Q. I wash my whites in hot water because I have asthma, and hot water is recommended to kill dust mites. Does this cause any significant problems since my t-shirts recommend warm water, or are they just being overly careful in the same as they are by recommending that bleach not be used? Will increasing the heat of the water over the recommended level have a negative effect on the use of bleach?

A. I am a huge proponent of using a hot water wash with 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach to maximize my cleaning, whitening and disinfecting of whites that come in contact with my body (underwear, t-shirts, bedding, and towels). In your case with asthma concerns, I would want to keep using hot water for all of these reasons. Also, the hot water won't decrease the efficacy of the bleach.