Sanitize Cycle In Washer & Dryers This feature is designed to eliminate bacteria and allergens from clothing, bed linens, and other washable items.
Clothes dryers with a Sanitize Cycle can increase the heat to temperatures high enough to kill off various bugs (lice, moth larvae, bedbugs, etc.) and bacteria. This can be particularly useful for sanitizing sheets and other clothing items when you or your guests have recently recovered from an illness.
Sanitize cycles on washing machines or dryers are designed to help fight against particular common household bacterias by using an extra-hot wash or dry cycle. If your machine doesn't have a designated cycle, use the warmest temperature setting available to optimize cleaning performance.
"Sanitize cycles are harsher on clothes than regular cycles, which is necessary for sanitization," he says. Check the clothing or fabric item's care label first to make sure it's safe to wash in hot water. High temperatures can damage delicate fabrics, cause some items to shrink, or cause colors to bleed or fade.
During a common wash cycle, the water reaches temperatures between 140° and 145° Fahrenheit, and a sanitize wash must use an extended hot-water rinse and reach at least 150° Fahrenheit to kill germs and eat away at bacteria found on your cookware.
Acute problems associated with sanitization include headaches; however, it is largely considered an innocuous effect. Despite this, a growing body of research indicates that some chemicals may harm the brain through several mechanisms.
It's the dryer—not the washing machine—that lays waste to harmful microorganisms. “High heat drying for at least 28 minutes is the most effective way to kill viruses,” Reynolds says. The “high heat” setting is key. Energy efficient, low-heat settings may not get the job done, she says.
To sanitize your dryer with hydrogen peroxide, start by mixing equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. Then, lightly mist the interior of the dryer drum and any other surfaces that may come into contact with your clothes. Allow the solution to sit for a few minutes to ensure maximum disinfection.
"Cottons and the like can be washed in the extra hot temperatures using the sanitize cycle on your washer—but you want to be careful with other items that can't handle those high temperatures (think elastics, spandex, wools, etc.)," says Johnson. Check the care label on clothing or towels before you sanitize them.
Generally speaking, the clothes dryer itself, as well as the vent should be cleaned every 1 to 3 years. The variables that affect frequency include: How much laundry – how many loads – you do a week.
A half cup of white vinegar can act as a disinfectant and a deodorizer—removing those pesky germs and working to soften your fabrics.
The Best Way to Clean Clothes
To kill the germs in your laundry, wash your clothes on the hot cycle, then put everything in the dryer for 45 minutes.
Sanitize Cycle In Washer & Dryers
This feature is designed to eliminate bacteria and allergens from clothing, bed linens, and other washable items.
A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric. Some washer models, like Whirlpool® top load washing machines with Intuitive Controls, help you choose a cycle based on what you're washing and how you're washing it.
Here's a quick, sustainable hack to eliminate odors: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, spritz the inside of the dryer, and wipe it down. Follow up by running the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes.
If your dryer is electric, rub the drum with a soft cloth dipped in warm water and dish soap. For a gas dryer, wipe down the inside with a liquid, nonflammable household cleaner. Then, for gas or electric, wipe out the drum with a wet sponge or towel and tumble a load of clean clothes or towels to dry the drum.
For standard washers, add ⅔ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach to wash water. Add clothes and start wash. Ensure contact with bleach solution for 10 minutes.
To sanitize laundry with hydrogen peroxide, first wash with detergent, then run another cycle with the peroxide for 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Longer wash cycles kill more germs than shorter ones. Hydrogen peroxide effectively kills many human pathogens, including E.
Delicates or Less Dry
This dryer setting uses a low temperature to dry and help prevent your clothes from shrinking. This is best used for lightweight shirts and pants, delicates and athletic wear.
Bacteria can survive for weeks and, under some conditions, grow in stored laundry. You leave lots of good things for bacteria to eat in your clothing and cleaning tools, like washcloths. Reynolds: Germs survive better when they are surrounded by dirt, skin cells or bodily fluids – such as mucus and saliva.
Lysol® kills 99.9% of viruses & bacteria, including MRSA!
Sanitize objects and surfaces that come in contact with mouths (such as, toys, infant feeding supplies, countertops, and other surfaces that touch food). Disinfecting kills remaining germs on surfaces. Killing germs can further lower the risk of spreading disease.
So here's the big takeaway: There's no evidence that a short-term boost in hand-washing and cleaning will reduce your body's immune function.
We just need to get dirty, right? Wrong. Getting dirty doesn't help our immune system and generally makes inflammation worse.