The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely made significant changes in everyone’s lives. But pandemic or not, you need to wash your clothes. In fact, you NEED to wash your clothes now more than ever. Not everyone has the equipment like a washing machine or a dryer at home, which leads to the main question here– are laundromats safe during the pandemic, or should you consider a laundry delivery service?
Although it is never completely safe nowadays, there are ways that you can drastically decrease the likelihood of your contracting or transmitting the virus when you do your laundry in public.
Laundromat Safety Guide for Common Safety Concerns
COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets in the air when someone sneezes or coughs. It can also be transmitted through touch if there is a droplet on the surface in the area. That said– it is important for everyone to exercise caution when going to your local laundromat to wash your clothes– or when going out in general. You can always try a laundry delivery service, but here are some other things you may want to know to ensure your safety if you opt to wash your clothes yourself.
You need to follow CDC guidelines when going out.
You need to practice social distancing and wear a face mask whenever you need to leave your home. Your mask should be snug-fitting so that it covers your nose and mouth. You also need to avoid touching your face to minimize the risk of catching the virus in case you have touched an infected surface in the area.
You need to wash your hands and disinfect them once you get home from the laundromat to further lessen the chances of being infected.
Sanitize the washer and other surfaces before doing your laundry.
Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through droplets on surfaces, you should wipe down and sanitize any knobs, handles, or surfaces that you would be touching in the laundromat. You should repeat the process after you finish doing your laundry.
The importance of washing your hands cannot be emphasized enough. Sanitize your hands after touching the washing machine, dryer, and other surfaces in the laundry area.
You may wear gloves for added protection but it is not required.
Aside from social distancing, face masks, and hand washing– you do not need to change the way you wash your clothes. You can wear gloves if you feel safer that way, but it is not a requirement.
If you need to wash clothes for someone who is sick, then you may want to hand wash their items at home so you will not be a health risk to other people. If you want to go for a laundry delivery service in this situation– you need to inform the service provider first. This way they can either handle your items with extra care or they have the option to decline. You need to be considerate about other people as well.
Generally Speaking
No matter where you go, you need to take some extra steps to stay safe. So if you want to ask: Are laundromats safe? The answer is that it’s only as safe as you make it to be. You need to proceed with caution.
If you do not want to do the extra steps, then it may be best to hand wash at home or to look for a laundry delivery service provider that will pick up, wash, dry, fold, and deliver your laundry in the comforts of your own home.
