How Long Does Coronavirus Live on Clothes?|Researchers’ Views

In this coronavirus pandemic, we are disinfecting many commonly touched surfaces in our homes. We sanitize many high-touch items, food, packages, etc that come home from outside. But what about our clothes? After visiting a market or public places do you wash your clothes properly? A lot of people are asking that How Long Does Coronavirus Live on Clothes.

To avoid the infection of Covid-19 some people remove their clothes and throw them into the laundry machine after visiting outside. Your clothes can be exposed to the Coronavirus and cause further infection to you and your family. 

We are sure that coronavirus can land on your clothes due to lack of social distancing and other health hygiene. When someone practices social distancing and wears a mask properly coronavirus can’t land on clothes. Hence, It is more important to wash your hands than washing your clothes. 

The coronavirus that is liable for COVID-19 is new and so we are learning new information every day. The researchers are doing huge experiments to gain more and more knowledge about this virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is a high chance of spreading coronavirus through close contact with an infected person. 

Many researchers have said that coronavirus can survive on steel or plastic surfaces from hours to a few days. But the same research did not investigate how long the virus exists on dresses. There is a possibility that the virus can remain on clothes for a few hours. Many scholars think that the coronavirus can not survive for a long time on clothes compared to hard surfaces. 

How Long Does Coronavirus Live on Clothes?

How Long Does Coronavirus Live on Clothes? We have a little information about the survivability of coronavirus on clothes. But we have few important understanding about the virus similar to coronavirus. Viruses that are similar to coronavirus can live for a long time on hard and smooth surfaces such as stainless steel. The more interesting fact is that porous and soft surfaces like your shirt or pants limit the survivability power of the virus. 

There are two main reasons;

• Fibers and permeable surfaces of the clothes trap the viruses and do not allow them to transfer to other surfaces and can prevent further transmission to a person. 

• Fabrics can suck and absorb water from a virus and so the virus becomes less effective when it lands on the clothes. 

How to wash the clothes of a Covid patient?

If someone in your family is covid positive you need to wash their clothes. Follow these suggestions to wash clothes for a covid patient. 

• Keep their dirty clothes in separate rooms or baskets. You should not mix their clothes with the clothes of other family members.
• Disinfect the basket of dirty clothes to prevent the spread of viruses.
• Separately clean the clothes of the covid positive patient.
• After touching and removing the clothes you need to rinse your hand thoroughly. 
• Use a disinfecting wipe to clean the outside and inside of the laundry machine. 

FAQ

Can the coronavirus survive on surfaces?

We don’t have enough information about the novel coronavirus. But the viruses that are similar to the coronavirus can live on surfaces. It is not certain how long they stay on different surfaces. 

Different studies say that coronavirus survives on surfaces from 2 hours to 9 days. There are some factors like temperature, humidity that influence the total survival time of the virus. Also, different strains need a different environment to survive. 

Can COVID-19 be transmitted through food?

Most of the viruses died at high temperatures. So there is little chance to spread coronavirus through food. After cooking the food at a high temperature most of the pathogenic viruses and bacterias died. 

Finally, there is no proven evidence that the coronavirus spread through food. Before eating food you should clean your hand properly and it will limit the chance of transmission. 

Can the coronavirus disease be transmitted through water?

The answer is no. Covid 19 can not easily be transmitted through water. Drinking water is not a good medium for spreading coronavirus. You can not be affected by coronavirus by swimming in a pond or swimming pool. 

If there is someone who is infected by coronavirus can spread the viruses in the pond and swimming pool. Therefore, there is a chance of spreading Covid 19 through a crowded Swimming pool or pond. 

How does the coronavirus disease spread?

It is a respiratory virus. When a coronavirus infected person sneezes or coughs the virus can be transmitted through droplets. Coronavirus primarily spread through droplets of saliva and discharge from the nose. So you should clean your hand before touching your eyes and nose. 

Many studies have found that the virus can live on various surfaces for a few hours to a few days. So you have to sanitize your hand properly and wear a mask to protect against this mighty virus. 

Do tobacco users have a higher risk of being infected with COVID-19?

Yes, they can easily get Covid 19 while using tobacco products or smoking cigarettes. Lung health worsens due to smoking for a long time. So the smokers already suffer from many critical lung diseases. If they are infected with Covid 19 severe infection may occur. Their condition will be more complicated. 

Which organs are most affected by COVID-19?

The most affected organ by Covid 19 is the lung. Lung cells are the perfect place for their survival. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is found on the alveolar cells of the lungs. Coronavirus accesses the host cell via this enzyme. 

What are the differences between Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19?

Both TB and Covid 19 attack the lung of the host. They have similar symptoms such as fever, cold, and trouble breathing. TB has a longer incubation period than COVID 19. TB occurs gradually by the bacteria. But the Covid 19 is a viral disease. 

Final Words

There is not enough research that reveals that the coronavirus prevails for a long time on the clothes. So it is hard to surely answer How Long Does Coronavirus Live on Clothes. It would be better if you wash your clothes regularly if you have any confusion.