[Question #14032] Can a Public Dryer (Laundromat) Transmit HPV or STIs?

1 months ago

Hi Doctor, my wife and I always wash our clothes at home using our own washing machine, but sometimes we use a public dryer in our apartment laundromat or while travelling. We usually only use the dryer, not the public washer( except sometimes while travelling). Our laundry, including underwear and towels, is dried on high heat for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or more and comes out hot and fully dry/almost dry afterward.

We're worried about HIV, other STIs, and HPV transmission through the public dryer (laundromat) environment.

Previous user's underwear/towel > dryer interior > previous user removes their items > our washed underwear/towels/clothes go into the same dryer > heated for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or more > we later wear our underwear or use our towels after showering.

1. Could HIV, HPV, or any STI be transmitted this way if a previous user had put unwashed, contaminated underwear or towels directly into the dryer before we used it? We only used the dryer after he/she had removed their items. In other words, could pathogens still survive on the metal drum, transfer onto our laundry, and later infect us when we wear our own dried underwear or use our towels?

2. If the previous user had already fully washed their clothes before using the dryer, would the risk be absolutely zero?

3. I sometimes masturbate while wearing my underwear. If there were somehow any viral traces of HPV or another STI left on my underwear from the public dryer, could the friction/contact infect me myself?

4. Can a laundromat/shared public dryer transmit HPV, HIV or any STI at all?

THANKS SO MUCH!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. Sometimes it's possible to accurately reply based only on the title of the question. In this case, the answer to your title question is no: a public dryer cannot transmit HPV, HIV, or any other STI.

Beyond that, I do not know why you felt a need to ask this question. If you understood Dr. Hook's replies to your previous question two weeks ago -- including your own comments in reply to his answers-- then you should understand that of course there is no risk from the things asked here. Nobody in the world ever caught HIV other than through intimate sexual contact or exchange of blood. The answer to all four of your numbered questions is no -- such infection transmission is impossible and never occurs. There are no exceptions. If you remain concerned, I suggest you go back and re-read your questions and Dr. Hook's replies last time (question #13997).

Such thoughts and fears are not normal. If such questions are on your mind a lot, professional counseling would seem to make sense.

Please do not ask me to confirm this by asking the same questions in different words. And do not repeat the nature of the exposures you are worried about. Such responses will result in the thread being immediately closed without further comment. Thank you for your understanding.

HHH, MD

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1 months ago

Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate the clear explanation and understand that there is no risk for HPV, HIV, or other STIs from this situation. I will also take your advice to heart regarding managing my worries.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

I'm very glad to hear that and happy to have helped. That's why we're here.---

1 months ago

Thank you so much, Dr Handsfield, your reassurance on the indirect environment means a lot to me.

Since each thread allows two follow-up opportunities and this will be my final one, I'd like to sincerely use this chance to ask a general medical question to protect my family in the future, as I couldn't find a direct discussion about this on the forum.

My family occasionally goes to traditional Chinese wellness centers for "Gua Sha" (a massage therapy where a shared jade or wooden board is used to scrape the back, causing temporary skin redness/petechiae and potential microscopic scratches). My wife had this done over a year ago and tested negative last month, so I'm completely reassure about her health. However, my other family members have not been tested, and I want to know if we can safely continue receiving this GuaSha service in the future.

For our complete future peace of mind: Can we safely classify these shared scraping boards as inanimate objects, and even if a board was contaminated with a previous person's blood, is it correct that HIV,HCV/STIs cannot be transmitted through this kind of indirect contact with petechiae or scratches, and this does not constitute a blood exchange?

I promise this is my last word on this forum and I'm ready to close this thread. Thank you for your immense help!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

The opportunity for follow-up comments is for discussion or clarification of the original issue, not for entirely new questions.

I suppose in theory the procedure you describe could transmit some blood borne infections, such as hepatitis B, if done immediately after use by an infected person. I doubt any such cases have actually occurred, but you might wish to check with medical authorities who are directly familiar with this particular cultural practice.

As you anticipated, hat completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.

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