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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Best way to wash vomit covered clothes & sheets?

13 replies

Minesahotchocolate · 17/02/2013 05:57

Apologies if this has been covered 101 times before. My daughter has just been spectacularly sick and I've no idea what the best way to wash everything is. I've heard from friends that you've got to get the bits off before putting sheets etc in the wash, but then what? For normal cotton clothes/sheets what temperature is best? Do I add bleach or something to sterilise & remove the smell?

I've just put everything in the machine on a 60° cycle with the usual washing liquid and a splash of bleach added... and am worried that I've created some dodgy chemical cocktail, and read online somewhere else that you shouldn't use a hot wash as it 'cooks' the proteins into the sheets (eugh!).

What should I have done/be doing?

OP posts:

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 17/02/2013 06:01

Throw the sheets in the bin is what I would do if she has ben that sick.

purrpurr · 17/02/2013 06:13

Just out of curiosity, how exactly are you meant to get the bits off before putting the bedding in the wash? Is there some sort of sick bit lint remover you can roll over things? Ew. A hot wash, washing liquid, splash of bleach, should be more than sufficient. Don't see any need to chuck the bedding away, unless of course your daughter has Cholera or something, which requires contaminated bedding/cloths etc to be disposed of. I'm assuming not? :)

Massive sympathetic cuppa tea for having to deal with vom at this hour.

mathanxiety · 17/02/2013 06:15

I always washed the chunks and any other loose matter off and then put the bedding and pajamas into the hot wash with detergent and a good cup of bleach. If there were stains after that I chucked out whatever was stained. Usually bleach did the trick. Anything that came out clean I put in the dryer for another hot blast. You can do a second wash with more bleach and detergent if you want to be sure they're good and clean.

No chemical risk to using bleach and detergent. You can use white vinegar instead of bleach as a disinfectant.

I had a big Belfast sink that made rinsing puke a bit easier. My mum used to use the garden hose at full blast outdoors.

Yamyoid · 17/02/2013 06:17

Does your washing machine have extra rinse and soak options? That always works for me.

BabyRoger · 17/02/2013 06:21

I just rinse off the items in the sink. I then put in the washing machine on a hot wash with normal washing powder/liquid. Maybe some vanish.

HairyHandedTrucker · 17/02/2013 06:24

hang it over a plastic chair and hose it down in the garden. then I soak overnight with baking soda and vinegar in water. then washing machine

Original poster

Minesahotchocolate · 17/02/2013 06:54

Thanks hugely - feel daft for asking such stupid questions and really appreciate the answers. Good to know that bleach + washing detergent is ok. I never really use bleach as I'm a bit afraid that I'll do something wrong with it (I think my mother might have overly instilled a 'that is dangerous' message on that one!). I've been v. lucky as dd is a toddler and up until now had had only 1 stomach bug and that was when I was staying at my Mums and she whipped into super efficient action leaving me only needing to clean up dd (by FAR the easier task). Keeping fingers and everything crossed that it was a 1 off vom as I now have sympathy nausea (god I hate vomit).

OP posts:

bigfatguff · 17/02/2013 07:08

You can get Ariel hygiene stain remover powder which kills off bacteria. Use in addition to washing liquid. Good for vom, wee, poo and any other baby and toddler delights.

HDee · 17/02/2013 07:15

I had no clue that you are supposed to wash them any differently to normal.

If they are very pukey, I put them on a rinse first, but 9/10 I just put them on a normal wash.

My eldest child is nearly 20 and I haven't killed anyone yet so I will carry on. I don't have the energy for soaking, lugging wet bedding around, measuring bleach etc. and hosing it off in the garden? Only the dog gets that treatment after a muddy walk ;)

JustCallMeFish · 17/02/2013 07:17

I shower the bedding first (big plug hole)

Then pop them on a 60degree wash with a prewash.

Hope your dd better soon.

TheExpatWife · 17/02/2013 07:31

Wash the bedding with a scoop of Napisan in the washing machine along with the washing powder/liquid. When my DC feel a bit green I usually line their bed/pillows with towels as they are easier to change and deal with than duvet covers & sheets.

domesticslattern · 17/02/2013 07:33

I also shower the bedding first together chunks off. Pour bleach down plughole after.
Then, hot wash (if all cotton) with bio powder and a scoop of vanish powder if we have any in. Repeat if necessary.
If I threw out the sheets it would cost ££££!!

ilovepowerhoop · 17/02/2013 10:40

I just use kitchen roll to get rid of chunks/sludgy bits and put in the washing machine at 60 degrees with my normal powder. I dont add bleach/any other things to the wash

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