bkay

The nursing home I visit puts the N 95 masks in a paper bag to be reused when you next visit. Also, my late spouse's Oncologist's office made up a set of 5 masks for each of their employees when masks were in short supply. They labeled each paper bag with the employee's name and day of the week. They said they were following the CDC recommendations on how to safely re-use masks. They needed to rest for 7 days. Of course, that was early in the year. We know more now than we did then. I don't know if the COVID virus can multiply or live in a plastic bag, but I would use paper if possible.

However, finding a paper bag large enough for a quilt might be a challenge. Maybe you could just wrap it up with some sort of wrapping paper for it's "quarantine time".

bkay

sewingpup

I think one of the issues with plastic bags is that if there is any moisture, the moisture does not escape and mold can grow. I think that is way it is suggested to not store fabric or quilts in plastic bags but rather in something that will allow some airflow like a pillow case. I live up north so moisture is not a problem in winter...have to run a humidifier so my nose doesn't dry out. but I don't store any fabric in the basement as that does get damp in the summer.

SuzzyQ

I would think that if handwashing for 20-30 seconds lathering well that the virus would be killed. So I'd think that simply washing with soap/detergent and water and then drying as usual would be fine. We need to respect this virus not cower in fear.

cashs_mom

My understanding is that the foam in soaps kills the virus (thus the 20 second hand washing) so a good washing in the washer should kill the virus. We were told to wash clothes after wearing them out. There was no advice that I heard about having to quarantine the clothing.

Rff1010

Moisture is Covid s friend. Dry is the enemy. Covid sits inside microdroplets of water. This is why we mask up. Completely involuntarily we exhale these microdroplets with every breath. They are caught in the cloth. (Watch yourself create little puffs of "smoke" when you talk outside on cold winter days. Compare with and without mask).

So on the oaper_these microdroplets can dry... killing the Covid. Plastic it won't dry.

Mkotch

What about hanging the quilts outside on a clothesline for a few days? Then bagging in plastic or paper?

Luray831

Thank you to all for your excellent answers. It seems Nurse Nightingale was correct again: Good old soap and water does tend to take care of MOST infectious spread I also think that when washing, use the largest
Water cycle available on your washer as it follows the theory of pollution resolution solutions involve dilution. The more water added, the less the viral concentration

Th as nk you to all.