http://www.europeanopticalsociety.org/CommentingController/rss/SiteTree/12105 CommentingController/rss/SiteTree/12105 http://www.europeanopticalsociety.org/dr-laundry/disinfecting-urine-soiled-sheets/#comment-801 I would like to know how to sanitize colored cotton underwear that is soiled..I wash them in hot water but is that enough? Thankyou! Fri, 24 May 2013 15:57:35 -0700 Anne Brown http://www.europeanopticalsociety.org/dr-laundry/disinfecting-urine-soiled-sheets/#comment-801 http://www.europeanopticalsociety.org/dr-laundry/disinfecting-urine-soiled-sheets/#comment-802 There are definitely some colored fabrics that can be safely bleached with Clorox® Regular-Bleach, and this primarily depends on which type of dye was used to color the fabric. You can easily test bleachability as follows: • Mix a test solution by diluting 2 tsp Clorox® Regular-Bleach in ¼ cup water. • Apply a drop to a hidden part of the item such as an inside hem, cuff, or seam and then blot dry. • No color change means the item can be safely bleached. I have had success safely bleaching many different colored items: light colored linens and towels, cotton boxer shorts, and 100% polyester fleece, just to name a few. Assuming your items pass, you can wash them in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach. For items that don’t pass the bleachability test, you can try the following techniques to at least reduce the germ count. • Wash in the hottest water recommended on the item’s care label. • Wash any items of particular concern separately from other items to avoid germ transfer, and consider washing them twice. • Use the hottest dryer setting recommended on the care label, and dry items separately from other loads or at least with some white towels so the underwear tumbles properly in the dryer. • Finally, consider following up with a washer clean-out cycle with ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach to be sure the clothes washer is disinfected and germs don’t transfer to other loads. In fact, clothes washer manufacturers recommend doing this! Hopefully this is helpful! You may even decide that using Clorox® Regular-Bleach is the way to go, even if it means a little fading. Fri, 24 May 2013 15:57:35 -0700 Dr. Laundry http://www.europeanopticalsociety.org/dr-laundry/disinfecting-urine-soiled-sheets/#comment-802