The pandemic has made us clean freaks and doing laundry more often than regularly has become an essential part of preventive hygiene. Despite declining COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, it’s important that we still treat laundry as a crucial part of keeping germs and bacteria away. 

It’s not enough that you do your laundry from time to time. Various kinds of microbes can survive in clothing for various amounts of time, and it’s hard to know if people or surfaces you encounter are infected with harmful germs or bacteria. Protect yourself and your family from germs and viruses that can stick on your clothes with the newest washing machine in the Philippines, Condura Acquacare!

Can bacteria live on clothes? 

The simple answer is yes. While some viruses and fungi may die within days, E.coli and salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, can survive in clothes for a few weeks. Staphylococcus aureus, which causes staph infections on the skin, tends to stay a month. 

Therefore, it’s vital to schedule a laundry day at least twice a week. Most people let clothes sit in the hamper for days or even weeks before washing them and imagine the germ build-up. For example, if moist clothes, like gym clothes, are placed in a hamper for days then germs may breed in it along with the other clothes. So, these clothes should be washed right away to prevent bacteria and mold from growing. 

You should also change clothes upon arriving home before plopping on your couch. You don’t want to infect the rest of your household with potential viral or bacterial diseases, especially today when the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. 

Can clothes spread germs?

Another yes, clothes and towels can spread germs in three main ways: 

• When more than one person uses towels or bedsheets, germs can spread between them, so avoid sharing towels for hygienic purposes. 
• When someone handles dirty laundry, they can spread germs onto their hands. You should make it a practice to wash your hands after holding dirty laundry.
• When clothes are washed, germs can spread between items being washed. Hence it’s vital to additional measures for a germ-free laundry experience. 

Underwear contains the most germs because it comes in contact with the genitals. Children’s clothes are also a petri dish for germs since kids pick germs from places you might not expect, i.e., cellphones or tablets, toys, and car seats. If you are a front-liner or you live with a front liner, it’s highly recommended that you wash their work clothes in a separate batch as part of your household’s preventive measures. The same is true with people who have flu or flu-like symptoms or those who are advised to quarantine. The pandemic is still lingering, and a more thorough laundry is now part of the new normal to keep your home safe and protected.

How to keep your laundry germ-free?

• Keep towels separate

Don’t wash dirty towels together with your clothes. Towels tend to contain more germs than clothing since they stay damp longer because of their thickness, allowing germs to survive. Separately wash rugs and dish towels as the latter can have salmonella and E. coli since it potentially comes in contact with raw meat or fish. 

• Wash in hot cycle

Another sure way to kill germs in your laundry is to wash your clothes on the hot cycle and put everything in the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes. Allergens and germs usually perish in water temperatures of 140 F or above. Some clothes need to be washed at a higher than average temperature with a bleach solution to kill germs effectively. Delicate fabrics like lace and silk should be washed in cold water. 

Add bleach to the water on your whites and use a color-safe bleach for colors. For bedsheets, blankets, or pillowcases infested by bed bugs, set the dryer on the highest possible heat cycle that won’t damage the fabric to kill both the bugs and the eggs. 

• Use the power of sunlight

Take advantage of the sweltering heat this summer and dry your clothes outside. The sun’s ultraviolet rays should be able to combat any germs left on your clothing after washing. One downside of letting your clothes dry on the rack is that pollen can stick to them, which can be a hassle for people with allergies. 

• Clean your washing machine

It may sound redundant to clean something whose job is to wash clothes but keeping your machine clean is as crucial as maintaining overall hygiene. Grime can collect on the inside of your machine over time, making it less efficient and eventually inoperable. So cleaning your washing machine must be practiced regularly. After each wash, clean your machine with disinfecting wipes, and once a month, run your empty washing machine with bleach and water to kill any germs residing in it. Wipe the outside of your device regularly too. 

• Sanitize your hamper

Many people tend to forget this, but your clothes sit on the hamper longer, so it’s essential to give your hamper a little disinfection. Each time you take your clothes out of the hamper, clean it with a disinfectant spray or wipe with disinfectant wipes to minimize germs that can survive there. Also, keep the hamper dry to avoid molds and mildew growth.

• Choose a good washing machine

If you want a germ-free and convenient laundry experience, you should use a durable and efficient washing machine like Condura’s Aqua Care Front Load Washing Machine. You don’t have to worry about electricity costs with this machine because it uses Inverter Technology to operate at its optimal performance without consuming much electricity. 

Condura Aqua Care Front Load Washing Machine

The Aqua Care Front Load Washing Machine comes in four sizes, handy for small or large families. This Condura washing machine features a built-in dryer, so you don’t have to buy a separate dryer anymore, saving you space in your laundry area. 

It also has a Spa Care Program that removes stubborn stains while killing harmful bacteria and germs by releasing warm steam during the wash cycle. This saves you time from ironing clothes since it enables less fabric wrinkling. If you have babies, The Baby Care Function will come in handy. Detergent residue is thoroughly removed through this feature, making clothes free from any allergy-causing particles. 

The Aqua Care Front Load Washing Machine also has a wool care feature. An overheat protection and an error alarm. The best part is that it comes with a 10-year motor warranty and a 2-year warranty on parts and labor. 

What are you waiting for? Get that germ-free laundry experience by investing in the washing machine that knows Iba Ang Alagang Pinoy. Check the newest Condura automatic washing machine line and find the best front load washing machine for you! Stay tuned to our Facebook page for promos and to our partner online stores such as Shopee and Lazada for more deals!