Member Q&A: How Do I Disinfect Clothing or Lingerie In My Store After Someone Tries It On? What About Bras, Wigs, Lingerie, and Clothing That Cannot Be Washed Per CDC Guidelines?

Published in Women's Health on May 29, 2020

From the CDC: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility

Please refer to the manufacturer for their recommendations for sanitization.

Best Option: Launder

According to the CDC, soft surfaces should be laundered, if possible, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water settings and dry items completely.

Second Best Option: Disinfect

If you cannot launder the item, disinfect with an EPA-registered household disinfectant. The CDC indicates that these disinfectants meet EPA’s criteria for use against COVID-19.

If those aren’t options, you may want to consider:

Cycling through the items every 3 to 5 days

The CDC hasn’t provided direct or clear guidance for businesses or retailers on what they recommend for disinfecting clothing or porous surfaces other than using the EPA registered disinfectants. They have indicated that the virus is able to survive on plastic, stainless steel, or cardboard for up to 72 hours. When implementing guidance on how to reuse PPE, the CDC has indicated that a respirator can be reused if it is stored in a breathable paper bag for a minimum of five days between each use . Based on this recommendation, some retail locations have implemented storing items in a separate bin or bag for at least 72 hours before reuse, allowing the virus to die.

Use Moist Heat/Steamer on clothing

Moist heat at 65 degrees Celsius (150 degrees Fahrenheit) was found to kill H1N1 99.9% of the time. Some retail locations have chosen to steam clothing after each use.

As always, make sure to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol before and after seeing clients.

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