Do you really have to wash clothes at sixty degrees?An expert responds
One of the most popular coronavirus contagion prevention measures is the need to wash clothes at 60 degrees to eliminate the virus.It is a health guideline that causes doubts among the population for two reasons.The first is because in the case of hand washing, in theory it is enough to rub with soap and water for about 40-60 seconds.And the second, because at that temperature some garments are likely to spoil.To get out of doubt, we have talked to the DR.Rafael Padrós, head of the Occupational Risk Prevention Service of the Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau de Barcelona.
It is only necessary to wash clothes at sixty degrees if you are very exposed to the virus (as is the case of the health uniforms) or if you live with an infected coronavirus.In the rest of the cases, such a high temperature is not necessary.As the DR points out.Padrós, currently, the recommendation is to wash the garments according to the manufacturer's instructions, always with the warmer possible temperature and let the clothes dry completely.
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Why is hot water better than cold?
The COVID-19 virus is protected by a fat membrane that makes it vulnerable to soap whenever we submit it to its action for enough time (hence the recommendation to wash your hands for 40-60 seconds).But in addition to soap, the temperature can also help since the heat changes the status of fat that protects the virus and also facilitates that detergent penetrate the fibers.
And why at 60 degrees?
Although at minor temperatures there is already some disintegration of that fat layer, for greater security and to have the maximum certainty that any trace of COVID-19 on the clothing has been eliminated, the recommended thing is to resort to higher temperatures (between 60 and90 degrees) since according to a WHO report, this virus only survives up to 56 degrees.
And how do you wash delicate clothes if I want to disinfect it?
Apart from the washing at 60 degrees, there are other ways to disinfect clothes that are especially useful when it comes to delicate garments that do not support such high temperatures.
As explained by the Pharmaceutical Ana Gangoso, of the Sefap treatments review group, there are textile disinfectants, validated by the Ministry of Health, which contain quaternary ammonium salts and that can be found in drugstores and even supermarkets.If these products are used, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's instructions, clarify the garments well and let them dry completely.As long as there can be a virus particle and also, if there is any rest of the disinfectant could cause irritations on the skin.Another option is to wash clothes with diluted domestic bleach.
The doctor.Rafael Padrós, meanwhile, advises something as simple as leaving quarantine clothes for 24-48 h (according to current studies, is the time that the virus on the tissues remains) and then, put it again or wash it with cold water.
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Maximum precaution
But when disinfecting clothes we not only need to pay attention to temperature.We must also have a series of precautions:
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