Coronavirus can remain on surfaces for days - including on your clothes and shoes.
It's important to stay hygienic at home during the outbreak to avoid the virus spreading to you or your family.
Covid-19 can stick to materials such as bed linen and towels so make sure to regularly wash them.
Here is the best way to clean your clothes to kill harmful bacteria :
Wash at 60°C
While it may be tempting to crank up the heat to rid clothes of bacteria, it doesn't need to be scorching hot.
In fact, putting a load of laundry on at 60°C will do the trick.
Susan Fermor, a cleaning and laundry expert with Dr. Beckmann, told the Express : “There’s a common misconception that people should wash clothes on the hottest possible setting to kill bacteria, but it’s unnecessary."
Be sure to check all garments are suitable to be washed at this temperature as they could be ruined or shrink.
Use a good detergent
Using a good quality detergent - especially one that is bleach-based - helps to tackle germs, according to the NHS.
Advice on the NHS website states: "In certain situations clothes should be washed at higher than normal temperatures and with a bleach-based product to minimise the transmission risk as much as possible."
Don't let laundry pile up
Many people will wait until they have a huge load of clothes ready to pop in the washing machine.
But cleaning clothes, towels and bedding could help rid bacteria.
Susan told the publication: “Most people leave clothes and household items until a pile has built up before washing.
"Under current circumstances, we would recommend that you do 60°C washes, more regularly, as soon as clothes have been worn."
Avoid sharing bedding
If you are living with someone who has coronavirus or is displaying symptoms, the NHS recommends not sharing clothing or bedding.
You should immediately wash all clothes that have come into contact with someone with Covid-19.
