For many of us, we equate our home to safety. It is the one place that we feel secure from all harm.

Nowadays, given the world’s current situation and how we are mandated to stay at home to keep safe, it’s become even more comfortable to relax at home without a care of what dangers may lurk within our households.

Unfortunately, our homes also house thousands of health hazards – from our clothes and towels and even down to our bedsheets. 

Hiding in plain sight

In a 2015 study conducted by the University of Colorado – Boulder, researchers found that an average household has about 9,000 microbes – 5,000 species of bacteria and 2,000 species of fungi.

According to the same study, many of these microorganisms are brought into the home from the outside. However, not going out is not a guarantee that there won’t be microbes in your home.

You may not be aware, but many usual home practices may also help make your household a friendly environment for germs, fungus, and viruses to thrive. For example, regular use of garments such as towels, bedsheets and sofa covers can make our everyday household items viable place for germs and even viruses. 

Next, germs and viruses also thrive better in areas where there is moisture. So clothes dampened by rain, sweat, and other liquids can harbor germs and viruses for long periods without you knowing it.

So what can you do?

The Philippine Society of Microbiology (PSM) advises frequent washing with a bleach-based detergent.

Play Video

According to PSM President, Prof. Joel Cornista: “Mukha mang malinis ang ilang kagamitan, maaaring pinamumugaran na sila ng bacteria at viruses na hindi natin nakikita.” 

(Even if an item looks clean, it can be a breeding ground for invisible bacteria and viruses.) 

The PSM recommends washing clothes with Ariel detergent with bleach as it can destroy the outer layer of germs and viruses. This removes viruses and 99.9% of germs for a safer, more hygienic home. 

Prof Cornista adds the following recommendations when washing frequently-used household items:

• Towels – the “kulob” smell is a sign of germ build-up. It’s best to wash these every 2-3 days.
• Bedsheets – Itchy bedsheets can also be a sign of bacteria and fungi build-up. It is recommended to wash them every week. 
• Sofa covers – While closely interacting at home, sofa covers are highly likely to collect germs, so they should be washed every week. 

Prof. Cornista said the “kulob” smell is a tell-tale sign when it comes to fabrics. Wash them right away to prevent bacteria and another germ build-up. 

As a final note, Prof. Cornista put it like this, as cliche as it might sound, given our current pandemic, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” – Rappler.com

When it comes to detergents, Ariel is scientifically proven to deep-clean clothes, removing virus* and 99.9% of germs^. 

Disclaimer: *Not Tested on SARS-COV-2. Tested on representative Influenza Virus, not on all viruses. ^Based on the technical test of one representative germ (K.pneumoniae) on cotton