How to disinfect your towels, bed sheets and pillowcases amid COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, how can you make sure that the towels, sofas and bed sheets at home are safe to use?

According to family and occupational medicine physician Dr. Erica Davillo, it's best to disinfect commonly used objects around the house even as no members of the household show symptoms of COVID-19.

The expert also shared a few disinfection tips during a segment of "Unang Hirit."

Seat covers

It's best to wash and disinfect the fabric/material of sofas and couches at least once a week.

If some pieces of furniture don't have removable seat covers, try covering them with a sheet that you can easily wash and disinfect before use.

Dr. Davillo also recommends frequent vacuuming, spraying disinfectant or alcohol, or laying the furniture out under the sun since scrubbing it with disinfectant might cause irritation or reactions for those who might be using it.

Bed sheets

If somebody who sleeps in the house shows symptoms of COVID-19, don't panic.

It would, however, be best to wash, disinfect and change bed sheets at least once a week, or spray it with disinfectant or alcohol before using the bed.

Dr. Davillo said you can disinfect a sheet by soaking it in hot water, then a disinfectant solution for 5-10 minutes. After that, you rinse it out and wash it with detergent soap.

Pillowcases

It's normal for some people at home to share pillows.

Dr. Davillo, however, said it would be best to use individual pillowcases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She would also recommend changing pillowcases at least once a week and disinfecting them with disinfectant or alcohol before use.

Towels

It's also normal for some families to share towels, but Dr. Davillo would advise against this during the pandemic.

She said it would be much safer for each family member to use their own personal towels so as to prevent transmission of possible viruses.

She also recommends frequent washing and soaking of towels in hot water before use.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año advised the wearing of face masks and even face shields inside homes as transmission of the virus is now per family.

Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in the Philippines with another 6,725 logged on Monday to bring the country's total number at 136, 638 cases. — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News