Is it safe to use a laundry service in Bangkok during COVID?

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Of course, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on all our lives, and many of us are still unsure about what is safe and legal. In a city such as Bangkok, it is common for people to use a laundry service where they take and collect their clothes or, alternatively, a self-service laundry that we see more often. While these options are undoubtedly convenient, they will inevitably bring into contact with more people.

However, for many people, visiting a laundry in Bangkok potentially puts you at unnecessary risk of catching COVID-19. That is why at SIMPLY, we offer something different. You “simply” make a booking online, and we collect your laundry and return it at a convenient time, thus reducing your contact with others. It was the perfect solution for many people even before the pandemic, but now it gives you the added peace of mind that you will limit your exposure to the virus. Naturally, we offer a walk-in service, and we do everything possible to protect our team and our customers.

Wearing Masks and Social Distancing

All of our team wear masks throughout the entire laundry process to reduce the risk of transmission. Our teams, where possible, always try to maintain a distance of two meters apart and always ensure that different customers’ clothes never come into contact with each other. If you drop off or collect clothes, we ask you politely to socially distance yourself from our team, and the same goes for all of our drivers. It is for your own, our staff and other customers’ safety.

Temperatures and Detergents

A common question that we are currently getting asked is about the temperature at which we wash clothes at. Of course, we always check labels to ensure that nothing is washed at a higher temperature than the manufacturer’s recommendations. Caring for your clothes has been and always will be our number one priority. However, where possible, we do try to wash items at a higher temperature than usual.

We do not use detergents that contain bleach, favoring our usual trusted cleaning products, some of which have antibacterial products included. Instead, we thoroughly clean all of our machines with sterilizing fluid between washes to ensure no cross-contamination. We also clean all hard surfaces which come into contact with clothes or other items of laundry. Unfortunately, during busy periods this may mean that you have to wait slightly longer than usual, but we believe in putting the safety of our customers first.

Effect of Temperature on COVID-19

The Lancet Microbe conducted a study into the stability of the coronavirus in different environments. It found that the virus could survive for less than two days on clothing and was highly sensitive to heat. Indeed, if washes can be increased to 70°C (158°F), the virus has been proven to become inactive within five minutes. We appreciate that this is warmer than most washes, so where possible, we are trying to do washes at 60°C.

Drying is Essential

At SIMPLY, we always stress the importance of ensuring that clothing is fully dried before it is put away to protect your clothing. However, this is more relevant than ever to reduce the areas where the virus can survive or breed. While we always try to dry clothes naturally, during periods of inclement weather, we do, on occasion, recommend that clothes are tumble dried. Once again, this involves higher temperatures, so we would only consider this with some types of clothing. Naturally, we would always ask for your approval beforehand.

Why Hand-Washing Isn’t Advised

If you usually wash your clothes by hand at home, we would suggest that you consider using our on-demand laundry service as an alternative during this period. Washing clothes at higher temperatures may be uncomfortable, and while lower temperatures may be more bearable, they may not kill the virus. Another factor is that it is hard to thoroughly wring out clothing that has been hand washed compared to machine washed. As such, the clothing remains damp for longer.

If you must wash some of your clothes by hand, we would suggest hanging them outside or in the shower to allow them to dry completely. Ideally, it would be best to try to dry clothes in a space with lower humidity, so ventilate the room where possible.

Clothing Belongs to Someone with COVID-19 

Sadly, as the number of cases of coronavirus increases, so too does the risk of coming into contact with someone who has or has had the virus. While you may feel that you are being helpful by offering to wash their clothes, we would advise that you exercise caution. Currently, guidelines suggest that you should wait at least seven days before coming into contact with their clothing to reduce the chances of the virus surviving. Gloves and masks should be worn during handling, and you should wash your hands, ideally with alcohol-based detergent, immediately after.

With the owner’s consent, it is advisable to carefully dispose of all heavily soiled clothing again after the seven-day period has passed. We would respectfully ask that if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 or have come into close contact with someone who has the virus, you wait until you have received a negative COVID-19 test before using our service.  

Benefits of an Online Laundry Service

There are countless benefits of using an online laundry service in Bangkok, such as the service we offer at SIMPLY. Irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides you more flexibility to get your clothes laundered at a time that suits you. There is no more queuing in Bangkok traffic, rushing from a party to get to the laundry before it closes, or forgetting to drop it off in your rush to get to work.

Of course, with the current pandemic, social distancing and minimizing your contact with others is essential. With our on-demand laundry service, you will only see our drivers, and even then, the exchange can be at a distance with a payment facility available on our website. We always put our customers first, and that will be the case now and in the future. 

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