Noro transmission through laundry?

[yourx1nexnxonly]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about the transmission of noro. I live in a college dorm, and last week, the school made a public announcement about how to stay well during noro season. In the email, we were notified that there have been a few cases in my dorm specifically. I really need to do some laundry! If I wash my clothes in the washer and dryer that everyone else uses, is it possible for me to pick up noro if someone else had it and then washed their soiled clothes in the machine? Is there a way that I can clean out the machine without using bleach so I don't ruin my dark clothes? I really need to know! I could probably make it another several days without doing laundry, but having clean clothes and a clean room make me feel less anxious.

[Elski]

Maybe you could run an empty cycle on a boil wash to give it a bit of a clean and then run your washing through?

[CMM811]

I would run a cycle on hot water with bleach and run a dryer too on high heat. Bring a can of Lysol with you to spray down the machines you use. Many people do not wash their hands after touching dirty laundry so they buttons and handles on the machines could have the virus on them. Good luck!

[randall3329]

Here in the uk they have bought some type of washing powder out that kills noro...i cant remember what it is, i think it might be vanish??

[Jessica Heksem]

You should be fine as long as you use hot water and I know that the heat of the dryer will kill it since it dies at 65 degrees!

[erinn23]

The dryer info is good to know. I am glad to hear that.

[CMM811]

You should be fine as long as you use hot water and I know that the heat of the dryer will kill it since it dies at 65 degrees!

Where have you heard it dies at only 65 degrees? Because Noro can withstand freezing, so I'm curious at such a not even warm temperature it dies? Please forward where you got this information, cause I kinda am thinking its false...

[ogmoth]

Maybe she meant 65 Celsius. That would be about 150 F. If that's not what she meant then it makes no sense because dryers get much hotter than 65 F.

[yourx1nexnxonly]

Yes, it doesn't make sense to say it dies at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If that were true, it would die at room temperature in many people's homes, but we know that's not true because it can live on surfaces for so long.

[jbsmom]

Well, I think you may as well just do your laundry cause a day or two more isnt going make much of a difference when it comes to noro. I would suggest, as many others have, a hot cycle with bleach. Also, take the lysol with you that says brand III. I just found out in another thread that this kind kills noro. Make sure you wash your hands after touching anything public. I want to say that Noro is extremely contagious. Please be very careful. I know that it can spread quickly and become epidemic ina matter of days. Good Luck to you!