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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Mouldy clothes in washing machine by mistake

18 replies

Servalan · 15/05/2011 15:55

I have OCD which causes me various problems. I've had some clothes hanging around in plastic bags for a while because of various "issues" and I finally plucked up the courage to wash them and use them again.

In one wash, I put in some of the contents of one of the bags. I did actually run the wash at 90 degrees anyway. The day afterwards I went to wash some other things from the same bag and realised that lots of things in the bag had gone mouldy (well they have been there a while - more than a couple of months maybe...) so that means that some of the things I put in the washing machine and the dryer afterwards the day before may have well had mould on them. The clothes concerned are quite dark so I can't see by looking at them whether they have mould on them.

Should the clothes be safe to wear? Can I have in any way "contaminated" the clothes that were in the machine with them? Could I have "contaminated" the washing machine or the tumble drier.

I did another wash yesterday of some more clothes which may well have been in contact with the mouldy clothes in the bag, and I couldn't do them at 90, so did them at 60 degrees with some napisan. Again - should these clothes be safe to wear?

Thanks

OP posts:
wordsonascreen · 15/05/2011 16:01

Yes they will be safe.

Northernlurker · 15/05/2011 16:04

The sort of mould that grows on clothes will just dissolve away in the wash and thus have been totally removed from the machine when the machine drained. It isn't still in the drum or the drier or the clothes. You've used a very hot wash as well and that will have totaly zapped that stuff. You've no need to be concerned - well done for getting them washed!

Original poster
Servalan · 15/05/2011 16:08

Thanks both of you. Do you reckon the stuff I washed at 60 degrees with Napisan would have been washed at a hot enough wash too?

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 15/05/2011 16:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Northernlurker · 15/05/2011 16:11

Yes 60 degrees is HOT and you had the cleaning of the nappisan plus the drier as Madame says.

CravingExcitement · 15/05/2011 16:12

Apparently hospitals wash their soiled linen at 60 degrees and it is a high enough temperature to kill germs etc. Hope that it of some reassurance for you, it was for me. Well done for getting the washing done, I have some understanding of how hard it can be.

Original poster
Servalan · 15/05/2011 16:15

Thank you so much folks :-) I really struggle with this illness and I find it hard to work out what is harmful and what isn't harmful so your reassurance helps more than I can express. Right - am going to put the clothes in the wardrobe before I change my mind!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Servalan · 15/05/2011 19:16

eeesh - sorry to come back on here again - I'm running an empty wash before I wash DD's school stuff for tomorrow, but instead of running it with bleach as Madame Deathstare suggested, (which I have a feeling my washing machine instructions say not to use), I'm running it at 90 degrees with some napisan. That should be OK shouldn't it? The drier I've let run empty on hot for 5 minutes which I'm hoping will have put paid to any nasties...

OP posts:
Original poster
Servalan · 15/05/2011 19:17

although probably didn't need to do those things in the first place... Gah! I hate being like this

OP posts:
nannycheechee · 15/05/2011 19:29

This will be completely fine, promise.

mousymouse · 15/05/2011 19:36

Yes it will be fine.

AnonymousBird · 15/05/2011 19:40

60 degrees is a very hot wash for clothes. They will be fine.

Running it empty from time to time at 90 with some detergent/soda crystals (or napisan in your case) will keep your machine clean as well.

Northernlurker · 15/05/2011 20:14

Yes the empty wash with nappisan is fine. Everybody should do something like that now and again with their machine. I think you are being very sensible about this. It's no good doing what you think you should and the suffering over it. The key is to find something you can live with and then be able to say 'Yes that's it, I have done enough' I think you're doing really well at that.

Original poster
Servalan · 15/05/2011 20:59

You are all lovely people. Thank you so much for the support x

OP posts:
bilblio · 15/05/2011 21:19

60 degrees is hot enough to kill germs. I work in healthcare and we get lots of soiled clothes (blood, poo, urine etc). The guidelines for cleaning them are to put them on a 60 wash, so if it can clean soiled clothes it will clean up any mould.

White vinegar is also excellent for disinfecting mould. Every so often I clean my washer out by running a 90 wash with a couple of towels in, plus white vinegar, and some lemon essential oil. The gets rid of any mould in the washer and the essential oil cuts through the smell and makes the tiles smell nice.

If I (or DH) has forgotten to empty the washer and things have been in there a couple of days another quick was with vinegar gets rid of the mouldy smell too.

KateMiddletonsMum · 15/05/2011 21:22

Do you use malt vinegar or white and do you just pour it into the dispenser? How much?

bilblio · 15/05/2011 22:02

I put few healthy glugs in. Sorry I don't do measurements when I'm washing... it's probably about half a mug, maybe a bit more.
White vinegar and pour it in the dispenser. In the part for the main wash, not the conditioner section or your washing will smell of it :)
Any vinegary smell that's left quickly disappears, especially if things are line dried.

MadamDeathstare · 15/05/2011 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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