It has long been no secret that there are millions of microorganisms around us - useful and not so useful. They enter the body along with air, food and water, and our skin constantly has to fight off their attacks. It is clear that a person has learned to coexist peacefully with them, and he does not need to wear a protective suit and spacesuit every day. But it is still worth observing certain safety measures. We are talking, of course, about the rules of hygiene: we need to wash our hands after being outside, brush our teeth twice a day, take a shower regularly and take care of antibacterial laundry detergents.
Now we have at our disposal ultra-modern “washing machines”, dozens of types of powders, rinses and conditioners, so it is quite possible that you will think that this is quite enough. I loaded the laundry into the washing machine, threw in a special capsule or poured in powder along with a fragrant fabric softener - and it’s done. You just need to wait a certain amount of time and take freshly washed clothes out of the machine. And, in principle, yes - your laundry has been washed, but is it properly disinfected?
Let's look below at how to choose the right disinfectants for washing clothes and make your clothes not only clean, but also safe.
How to get rid of germs?
Antibacterial laundry detergents – special chemicals, the main function of which is to destroy germs. However, it is not so simple, because not every such product can be freely used. Some of them, together with disinfection, can cause specific harm to your things. That is why some housewives prefer to process the laundry manually.
There are 4 ways to disinfect laundry:
- boiling;
- treatment with chlorine or alkali;
- disinfection with improvised means;
- using modern disinfectants for laundry.
There is another method of antimicrobial treatment, which consists in the use of steam. Many washing machines have this function, which allows you to destroy up to 98% of germs. Ironing with an iron also belongs here.
One of the oldest, but, at the same time, the most popular methods of disinfecting laundry. Its essence is simple - items to be processed are loaded into a large container (before this, cover the bottom with unnecessary rags so that the laundry does not burn), pour in water, boil and leave in this mode for 30-40 minutes. Gradually reduce the heat until the boiling process is completely reduced, leave the laundry in the container until the water cools down completely, and rinse. Quite often, housewives combine boiling with chemical treatment. To do this, it is enough to add bleach, laundry soap or hydrogen peroxide to the water. This combination can be called quite effective, because, rest assured, no stains will remain on your clothes. But what will happen to the fabric? Therefore, before boiling the laundry, carefully look at the tags of your items. Fabrics containing 100% cotton or linen will withstand this procedure.How to get rid of germs?
There are 4 ways to disinfect linen:
boiling;
treatment with chlorine or alkali;
disinfection using improvised means;
- use of modern laundry disinfectants.
There is another antimicrobial treatment method that involves using steam. Many washing machines have this feature, which can destroy up to 98% of germs. This also includes ironing. - One of the most ancient, but at the same time, the most popular methods of disinfecting linen. Its essence is simple - load the things that need to be processed into a large container (before this, cover the bottom with unnecessary rags so that the laundry does not burn), fill it with water, boil it and leave it in this mode for 30-40 minutes. Gradually reduce the heat until the boiling process is completely reduced, leave the laundry in the container until the water cools completely, and rinse.
Quite often housewives combine boiling with chemical treatment. To do this, just add bleach, laundry soap or hydrogen peroxide to the water. This combination can be called quite effective, because rest assured, no stains will remain on your clothes. But what happens to the fabric? Therefore, before boiling your laundry, carefully look at the tags of your items. Fabrics containing 100% cotton or linen will withstand this procedure. - If your underwear is synthetic, then it is better to resort to other methods of disinfection. For example, mix borax and hydrogen peroxide in proportions of 2 to 1 (usually take 100 g of peroxide and 50 g of borax), add the resulting mixture to the machine and .
run a normal wash programme. Don't want to use chemicals? Then you can take an extract from grapefruit seeds (10 drops per 4 liters of water will be enough) and add it to the washing machine in the same way. You can also replace grapefruit extract with tea tree or lavender essential oils. At the end of the day, you will receive laundry that is disinfected and smells fresh.Don’t want to fool your head with “folk recipes”? Then let's move on directly to antibacterial laundry detergents. - Review of disinfectants for washing clothesThe modern market offers a sufficient number of such antimicrobial agents, but which of them are the most effective?
- Lion Top Hygia.
– a Japanese product that carefully removes dirt and gets rid of germs. The gel is used quite economically, while removing stains no worse than chlorine bleach. Completely safe for health.
Fa Fa
- another Japanese product in the form of a gel, which also copes quite well with its main mission. The downside is that Fa Fa is somewhat more expensive and is sold in a non-concentrated form, and the upside is that the gel is suitable for washing children's clothes.
- Head washing
- Powder, which is rightfully classified as
- professional means
- . It is used to wash workwear made from different types of fabric (cotton, linen, synthetics) from various medical and medical institutions. The substances that make up the powder kill the viruses of tuberculosis, influenza, herpes, and also destroy Candida fungi, etc.When using the product, please note that it cannot be used to wash dyed fabrics, silk or natural wool.
Plus
– an antimicrobial gel for washing things, which not only removes dirt and destroys germs, but also prevents the growth of new bacteria for some time. The gel contains chlorine compounds, so it is strongly not recommended for washing delicate items. The same applies to children's things and things of people suffering from allergies.
- Sarma asset Due to the fact that the powder has a very aggressive composition, it is considered one of the most effective, as it performs its disinfectant function very well. However, the product is quite difficult to rinse, so we recommend turning on the “double rinse” mode.
- How to use antimicrobialsAs a rule, gels and washing powders, which were discussed above and not only, are supplied with instructions. You can always read it - usually manufacturers describe the washing process in detail. If we are talking about available disinfectants, then some problems may arise with them - you can make a mistake with the dosage and easily ruin the thing. What to do to prevent this from happening?
- Before you start washing, try one or another method on a piece of fabric that came with your clothes. If it has not changed its appearance, then a similar operation can be done with the entire item of clothing.Bleach is used only for undyed natural fabrics. In the case of silk, wool and other synthetics, chlorine bleaches are not suitable.
- If you decide to use essential oils, choose those that do not leave any residue on your laundry.Try not to overdo it with the dosage, as oils are very difficult to remove and rinse out. In addition, they can provoke an allergic reaction.Remember the dosage when using borax, soda or hydrogen peroxide. These products can not only ruin your things, but also harm the washing machine.
- Professional antibacterial agentsIf you are interested in or need professional laundry disinfection, pay attention to the following products:
Desoxan
- – a substance that copes with the functions of disinfection and bleaching at the highest level. Can be used for both hand and machine wash;
- Multidez Teflex
- – easily destroys viruses, fungi and bacteria. Used as an independent remedy. Linen with it must be washed for at least 30 minutes;
- Nerekhta
– gel with excellent antibacterial properties, which is also used for machine and hand washing;
- Neocor-bactericide
- – a solution used for washing and disinfecting various surfaces, as well as dishes;
- Clovin II Septon
- – a product in powder form that is suitable for water with different levels of hardness.
The text on the packaging of the powder or gel is not erased upon contact with fingers; written clearly and understandably.
