Sanitising Underwear

[yogitunes]

although there was probably more to the lesson than what was demonstrated...

but a helpful preventive solution for jock itch, well, first of all, like a gun, clean your equipment well and rinse thoroughly.....keeping in mind of "I was cleaning my gun and it suddenly went OFF!".....but as our BoyScout conselor showed us in detail, to use a blow dryer to dry our equipment and then some baby powder, or even jock itch powder.....

yeah, I know, hard to believe I was a BoyScout(1974-76).....and to think their letting gays scouts in now......who are we kidding, the Counselors are, and have been for years......now the Forest Rangers are a whole different subject...not for this thread!....and we all showered together....although not in the training manual...

 

[foxchapel]

Studies in Europe have shown that children who grow up on farms, especially pig/hog farms, have less allergies than other children.
There is something to be said for exposure to/playing in the dirt, bacteria, etc. It is how we build up immunities.

Fifteen or so years ago, parents started using sanitizing wipes year round (not just cold & flu season) on everything their children touch, etc. Some experts think this did not help the children develop strong immune systems. Nobody really knows.

I have also read that our kitchen sinks actually harbor more bacteria than the loo.

Our family members have never gotten ill from our non-sanitized laundry, but I do take care to kill the potential crud than can grow in the FL washer. I worry more about crud/sludge/mold starting in the FL, than anything else.

 

[danemodsandy]

It All Depends:

"I have also read that our kitchen sinks actually harbor more bacteria than the loo."

If a kitchen sink is used the way many people use it nowadays, then yes, it's a bacteria pit.

Many people today never clean the sink properly - in fact, they never really even use it for cleaning anything. It basically serves as a catch-all for anything dirty that anyone in the house is too lazy to wash or put in the dishwasher, and as a place where stuff is thrown at the disposer's opening.

If a kitchen sink is actually used for washing-up, and washed with soap and water afterwards, it's not a bacteria pit. But I've seen many a stainless-steel sink in many a flossy new house that is brown from not being cleaned. Ever.

 

[verizonbear]

Colored Underwear ( Spray with disinfectant before washing

I had a co-worker who sprays his colored briefs with dollar store brand disinfectant until they are damp, then washes them on cold using Tide cold water. Would this be effective in killing pathogens ?

 

[dustin92]

Oh, the HORRORS!

I wash my white underwear with whatever happens to be going into the washer, because I only own one other white article of clothing, a white T shirt with blue trim, and I can't justify waiting until all my underwear and my white shirt are dirty. I wash most loads in very warm water with plenty of detergent, then dry in the dryer, and nobody in our household (or any guests) have become ill from underwear residue contaminating towels, washcloths, or dishcloths. I have never taken a clean towel out of the drawer and said eeeww, this smells like dirty underwear, and have never noticed my clothes taking on an odor of underwear, although the odors and stains are always removed from underwear. I am personally not concerned with a few germs or bacteria, they are everywhere anyway. As I have seen on a plaque, "Germs and God are everywhere, so wash your hands and say your prayers!"

 

[danemodsandy]

Phil:

"I had a co-worker who sprays his colored briefs with dollar store brand disinfectant until they are damp...."

I think your co-worker is going to damage some undies sooner or later - the active ingredients in dollar store spray disinfectant are mostly ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Some synthetics are sensitive to alcohol, and I'm thinking it can't do elastic any good, either.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I've never had

that problem on my underwear..knock on wood.....but I've seen others in my life when doing laundry that do......**GAG**

I use bleach and hot water with ALL whites.....I can't imagine not having chlorine bleach in my life. It must rinse well because I've never had a problem with fabrics deteriorating (at least in a reasonable amount of time). A little bit goes a LONG way though. When someone above mentioned someone mopping with straight chlorine bleach, that's crazy. I mean, if I put just a LITTLE in a mop bucket mixed with liquid dish soap and hot water, it's still strong.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Well Ya'll know me

I bleach the hell out of everything.
The dog used to be black.

I wipe counter, sink and frig down with bleach water. It doesn't take a lot, I just happen to like the smell of bleach.

In my FL washer I use Hot almost always with whites, bleach sparingly but on occasion I bleach towels. My 80 year old mother sometimes has problems making it on time to the restroom, so I bleach to keep the odors down.

You can demonize bleach all you want, but I have never had Hepatitis, Cholera, Bubonic Plague, typhoid, meningitis, Hanta virus, MERSA, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. So it must be working.

No really, the only time I really am concerned about the laundry is if someone in the house is sick, or if something is purchased used from a Goodwill or DAV. In those cases I wash with a little more aggressive actions. I am actually more concerned with lice and bed bugs from used items than anything.

Laundry wise, as Laundress has said, a recent news spot on Ch-12 locally found that even though bacteria counts in washers are detectable, the wash action with detergent should take care of most of it, and the heat of the dryer or UV from hanging out usually takes care of the rest.

[this post was last edited: 7/10/2013-12:32]

 

[aquacycle]

I'm with Matt on this. Underwear and socks just get thrown I with my darks and washed on 40. My personal hygiene standards are high enough so that washing underwear separately is not a major concern. The only time I've ever washed underwear separately was when I had a bladder infection and my downstairs was like a leaky tap.

If you're going to be that anal (pardon the pun) about sanitising your knicks, why not go all out and keep them in a separate washing basket away from all your other laundry? Heck, why not even buy an air tight plastic container that you can bleach out to use as the separate washing basket and why not buy a whole separate washing machine to wash them in?

Alternatively, you could just try wiping your arse properly.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Washing underwear with trousers, t shirts, shirts etc is just unhygienic and I have always done it that way. Some people do things differently and people should accept that!!

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Cute dog @ iheartmaytag

 

[lavamat_jon]

Washing underwear with trousers, t shirts, shirts etc is jus

It really isn't - I have not heard of anybody who has died because they washed their pants with their t shirts...

 

It amuses me how people find washing underwear with t shirts in soapy water and detergent unhygienic, whilst they will happily conduct in bedroom activities without even a thought about hygiene.

 

Jon

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Well I don't agree!

 

[foraloysius]

I wash my tighty whities and my white t-shirts together at 70*C/158*F with a decent amount of Dixan powder. That is not unhygienic at all!

 

[liberatordeluxe]

If they are all white and a high temperature that's fine but we all have our way doing things. There is no right or wrong way.

 

[foraloysius]

Then don't say it's unhygienic.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Oh for god sake get a grip!

 

[liberatordeluxe]

What is it with people today the heat got to them if you have a difference of opinion?

 

[iheartmaytag]

Cute dog

Thanks
That sweet little face has save her life a number of times. In reality she is the Anti-Christ.

 

[mark_wpduet]

You know

I only buy white underwear and white bath towels and wash clothes for the simple fact that I want to be able to use bleach when washing them. I would LIKE to have some colors in towels and wash clothes, but I can't bleach them so I don't buy them. Admittedly, everything that is WHITE does get thrown in together, but then bleach, powdered detergent, and the sanitary cycle and once done, I assure you that it's far from unhygienic. But I would never wash those same clothes in warm water without bleach.