House care after a virus questions

[Gayle]

After a virus, I know to wash the bed clothes, but the pillows have me stumped. I can't wash these, but I sure did cough into them. I was thinking of spraying them with sanitizer and running them through a hot dryer for 30 minutes. What say the folks who know this stuff?

[ElectricBarbarella]

won't hurt them. Does your dryer have a delicate cycle? I'd spray them down with some disinfectant spray and then dry them. Then, because I am OCD like that, I'd spray them again and let them air dry.

Lysol, that's what I was thinking of, Lysol.

[Tzarina]

Nuke it from space, it's the only way to be sure.

(sorry, geek moment)

This is why I buy inexpensive pillows. I get really nice, name brand pillows in a 2 pack for $10-$15 at TJ Maxx. They get gross, I can toss 'em.

Watch what you spray them with though, you'll be breathing that in when you sleep. A smell like Lysol, and I'd never be able to sleep on them.

[queen of the caramels]

Could you freeze them for a couple of days?

[ElectricBarbarella]

Originally Posted by Tzarina

Nuke it from space, it's the only way to be sure.

(sorry, geek moment)

This is why I buy inexpensive pillows. I get really nice, name brand pillows in a 2 pack for $10-$15 at TJ Maxx. They get gross, I can toss 'em.

Watch what you spray them with though, you'll be breathing that in when you sleep. A smell like Lysol, and I'd never be able to sleep on them.

I actually love the smell of lysol. Of course, what I should have added was the air dry, possibly outside in the sun if you could, part. I did say air dry, but not sun.

Sun should help with the smell.

[Gayle]

I love the smell of Lysol in the morning. No actually, I don't. but..

I should say that I'm depending on commercial dryers on site at my place, no sun and only rain for the next week, and yes, I've thought taht tossing and buying new is probably the best way to go.

I am kind of just wondering though for the future. Since I caught *a* virus, but not the flu firus and really? once was more than enough.

[Lainie]

Do you use a pillow cover under the pillowcase? If you do, and if it's tightly woven enough, I think washing the pillowcases and washing or tossing/replacing the pillow cover would be sufficient. (Note to self: buy some tightly woven pillow covers. . .)

Or you could run the pillows through the dryer, like they used to tell you to do with stuffed animals when a kid had lice.

[Ana Ng]

I thought I'd done a good job de-germing my house after the kids and I got Norovirus last year, but two weeks after it was gone, my friend visited and got it. I felt awful.

[snapdragonfly]

I don't like the way cheap pillows feel so I get better ones but I do wash my pillows. I have a front loading washing machine so they come out okay. But even before when I had a top loader I washed my pillows, because yuk.

I have invested in tightly woven pillow covers for all my pillows also - even aside from germs, people drool and stuff and it's just so much nicer to offer guests and family members a clean cover. I get them really cheap at TJ Maxx.

Don't forget to use a disinfectant wipe and go over ALL the lightswitches, phones, keyboards, REMOTE CONTROLS (a big one), and any buttons anyone pushes anywhere or handles anyone uses - microwave, doorbell, stove, fridge, hairdryers, doorknobs on all doors and kitchen and bathroom cabinets, etc.

Also if the weather permits I like to throw open the windows for half a day after sickness and get fresh air in. Germs hang out in the air, don't they?

[Gayle]

snap, you know the beginning of a DVD where you can't skip ahead? That's my official clean the remotes with alcohol and q-tip time. And a toothpick for the corners. Remotes get so nasty.

I did remember to use a wipe on the remotes, phone, and keyboard, but I completely forgot the light switches.

What I've decided until I buy new ones is to wet down a bath towel, wring it out and sprinkle it with some nice smelling essential oils, and toss that and the anti-viral sprayed pillows in a hot dryer. It should steam them pretty thoroughly.

[Mama Duck]

Lysol until the surface is damp, toss in the dryer on the highest temp setting for at least 30 minutes. Throw in a dryer sheet so your pillows don't smell like Lysol and you're good to go.

Oh, and obviously wash your pillow cases.