How to combat germs in your laundry room
Germs are everywhere and you need to be on your toes to prevent them from staying in your house. Most homeowners concentrate on cleaning their kitchen and bathroom as two of the most likely places in the house where germs tend to gather. There is another place in your home that is also a favorite spot for germs and bacteria, and that is your laundry room.
While doing the laundry each week is beneficial to your family, experts say that you may actually be putting them in danger when it comes to their health as they can get to be more susceptible to skin rashes, allergy attacks and germs. Experts say that dirty clothes can become dirtier after getting washed and that is because washing machines can be a breeding ground for germs, which can find their way into the clothes and eventually to you. In order to prevent ailments from happening and to keep the germs at bay, here are some tips that you may consider doing.
Do not delay in emptying your washer after doing the laundry. As germs flourish in wet areas, make sure you take out your laundry from the washer 30 minutes after washing is completed. Many people are washing clothes using cold water in order to save money and electricity but what they don’t know is that germs can survive longer in cold water. It is recommended you use hot water to kill the germs. Also, do not overload your washing machine so that your laundry detergent can seep into the clothes generously and easily. Then after removing all your wet clothes from the washer make sure you wash your hands to avoid the spread of lingering germs. Your dryer can get rid of the remaining germs in your laundry.
Wash your beddings using hot water. Beddings are most likely to accumulate lots of dust mites. They are the main reason for symptoms of allergies. Dust mites live in carpets, clothes, and beddings. The most effective way to eliminate germs from your beddings is to wash them using hot water because the dryer cannot kill the germs alone.
Wash your undergarments separately. Primarily, your undergarments can be the main perpetrator of fecal matter as well as various kinds of other germs. So it is best to wash them separately using hot water and color-safe bleach. You may also use one cup of bleach on an empty cycle once a week, to prevent germs from clinging to your washer drum.
Leave your laundry room and washer open if not in use. As mold and mildew can flourish in wet surroundings, make sure you open the washer door and let it dry out when you’re not using it. Likewise, open the windows in your laundry room to dry it out.
Make use of fragrance-free laundry detergents. Scented laundry detergents can cause skin irritations, asthma attacks, and even migraine headaches mainly because of the chemicals that are used to add fragrance. It would be best to use only unscented ones so as to avoid any problems that may occur.
Hopefully these tips will help you have fewer germs in your laundry room, your laundry appliances, and thus fewer germs in the laundry itself.
