When we wash our clothes, we’re mainly thinking about getting them clean. Getting that dirt and grime off is obviously a priority, but what about germs? Most people assume clothes are getting sanitized when you throw them in the washer, but are they? Let’s take a closer look.
What You Can’t See
If you think about all the dirty things you’ve thrown in your washing machine over the years, you can probably imagine what’s lurking in there. Studies have shown that 60% of home washing machines test positive for the presence of harmful bacteria. This is because the average washing cycle doesn’t kill germs. And yes, throwing your wet clothes into the hot dryer does kill some of those germs, but not all.
So, how do you kill the germs?
An easy thing you can do to prevent germs from building up in your washer is to only wash certain items in hot water. Things that should only be washed in hot water are:
- Cloth Diapers
- Bed Linens
- Undergarments
- Towels
- Cleaning Rags
- Pet Beds and Toys
Besides washing these things in hot water, you should also wash them separately from other items. For example, don’t wash your underwear with your t-shirts. Keep undergarments as a separate load of laundry.
Use Bleach on Your Whites
Using bleach on a load of white clothes can not only keep them bright and white, but it can also help kill those pesky germs in your washing machine. Once a week, wash a load of white with the recommended amount of bleach. You can even run an empty load once a month with a cup of bleach to keep it sanitized.
Remember, Express Appliance Repair is here for all your washing machine needs. Call for an appointment today.