Doctor reveals common bedroom item that acts as a ‘reservoir’ for the flu virus — plus how often to wash your bedding when sick

A woman with long dark hair blows her nose in bed because she is sick.

When I recently had the flu, I spent the first few days in bed coughing, sneezing and sweating off a fever. My mattress was disappearing beneath a mountain of soggy tissues, to the point where my bed was like this giant flu bomb waiting to explode all over the bedroom.

And that got me thinking: exactly how long does the flu virus live on bedding and mattresses? And does it survive longer on some surfaces compared to others?