Do you wash keyworker uniforms after every wear (not NHS)

[ssd]

2 keyworker here, supermarkets.
I've been washing uniforms, completely, after every wear but I can hang it out and dry it no problem with this nice weather. But next week is meant to rain and drying uniforms every night will be a problem.
Also, dh read this virus can withstand 90 degree washing, so am I wasting time washing at 40 degrees? I don't want to shrink everything washing at 50 degrees or above.

Has anyone read any official advice?

[Floatyboat]

can't understand why stripping at the door is better than walking upstairs to the bathroom, not touching anything at all and stripping in the bathroom

I think it depends whether you can do that reliably without brushing anything. I guess stripping just before going in the house, putting stuff in the washing machine and then going in the shower might feel more reliable a process. The biggest risk to ppe type processes is human error. Eg people using gloves in supermarket but then touching their car etc

[ssd]

Who guidance just really says washing guidance for suspected covid patients, not really workers.
I guess I'll keep washing after every shift, seems the best idea.
Will have a ton of washing though, the good weather is meant to disappear tomorrow and as I'm in Scotland, we probably won't see the sun again for a while!

[blankethog]

Yes I wash mine and DH's after every wear. (Supermarket) but just a 40 cycle, we don't tumble dry anything usually I just put them on the maiden or washing line. We have loads of spares and work are very understanding about wearing other black pants or even jeans if you can't wash or dry your uniform on time. Plus they've provided us with t shirts to wear

[HeimdallSaysNo]

We live in a flat with no balcony. Husband and I are both "essential" workers. We wash our uniforms after every wear at 40°C and I use dehumidifier to help dry them. Then a hot iron to press them. Best we can do under the circumstances.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

DS is a supermarket worker. He has only one uniform. Washing and drying between shifts isn't practical, especially when he has a late shift one day followed by an early the next

[woodencoffeetable]

WHO official advice on laundry (scroll down a bit)

[minisoksmakehardwork]

It's peace of mind for me. If I strip at the door and put the clothes in the laundry basket, I only have to take them to the washing machine which is downstairs. If I took them off upstairs, I'd be bringing them back down and potentially recontaminating myself. Like I said, it's not a foolproof system. But it makes me feel slightly more in control of things.

[ssd]

I can't understand why stripping at the door is better than walking upstairs to the bathroom, not touching anything at all and stripping in the bathroom?
I don't really get the need to strip at the door. My house is tiny, the bathroom is up the stairs at the front door anyway and I leave the bathroom door open and turn the shower on, person strips, puts dirty clothes straight in a pillow case which is then put into machine.
Unless I'm missing something, stripping right at the door seems a bit weird when the bathroom is about 10 steps away.

[covetingthepreciousthings]

My DH is a key worker (not NHS / Care) he is stripping off at the door and washing uniform every time, we wash at 40 or 60, and he has a shower and washes his hair every time after work too,

I can't understand if soap gets rid of the virus on your hands why it wouldn't get rid of it in clothes in a machine I don't think we'll change to washing at 90, I think I'd drive myself mad trying to keep up with the latest guidance on it all.

[callmeadoctor]

I would strip at the door, down to underwear, I'm sure family would cope......

[SeriouslyRetro]

I always have washed my uniform after each shift, so I'm not really doing anything differently.

How many uniforms have you been supplied with?

[minisoksmakehardwork]

Zoflora doesn't bleach because there is no bleaching agent it it. You could just as easily use pine disinfectant or dettol. Depends on your preference for smell.

[ssd]

Shoes are left at bottom of stairs anyway, we don't have room for a separate shoes area. But they aren't worn around the house.

[minisoksmakehardwork]

@Scruffyoak - napisan is awesome. It's my go to soaker and when DH comes home to tell me they have another confirmed covid resident it gets used instead of regular detergent. When you think how clean it leaves nappies, I was amazed to learn it was non-bio. I know it has antibacterial agents, which would do nothing to a virus, but it's that peace of mind thing again.

[ssd]

Our front door opens into the living room. It's just not practical to strip at the door. I leave a pillow case in the bathroom upstairs and all uniforms go in that. I will wipe over all handles that may be touched. I do this anyway but will also do the bathroom door handle even though I tell them to kick it shut.
It's just in the door and straight up to shower here, clothes in a pillow case straight into machine.

[anothernotherone]

Yep we also keep different shoes at work - always have.

[AldiAisleOfCrap]

@ssd why can’t you strip at the door? Do you live in a mixed sex house share?

[anothernotherone]

ssd sorry, didn't notice it had autocorrected to sad!

[minisoksmakehardwork]

We wash after every wear. DH is at work daily and the kids and I are in our respective schools sporadically. My understanding is that currently there is no research as to how long the virus can last on fabrics but that it can last a while on hard surfaces - up to 3 days on metal or plastic and of course some of these materials are present on our clothes in zips and buttons.

Detergent in a warm/hot wash is sufficient to kill the virus in the same way that soap and warm water does on our hands. We use a plastic laundry hamper and sanitise it once the washing is in the machine (put a capful of disinfectant in the machine as well). So you would be fine to wash and hang to dry indoors. Wipe down your machine outside once you've put your clothes in and set it to wash.

In our house, DH showers and changes at work. His clothes go straight into the machine when he comes home, with the bag!

The kids and I remove shoes/bags/coats and leave them in the porch overnight. Clothes are taken off in the hall and put straight in the waiting laundry basket and then we go for a bath. I have a strict 'no touching' policy for the children so once they are bathed, they go to their rooms and I wipe down everything that has been touched since we've been in. It's not perfect but it makes me feel better.

Do you not have at least 2 uniforms? So you can wash one and wear one? It might seem a waste to only wash a handful of items, but right now it's balancing up whether the virus will last long enough on fabrics to increase your viral load by adding to it over 2-3 days versus washing every day for a small inconvenience when drying them. A hairdryer can do wonders to dry damp edges of clothes in the morning.

[MaryBerrysBomberJacket]

Teacher in on rota twice a week. I'm stripping at the door, washing at 90 with extra detergent and having a shower. I'm treating all my xlirhes like my lab coat when I worked in a lab prior to teaching and wearing clothes that can take the hard washing, and that I don't care if they fall apart. I don't drive home in the shoes I wear.

[vodkaredbullgirl]

Carer here, i just bung my pillowcase with my clothes in it on a 40 degree wash. We have to wear shoes or trainers to work and change into others when we get in. Do this for every shift.

[WatchingFromTheWings]

Shop worker here too. Everything I wear including trainers get washed after every shift and I get straight in the shower.

[ssd]

Doesn't zoflora bleach the clothes if it's a disinfectant?

[anothernotherone]

sad we have been issued new covid-19 hygiene protocols at work and that's where the tumble drying or drying outdoors in direct sunlight advice comes from (big care home, special education and supported living providor now also running a 36 bed covid ward in a converted day center). However I agree that doesn't mean it's right necessarily. We've got about a hundred pages of new covid-19 procedures, which change constantly, but it's instructions and rules and flow diagrams and policies, the scientific reasoning behind it isn't included (otherwise we'd all have even more to read before starting each shift).

[Scruffyoak]

I use napisan on mine and hope for the best!