If you’re a savvy traveler, you know that medical experts recommend you use anti-bacterial wipes to sanitize your seat and tray table after boarding a flight. But that’s just the start of what you should do to protect yourself from germs when traveling.
An article by HuffPost says that microbes can easily transfer to your clothing, especially after hours of sitting so close to other people on the plane and at the gate. That’s why you should wash your travel clothes immediately after flying — or at the very least change out of them when you get to your destination.
One doctor quoted in the article recommends putting your travel clothes directly into a hamper or washer. They caution you not to shake the clothing items, as that can disperse any germs or viruses that you came in contact with. Because heat inactivates many microbes, you should wash your clothes in warm or hot water if the fabric allows, and machine dry on warm or high.
If you really want to decontaminate yourself after flying, then you should shower before changing into clean clothes. This will remove whatever germs or viruses got onto your skin and hair during the journey.
It’s important to understand that your shoes pick up microbes from the ground as you walk through the airport and on the plane. So the article recommends you take off your shoes before entering your house and consider using antibacterial wipes to clean off the soles and uppers if the material allows.
Do you change out of your travel clothes when you get home or to your destination? Message The Seniors Trust on Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter) and let us know what you do to avoid germs when traveling.
