When we talk about microbes, we always think of the kitchen, the bathroom … But almost never something as "clean" as the washing machine. However, according to recent research, microbes are hiding there too. If we don't do the laundry correctly, they can go from one fabric to another, and from the washing machine to the clothes that are being washed and from this to you. To remedy this, here are 8 infallible keys to make your laundry perfect … and healthy!
1. Keep the washing machine in good condition
In addition to choosing an efficient washer and dryer, it's important to keep it "in shape." Eliminate the remains of fibers or soap that may have been left after washing. Make sure it is always clean and dry. And, once a week, run a laundry cycle without clothes with a cup of bleach to prevent any bacteria from surviving.
2. Use unscented soaps and neutral soaps
It takes a cocktail of infinite chemicals for a soap or fabric softener to smell like lavender, ocean, cologne … In addition to having a huge environmental impact, many can be harmful. The safest thing is to choose products whose label says "fragrance-free", and use neutral soaps.
3. Wash bedding in hot water
To alleviate allergic symptoms, it is recommended to wash bedding in hot water at least every two weeks. And is that the highest concentrations of dust mites are found in sheets and pillowcases. "Washing clothes at 70º totally destroys them," says Dr. Josep Torres, from the Allergology Unit of the Teknon Medical Center. And it recommends the use of dryers to eliminate mites, pollens and environmental fungi.
4. Ventilate the washing machine room
The presence of water, along with the heat from the washer and dryer, can maintain high humidity levels, ideal conditions for mold growth. To avoid this, leave a window open or turn on a fan when you run the dryer.
5. Empty the washing machine as soon as it is finished
Bacteria proliferate so quickly in damp areas that it is recommended to re-wash clothes if more than an hour passes without removing them from the drum after it is finished. In addition, with the use of cold water (very common when you want to save) the bacteria survive. To give you an idea, if the clothes were washed at 40 ° it would present a quantity of bacteria 500 times less than before the wash. On the other hand, if the same clothes were washed at 30 °, the amount would be only 10 times less. If you want to be safe, the ideal would be to wash it at the highest temperature allowed according to its label.
6. Wash underwear separately
In a garment of underwear there are many more bacteria than in the rest of the clothes. A study conducted by microbiologists at the University of Arizona (USA), found bacteria from underwear in 40% of the clothes analyzed (washed with detergents and without bleach). A contamination that occurs when washing underwear along with other garments. To avoid this, wash your underwear separately and in hot water. And if someone has an infectious disease or diarrhea, with bleach.
7. Ventilate the washing machine too
Mold spores are always present in the air, but when they find a damp surface - like the inside of a washing machine, for example - they can settle and multiply. To prevent mold from growing in your washing machine and getting onto your clothes, leave the door open after each wash to allow the interior to dry . And keep the rubber that joins the drum to the door very clean and dry. This will prevent water and laundry debris from accumulating, and bacteria and fungi from growing.
8. Watch your posture when putting it on
There are also some dangers in the position we adopt when putting it on. Javier Llaneza, president of the Spanish Ergonomics Association, advises us how to use the front-loading washing machine without harming our body:
- With the laundry basket in your hands, lower your back, keeping it straight, bending one leg and resting the knee of the other on the floor. So you can comfortably put your clothes in the washing machine and get back up without great difficulty.
- When putting the clothes in the drum, make sure that your arms are level with the porthole.
- To remove the clothes, repeat the same operation. And when it comes to moving clothes, make two trips to avoid carrying too much weight.
- On the clothesline, the greatest risk is to suffer from high blood pressure in the back and arms. Make sure you have the rope close by.
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Did you know…?
Drying in the sun can cause pollens or fungal spores to settle on clothes. If you are going to change the washing machine, keep in mind that there are models with specific programs to fight bacteria, mites and microorganisms.
And if you're in "cleaning squad" mode, check out these quick house cleaning tricks. You will not even realize it and you will always have it perfect!
