Should undies and tea cloths be washed together?

[PeridotCricket]

I think not, DH, normally very particular...just chucks them all in together as a whites wash on 40.

[Mississippilessly]

Tea towels have a 60 wash in our house. Most other stuff is done at 40 including undies. So no ours are separate but only because i do my tea towels hotter.

[Yika]

Isn't it the case that if the tea towels are ironed it won't matter as that will kill germs.

[nocoolnamesleft]

It's a fair question. After all, with all the bacteria teeming on tea towels, do you really want them contaminating your undies?

[Anoisagusaris]

Whatever about tea towels and undies, I feel like a puking a bit at the thought of tea towels and nappies in the same wash.

[Hidingtonothing]

I deliberately wash them together because I wash all clothes at 40 but feel like knickers need to be done at 60, so they go in with the towels and tea cloths. I have questioned it to myself, it does feel ‘wrong’ somehow but it’s either that, wash knickers at 40, or do a separate 60 load just for knickers, neither of which feel like better options to me

[Whackytaco]

Really though, if you were that concerned about transferring germs from item to item, you'd run an empty machine on a hot wash between washes?
I would of thought there'd be residue from the previous wash mixing with the next wash. Mind you, it's not something I've really thought about until reading this thread.

[Pissedoffdotcom]

Anoisagusaris the nappies get a thorough rinse before anything else is added. They're also the only wash in my week that regularly gets a 60 wash so i reckon my tea towels are pretty safe

[Stopyourhavering64]

everything gets chucked in together...still alive 55 yrs later...dh has a microbiology degree

[StUmbrageinSkelt]

Teatowels and nappies in the same wash is pretty disgusting even if the nappies are rinsed. Why on earth would you decide that was a hygienic choice?

[BarbaraofSevillle]

Don't you expect things to come out clean skelt?

If the teatowels aren't clean in your scenario, then neither are the nappies or the washing machine, so unless you replace your washing machine after every wash, there's no point separating nappies or tea towels.

Watch your washing machine in action. It washes the items, then it rinses and spins, rinses and spins, rinses and spins. Any 'germs', fecal matter, or whatever you are concerned about are removed from the clothes and rinsed away, multiple times.

[Astrid2]

My theory is I don't wash my hands of my body or dishes or anything with water hotter than 40'. So everything being chucked in at 40' is absolutely fine. Nothing bad has ever happened to me yet!

[user1499173618]

Pants/knickers need to be washed at 60 in order to kill germs.

Do you really want your tea towels to be washed in shit soup?

[WhistlerGrey]

Oh my god no.

[allthegoodusernameshavegone]

I just shove the whole lot in with washing tabs, have done forever what’s the the issue?

[donajimena]

I've never washed my undies at 60 I'm still ok. If any of the children are ill (touch wood its rare) and sharts I'd bin the undies. I take my chance on everyday wear.

[treaclesoda]

I do tend to separate them but I know it's only me being daft, there's not really a sensible scientific reason for it. A good spin in the washing machine will send the germs down the drain and away from the clothes/towels.

[Rednaxela]

@MsHomeSlice same ..

Didn't realise my laundry sorting system was that far from the norm

The thought of washing a tea towel with mine or DC clothes is not envy.

With DH jeans or t shirts maybe I could do it.

Tea towels get their own wash, usually the 30 mins quick cycle.

[Sophisticatedsarcasm]

We chuck darks together and then whites together.... only stuff I do separate is if someone has been sick, any clothes or bedclothes go in together on a wash 60 then I wash them again.... on a 40....

[MajesticWhine]

I thought I was quite pernickety. I happily do tea towels with undies but at 60 not 40.

[HushabyeMountainGoat]

Of course i wash things together. What on earth is the point of washing machines if not to remove dirt and germs, reagrdless of the cocktail that went in?

I don't expect to live in a sterile environment. I am not going to get hung up on the idea of homeopathic arse germs on my tea towels .

[Vitalogy]

I like to do tea towels/dark towels separately at 60. I wait until I have a full ish load though.

[Dorsetdays]

This is hilarious! Totally questioning myself now as I have literally never given it a single thought...only separation in our house is between lights/dark colours. I’d literally have to give up work though to achieve this as I’d do very little else other than laundry!

Feels a bit like saying you wouldn’t wash your face in the bath (not that I ever have a bath but you get my point?)

[icelollycraving]

No. I’m v fussy with laundry.
All tea towels and microfibres clothes washed together. Clothes separated by colour and fabrics.

[AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight]

I do 60 (towels, tea towels, underwear, cotton stuff of toddler dd's and some of teen/preteen dses' T-shirts, bedding) and 40 (everything else, except wool/delicates, which obv goes in at 30). What a waste of energy doing things separately when they're all being done hot enough to kill off germs.

Hygiene is important, but complete sterility is not appropriate in the home context.

[PeridotCricket]

homeopathic arse germs on my tea towels that’s done it I’m over being worried about it...