The threat of coronavirus isn’t likely to go away any time soon. In fact, public health experts have been warning the public to expect a second wave. It’s important to remain vigilant about protecting yourself and others. Part of that must include following laundry safety protocols. You can get started by learning about how COVID affects laundromats and how you can safely do your laundry.
How does COVID-19 Affect Laundromats?
Many businesses have shuttered their doors or remained only open to curbside service. However, in many regions, laundry services are designated as an essential service, and their doors have largely remained open. Despite this, it’s natural for people to feel apprehensive about going out into the community. As a result, you might not see a high volume of customers at your local laundromat.
During the pandemic, it has been essential to frequently clean high-touch surfaces with CDC-approved disinfectants to reduce the transmission of the virus. Although you can control the cleanliness of your own home, you can’t control the cleanliness of a laundromat. That’s why it’s crucial to choose one that takes COVID precautions seriously—for example, committed to frequently disinfecting high-touch surfaces, like washer/dryer handles, folding tables, chairs, and door handles.
Laundry Safety Tips During COVID-19
In addition to selecting a laundromat with care, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself and others. Social distancing in laundromats is essential. Consider calling the facility ahead of time to ask if there are a lot of people there. If so, wait until a less busy time to do your laundry. Also, always wear a face mask while you’re outside your home to protect yourself and others.
Launder your clothes on the warmest setting possible and dry them completely. It’s a good idea to use a fabric bag as a hamper so that you can throw the bag into the wash with your clothes. If someone in your household is sick, follow these CDC-approved guidelines for handling their clothes and linens:
- Wear disposable gloves before handling dirty laundry.
- Never shake dirty clothes or linens.
- It is safe to launder potentially infected clothes with the laundry of non-infected household members.
- Remove and dispose of gloves and wash your hands immediately after handling dirty laundry.
In addition, if you’re using a drop-off and pick-up service for your laundry, you can protect the laundromat workers by bagging your dirty laundry and setting it aside for two days before sending it out for cleaning. Likewise, when you receive a load of clean laundry, set it aside for a couple of days before putting it away.
Zoom Express Laundry is the safe choice during the pandemic
At Zoom Express Laundry, we take your health and safety seriously. All of our locations are thoroughly and frequently cleaned– to protect the safety of our valued customers and employees. While you’re doing laundry in our cutting-edge facility, we require guests to protect our other customers. Wear a face mask to reduce the risk of transmission to yourself and others.
If you’re staying at home as much as possible, we encourage you to request pick-up and drop-off services. We’ll pick up your laundry, clean it, and return it to you next day. No contact required. If you have any questions about our COVID-19 precautions, please get in touch with a Zoom laundromat near you.