Germs can easily spread in the laundry, but using these common sense solutions can prevent sickness.
What’s that? You just caught a cold from your brother-in-law’s jogging pants? Could be.
When our clothes are washed with those of someone else, that person’s germs can spread.
It happens like this:
Most of us feel that putting our dirty clothes through the wash does the trick. The detergent gets them clean.
But unmentionables like underwear can contain germs and bacteria from traces of feces and genital infections. Gross! When we wash our clothes in the machine, traces of this bacteria can stick around and be passed onto something else.
Likewise, when someone like your brother-in-law sneezes into the closest thing he can find lying around, (like his sweaty jogging pants) and then he puts this in the laundry and you sort it, the bacteria on this garment can now spread to your hands.
So what to do? Burn it all and head out to Old Navy? Sure. Or, make sure you wash questionable clothing at a hot 140°F (60°C) and use a bleach-based product.
Related: FDA Bans Antibacterials From Consumer Soaps
Britain’s National Health Service warns that the following items can cause laundry trouble:
- clothes soiled with vomit or feces (including re-usable diapers)
- sweaty sports clothes from high contact sports, like as judo or wrestling
- cloths used in food preparation
- healthcare workers’ uniforms
- shared towels
- clothing worn over a wound or infected skin
- farmers’ clothing, especially during lambing season
Do it right the first time and this way, the next time you get a sore throat you can be sure that it didn’t come from your favorite plaid shirt.
Photo Credit: vipman/Shutterstock
