Laundry after a stomach bug

[louisvillelou]

DS had a vomiting bug over the weekend and we have a lot of clothes covered in a lot of sick.

It’s the first time I’ve had to deal with this, no idea if it's noro or something slightly leas virulent (let's face it, there’s plenty going about) so I am here to ask for your pro-tips for cleaning clothes, towels and sheets with vomit on, please?

I don’t want to spread it via the washing machine to other items etc. Is there any way I can avoid this? The clothes obviously won’t take bleach or super high temps so I’m a bit 🤷‍♀️ as to what to do!

Wash the contaminated clothes, then run the machine empty on as hot a wash as it’ll do.

Biological washing detergent..

Are there solid bits in the bedding?
Maybe rinse out in the bath first to get rid of those bits. You could use laundry sanitiser in with the wash too

Did you not just rinse them out at the time eg in the bath? Once rinsed I'd wash as normal.

I use Sainsbury's own version of Dettol's laundry cleanser, a lot of the supermarkets have their own version too. As long as the actual vomit itself has been rinsed off it should be fine but you could always use some TCP or something like that to rinse the door handles etc. Hope that helps

@EarringsandLipstick

Did you not just rinse them out at the time eg in the bath? Once rinsed I'd wash as normal.

Jesus no, I have massive emetophobia and just bunged everything into a bin bag 🙈😂

Thanks for the tips, I’m feeling reassured!

Have you just been collecting sick covered laundry all weekend and not doing anything with it 🤣🤢🤢🤢🤢 that's rank!!!

I would rinse off the chunks in the bath, wash on a proper cycle (ie not quick wash!) At 60' with usual stuff and some laundry disinfectant too.

Oh god, you've been fermenting your laundry in puke! It will be in a worse state now than if you'd just dealt with it at the time

@HalloHello

Have you just been collecting sick covered laundry all weekend and not doing anything with it 🤣🤢🤢🤢🤢 that's rank!!!

I would rinse off the chunks in the bath, wash on a proper cycle (ie not quick wash!) At 60' with usual stuff and some laundry disinfectant too.

I’ve just realised it’s Wednesday and he was actually sick Monday/Tuesday. It wasn’t the weekend at all!

If I had been chucking clothes covered in sick in a bin bag since the weekend,they would be going straight into the outside bin and I would be replacing what ever I needed to, and I dont have a problem with vomit, but the smell when you open that bag would make me vomit on the spot.

@dementedpixie

Oh god, you've been fermenting your laundry in puke! It will be in a worse state now than if you'd just dealt with it at the time

Ooh I love a bit of MN judgement, thanks pixie!

Napisan.

It's hardly judgement. It's just a weird thing to do!

Rubber gloves. Face mask. Open window.
Stand by bath. Run cold tap.
Take each item out of bag , wash off any solids / rub away dried yuk.

then wash immediately on 60 degrees with biological powder.
Run machine on hot bio wash afterwards empty of clothes.

Dry items in sunshine if you can.
If you think they still smell (they shouldn't) repeat process.

My kids both had GERD and I got used to this.

I also have raging emetophobia. Top tips I can give you going forward: never ever just shove the clothes into the washing machine thinking the machine will deal with it. It doesn't. You just end up with bits of vomit spread throughout your drum. Rinse the clothing first, then wash on the highest setting you can. I find most fabrics can take a one off 60 degree wash. Pure cotton can take 90 degrees, no problem.

Second tip: do the above as soon as the clothing becomes contaminated. Never ever wait (obviously this is for future events, too late for this occasion). I know it is awful dealing with vomit, but leaving it will only make it worse. I once left a cot mattress and months later a strange black mould grew on it.

@HalloHello

It's hardly judgement. It's just a weird thing to do!

Hello, upthread I mentioned emetophobia, it's been a pretty tough couple of days.

Also "hardly judgement, it’s just weird" is actually judgement!

Not that I’m cross, I’m hooting with laughter because what else can one expect from MN, ask for advice and get, "I’m not judging you but you’re disgusting" 😂

@Dumbledoresgirl

I also have raging emetophobia. Top tips I can give you going forward: never ever just shove the clothes into the washing machine thinking the machine will deal with it. It doesn't. You just end up with bits of vomit spread throughout your drum. Rinse the clothing first, then wash on the highest setting you can. I find most fabrics can take a one off 60 degree wash. Pure cotton can take 90 degrees, no problem.

Second tip: do the above as soon as the clothing becomes contaminated. Never ever wait (obviously this is for future events, too late for this occasion). I know it is awful dealing with vomit, but leaving it will only make it worse. I once left a cot mattress and months later a strange black mould grew on it.

Ahh now this is wonderful helpful advice, thank you! I might write off the worst of the clothing in that case and shove the very lightly soiled stuff through on a hot wash and hope for the best.

I agree with biological washing powder. Dettol type laundry cleanser. Wash it all at 60. Put it on a cycle with pre wash and extra rinse if you have those options.
Unless it’s woollens etc it’ll be fine at 60.
Wash it again if it seems to need it.
Then run the machine empty with biological powder on the hottest longest cycle it can do.

Well, to be fair, you did originally say the weekend until realising that actually it was only yesterday.

@iwannascream

If I had been chucking clothes covered in sick in a bin bag since the weekend,they would be going straight into the outside bin and I would be replacing what ever I needed to, and I dont have a problem with vomit, but the smell when you open that bag would make me vomit on the spot.

Exactly 😂

I don't love dealing with vomit, obviously, but God, vomit-encrusted clothes that had mouldered in a bin bag: gone. No way could I deal with them.

You can't just put massively vomit-y items into your machine, you're creating another problem for yourself.

If you haven't rinsed, dump. Next time, honestly, rinse using shower head & bath, then you can wash as usual.

@user1493494961

Well, to be fair, you did originally say the weekend until realising that actually it was only yesterday.

Well to be fair, it’s still untrue to say that calling someone weird isn’t judgemental 😂 it may be your opinion, but it's still judgemental! 😆

Anyway I’ve got the advice I need, so all the people who want to come along and kick me for not coping with my worst fear in the perfect mumsnet way are welcome to do it behind my back, I’m off to wash some clothes! 😁

I would have washed them at the weekend instead of having them hanging around, drying out and stinking. Getting the smell out will be your issue, particularly after leaving them so long.

Don't overfill the washer and use powder plus maybe something like vanish or napisan or, even better, soda crystals, on a full length wash - at 60C, since you have nothing to lose.

Hang outside to dry, if you can. It's a good deodoriser.

If you're worried about germs in your washer, run it empty, on a 90C cycle, when you're done.

The hosepipe is your friend here. In the garden over the outside drain. Get the solids off & in the machine. Then do a cycle on empty to clean the machine

And apologies-I started typing when there were all of 4 replies then got called away to do something.