

My response to Covid-19: Everything is washed in hot. Whites get Clorox and Borax with vinegar as a fabric softener. Colours get ammonia instead of Clorox and Lysol/Dettol for a softener. All items are dried at the highest setting. Not one item, not even my 'ice silk' boxer briefs has shown the slightest bit of damage or shrinkage.

Of course, I'm limited to my building's Huebsch FL's so I have no way of knowing any of the actual temps involved. 'Hot' might well be warm, but that's just one more reason to crank everything to the hottest setting possible,