Now that we are a year into the global COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have already had it drilled into us that we need to be paying attention to hygiene. We are reminded daily to wash our hands properly, clean our homes thoroughly and maintain a safe social distance from others. However, not a great deal has been said about clothing and textiles. It comes as common sense that we should keep our clothes clean, but what about items that are ‘dry-clean only’ or simply too large for you to wash at home? That’s where your local dry cleaner comes in! At Farragut Cleaners, we help our customers safely navigate COVID-19 by helping to clean and sterilize everything from comforters to draperies.

Let’s take a look at how your local dry cleaner can reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Can Fabric Hold COVID-19 & Other Germs?

The primary method through which COVID-19 is spread is from close personal content and through the air via droplets. Transmission is still possible via surfaces, but it is less common. Soft surfaces like fabric are relatively inhospitable to the virus in comparison to hard surfaces like door handles and countertops. However, evidence suggests that the virus can survive for up to two days on fabric. This means that your day to day clothing is likely to be reasonably safe if you observe other safety measures like hand washing, wearing a mask, and social distancing. However, the risk increases if an individual is infected and may have coughed a large amount of respiratory secretions onto the fabric. This is particularly true of bedding if they are spending a lot of time in bed while recovering. These items can significantly benefit from being sent to your local dry cleaner for professional cleaning to eliminate any trace of germs.

Large Items & Bedding

As Noted, bedding could be a particular issue if someone in your household has been sick with COVID-19 or any other virus for that matter. It isn’t always easy to get things like comforters and linens in the washer at home. At Farragut Cleaners, we welcome large items like this and can help you to clean and sanitize them to keep your home healthy. You don’t even need to wait until someone is sick. Why not make a habit of having all of your bedding professionally cleaned at your local dry cleaner once or twice a year.

Tips For Handling Potentially Infected Clothing and Textiles

Now that we know how your local dry cleaner can help keep your home environment as safe as possible, let’s take a look at handling items before washing them either at home or dropping them at your local dry cleaner.

• Wear Disposable Gloves - If you are washing your clothing, it is probably safe enough to take them off and put them straight into the washer. However, if handling other people’s clothing, especially someone that has been sick, you may want to wear disposable gloves to handle the items.
• Don't Shake Out Items - Since COVID-19 is spread mostly via droplets, it is important not to shake out clothes or bedding before washing it. You could risk dispersing the virus further, especially if the items belong to a sick person.
• Place the Laundry in a Disposable Bag - If you are taking the items to a local dry cleaner or not washing them immediately, they should be placed in a disposable bag and sealed.

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Farragut Cleaners is your locally owned and operated full-service dry cleaner. From dry cleaning to alterations and wedding dress preservation to home textiles, we are here to keep you fresh, clean, and looking & feeling impeccable.

Call 865-966-9414 or visit our website.