There is increasing information about Covid-19 and its ability to stay on surfaces for some time.  Pillows and duvets are in close contact with anyone who is unwell with the virus, and it’s obviously crucial to keep spread to a minimum. So what does that mean for hygiene if you are caring for someone with the virus? Or, if you yourself have suspected symptoms and want to protect others?  We answer a few of the key questions:

How long can the virus live on duvets and pillows?

It is currently thought that Covid-19 could survive for as long as 2-3 days on hard surfaces, 24 hours on cardboard, and tiny droplets (after someone coughs) can hang around for several hours in still air.  This follows a study just published on the similar SARS-CoV-2 virus from the National Institutes of Health, in the New England Journal of Medicine.   It is not yet clear about how long the Coronavirus can survive on fabric – it’s thought that it’s less than on hard surface, but of course more than in the air.  Whatever the future conclusions, there is no doubt that bedding can be a perfect contamination material, especially pillows, due to the amount of the virus that can be absorbed from an ill person.

Research on the flu virus states that each time an infected person coughs and a cloud of particles are released, each of these droplets can contain ‘many tens of thousands of copies‘ of the influenza virus’.  Times that by a whole night of sleeping and coughing and you get the idea about pillows.

So how do we protect ourselves and others as best as possible?

If you suspect you have coronavirus, or someone in your house does, you obviously need to take steps to limit the chances of spread.  NHS England advises that along with their 2 metre distance rule and lots of hand-washing, in terms of sleeping, you should sleep in separate beds if possible, open a window to keep fresh air circulating and don’t share towels.   This goes for sharing bedding too.   If you have to share a bed, make sure you are using your own pillow, with a pillowcase and pillow-protector, all of which you can wash regularly. Have your own duvet if possible and change the duvet covers and sheets regularly too.

It may sound obvious but anti-allergenic pillows and pillow-protectors won’t give you any protection against viruses, nor will some of the newer ‘anti-bacterial’ pillows and protectors.  Sleeping separately, keeping your distance, changing and washing your bedding are the only ways you can reduce the chance of contamination.

How do I wash my bedding to prevent the virus spreading? 

The World Health Organisation states that the coronaviruses don’t like temperatures over 56 degrees centigrade. Washing your bedding at 60 degrees is therefore vital if you want to stop infection rates in your house.

Whilst we’ve advised before that you can freeze pillows and pillowcases to get rid of allergens, this is not the same with many bacteria and viruses. Frustratingly, these germs are likely just to stay dormant at cold temperatures and then spring back into action when they warm up again.  It also isn’t obviously the best idea to be putting possibly contagious fabrics anywhere near food or kitchen surfaces.

So, best advice to stop the spread of Covid-19 on bedding? 

1. • Sleep in separate beds and don’t share duvets and pillows (or towels).

• • If possible use gloves, or thoroughly wash your hands when changing bedding from an unwell person.

• • Ideally sleep on a washable pillow which can be washed at 60 degrees – try the 5* reviewed Super-Soft Ultra Wash Pillow, currently on sale at The White Company for £12.
    For more information read our post ‘How to wash your pillow’.

• • Wash duvets too if you can – see our post ‘How to wash & care for your duvet’.

• • Use pillow protectors, pillowcases and duvet covers that can be washed at high temperatures – at least 60 degrees.
    There are very few pillow protectors which manufacturers actually say you can wash at 60 degrees.  The best value washable pillow protectors which can be washed at high temperature are the Silentnight Anti-Allergy Pillow Protectors – around £10 for a pack of 2 from Amazon.

Hope this is helpful. Keep clean and stay healthy.