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Expert claims we should be washing towels every two uses to limit Coronavirus spread

21 April 2020, 11:16 | Updated: 21 April 2020, 14:26

An expert has revealed how often you should be washing your towels. Picture: Getty Images

How often should we wash our towels during the coronavirus outbreak? Here's what an expert says...

We are all doing our bit to limit the spread of coronavirus by social distancing and staying at home as much as possible.

But now one expert has claimed we should be washing our towels every two days in order to get rid of harmful germs.

According to Christy England, who supply towels to Wimbledon and the royal family, towels ‘can become a breeding ground for bacteria’ so should cleaned regularly.

You can find the latest Coronavirus (Covid-19) advice from the NHS here

Speaking to FEMAIL, Helena Mead at Christy England said it is not enough to just wash your hands, explaining: “Towels pick up bacteria from the human body, and combined with the addition of moisture, towels can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

An expert has revealed how often you should wash your towels. Picture: Getty Images

“Using a towel that is used, unwashed and damp can spread bacteria throughout the household.

“Wash towels after two days of use. Regularly washing towels will expel bacteria on the towel.”

She added that towels should be put in a 60 degree spin so that all the microorganisms are removed, and they must also be allowed to completely dry out before using again.

Helena went on to suggest each person living in a household should have a separate towel “to discourage the spread of bacteria between people” and advised families to avoid hanging towels to dry on the same hook or bar.

It is currently unknown how long COVID-19 can live on fabrics, with scientists suggesting anywhere between six and 72 hours.

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However a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year, found that the virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours.

There is some similarity between the fibres in cardboard, and those found in fabrics, so many scientists are predicting that Coronavirus might survive on clothing for a similar amount of time.

A recent study has also shown that washing clothes and bedding at 56°C kills the virus, so a 60ºC wash is the optimum temperature.