Laundry Question

[surfer777]

This is somewhat of a follow up thread to my last one about my roommate getting sick.

Real quick, the outcome of that...I didn't get sick, but I did end up moving units. I really snapped. It was a bummer. But now I live in a place that is much cleaner and with roommates who don't eat sketchy food and seem to wash their hands. Probably not the best move on my part, since it reinforced the behavior I'm trying to change, but I just need to survive three weeks and I can move back home and work on my mental health there.

Anyways, I'm doing laundry today. I can't stop thinking about my old roommate being sick and that he might have done laundry that could have been soiled with the "plague." I don't know if he was sick on his bed or if it was on his clothes or anything, but I know he doesn't do laundry often. Rarely did he ever wash his sheets even. I think he bought new sheets instead of washing his sheets about a month ago. Super lazy guy. Anyways, I got to thinking about how laundry detergent doesn't kill noro and I can't shake the thought. I know he barfed a couple of weeks ago and I'm not sure if he's done laundry at our apartment complex since.

Will the heat of the dryer kill the virus of somehow it got transferred to my laundry? I don't even know if I'm using the same machines he might have used. I also don't know how many other people have done loads of laundry in the same machine he might have used, since it's been two weeks...either way, I'm a little concerned about it.

Thanks for any comments!

[mdgirl1977]

you have literally nothing to worry about in terms of washing. between the water, the soap, the friction and the sheer unlikelihood of it all...you are FINE. think about hospitals and daycares and stuff...no one gets sick from laundry.

on a side note, ew on the dude not washing sheets or anything. I dated a guy like that years ago...every few months he'd go to ikea and buy new sheets. we dated for a while and I literally had to train him to strip his sheets every two weeks and wash them. NASTY.

[surfer777]

Thanks for the very valid point...hospitals do tons of laundry and no one seems to catch anything. I'm sure they take more precautions than college students but still...you know how this stupid phobia is...the intrusive thoughts tend to take over! I'd assume the heat from the dryer would kill any viruses as well...at these apartment complexes, it seems like the dryers get pretty hot.

Yeah this guy was nasty. I could smell his dirty laundry through the cranks in his door, it made the last apartment smell awful. I don't know how people live like that. The silver lining in this phobia is that we're clean freaks haha!

[mdgirl1977]

I think moving was the right choice, emet aside. Boys are gross Living with a compulsively dirty person opens you up to exposure to not only germs, but bacteria, bugs, vermin, etc. No one should ever live like that. Ever. I am sorry you were subjected to that. I am not super clean, but my trash gets taken out, laundry is done at least once a week, etc.

But really, you do not have anything to worry about. If you are legit worried, wash everything in hot water. No biggie. I wash our towels in hot water but most clothes in just cold water.

[surfer777]

Well I think the odds are in my favor in this instance. Actually, in most instances I think the odds are in our favor...only 6% of the population gets noro each year...so 94% of us don't. Similar idea here...chances are good he didn't wash his sheets/clothes, and even if he did, chances are slimmer I used the same washer, and there were probably several people to use the washer he may have used before I *might* have used it. I wash everything on hot anymore, and dry on hot haha. Unless I'm home in a safe environment, then I wash on cool and dry on cool.

This guy (and the rest of the guys in the apartment) were awful. Dirty dishes everywhere. Wouldn't even wash them to use them, just rinse them off. Disgusting. Trash was always overflowing onto the floor and into the main area of the kitchen. Floors were filthy. Counter tops and tables had dried crap all over them, crumbs everywhere...I hated it. So glad to be rid of that place, but more importantly, those people. I just don't understand how people can live like that!

[kitbuddy]

I'm glad you are much happier in your new space. As for laundry, mdgirl is right. The friction, detergent and heat are all going to kill everything. I am totally paranoid and I always wash my whites and towels with bleach before washing my colors in the same washer. I figure that will definitely kill everything and then I won't have to worry!

(Just make sure you're washing your clothes on warm or hot. When I was in college everyone washed their clothes on the cold setting. That doesn't really kill the bacteria- I'm talking bacteria from your skin and your sweat, not anything that will make you sick!)

[AoD]

you have literally nothing to worry about in terms of washing. between the water, the soap, the friction and the sheer unlikelihood of it all...you are FINE. think about hospitals and daycares and stuff...no one gets sick from laundry.

on a side note, ew on the dude not washing sheets or anything. I dated a guy like that years ago...every few months he'd go to ikea and buy new sheets. we dated for a while and I literally had to train him to strip his sheets every two weeks and wash them. NASTY.

I've been inside hospital laundries, I wouldn't be so keen to say no one gets sick from it... there's a lot of rather troubling trespasses on hygiene there. I trust my home laundry more than the hospital.

[mdgirl1977]

true but I was saying that in comparison to high usage washers and dryers, a small apartment one with fairly healthy people poses a much lower risk

[Leslie735]

Wow, I could not live that way, good for you for moving! I think you will be JUST fine. Don't worry I would have the same thoughts as you, its emet getting to you.

[AoD]

Oh yes, definitely. Apartment laundries aren't that bad, I used one for months when I was in France. I didn't like the commercial ones where just about anyone goes, though...

[surfer777]

I should clarify here...we have a laundry room at my complex, about 12 washers and dryers in the facility. So it's not like just four of us use a washer and dryer in our apartment (thought I'm very much looking forward to having my own washer and dryer!!) but like you guys have said, the people here are mostly clean. I'm still a little concerned after hearing the hospital comment though...I'm hoping the heat of the dryer killed any potential viruses my sheets/clothes may have picked up...

[AoD]

Don't let my comment worry you too much, really. Most likely the heat of the dryer will kill everything. For the hospital thing it's just that it's a little gross because sometimes batches of clothing aren't washed properly. They form a ball that just gets tossed around in the washer instead of being actually washed and doesn't dry properly either, so when it should be ready to be folded, instead it is a huge mess of still damp and still dirty clothing. I just find it incredibly disgusting that this still dirty clothing touches the same surface that clean linen is deposited on afterwards and employees handle both without washing hands. That being said, this is mostly just an issue in the province where I live, because of limitations on the process that cause the whole "improperly washed" issues. Most other laundries in the country and in the US and UK don't have this issue. So don't assume your hospital's laundry isn't safe.