While there have not been studies to show if the dry cleaning process kills COVID-19, what is known is that high heat will make viruses inactive.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that viruses can survive on cardboard for 24 hours and plastic for up to three days at room temperature. From this study we can make an assumption that the virus could survive on clothing for up to three days, as garments have both soft (fabric) and hard (buttons, snaps, zippers) surfaces.

Another study showed that SARS-CoV-1, a strain that is very similar to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is known to become inactive at high heats (https://www NULL.sciencedirect NULL.com/science/article/pii/S016609340400179X#fig2), around 130 to 150 degrees F, in a short amount of time. Heating fabric to 130° F (high heat setting on home dryer) for over 20 minutes will kill 99.9% of the virus. Raising the temperature to 150° F and the virus is killed in only 5 minutes.

In dry cleaning, depending on the type of dry cleaning solution used, garments are dried between 130° and 150° F for over 20 minutes. After dry cleaning, in the steaming and pressing process, the temperature of the garments is raised for a short period of time to over 180° F when exposed to high pressure steam.

If you are concerned about your garments being exposed to COVID-19, three ways of potentially ensuring that your garments are virus free are:

• Quarantining your garments at room temperature for more than 72 hours.
• Washing your garments using detergent and drying on high heat.
• Dry cleaning your “dry clean only” garments.

Check the garment care label in your clothes before using the high heat setting of your dryer, as some garments may shrink. Do not wash dry clean only garments as damage may occur.

Keep in mind that there have not been any studies to prove that washing or dry cleaning will kill the virus, but based on the studies referenced above, if the temperature thresholds are exceeded the virus should be killed. Steam also maybe an effective way of killing viruses, if the temperature and times are raised appropriately on the garment,  but  steam should never be used on; leather, suede, fur, and plastic.

If you have questions about garment care, consult a knowledgeable dry cleaning company such as Jeeves of New York (https://www NULL.jeevesofbelgravia NULL.com/newyork) to have your questions answered.

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