Washing machine!

[Ocean1]

Hi all,

Does anyone know what temperature on washing machine will kill noro, ecoli, salmonella etc........................?

Also what detergent is best- Bio or Non-Bio?

Help please! Need to do laundry asap!!

Thanks
Ocean x x x

[mamacat]

I don't think you can actually "kill" noro in a washing machine. If you have sheets or something with v on them, you can wash on hot and add bleach to the cycle. That will decontaminate your sheets and wash the virus away.

As far as other bacteria-I wash dish towels and dishrags, as well as bath towels in hot water with regular detergent and chlorine bleach.

[emet-ana]

I think that temperatures above 60c denature norovirus but that lower temperatures can wash the virus away from clothes.

If I had actual vomit or diarrhoea on anything in my house I would probably do a 90c/boil wash or if it was towels or white sheets use bleach to clean them (some things will shrink in a 90c/boil wash and things will change colour in bleach!!)

Generally bio is better for killing bacteria (e.g. salmonella & e-coli) but I don't know whether or not it is effective at denaturing norovirus!

[Ocean1]

Thanks for your replies.....

My housemate put raw chicken soaked dish cloths in the washing machine yesterday! She is very messy and so got raw chicken everywhere- NIGHTMARE!!
Anyway I would now like to wash my bath towels......so I put washing machine on 90 wash with nothing in it (I think its celcius- although it doesnt say! - Im in UK, but im assuming it must be celcius as theres a 30 temp option and in farenhiet that would be 1oc.....which cant be right so it must be celcius right??!)
And now im going to wash my towels in there again on 90 cycle........ahhh do you think that will be ok and my towels wont be covered in ecoli/salmonella!

Thanks again for the replies,
x x x x x x x x x

[mamacat]

90 c would be a hot wash! In the US a hot wash is around 130F or more, which would be way cooler than 90 c, I am thinking!

The washer should be fine after that. You could add bleach to the cycle, if you want to be extra sure

[emet-ana]

Hi Ocean,

Yes that should be fine . I imagine even if you just put your towels on a 90c wash without the empty wash then it would be fine. Maybe wipe handles, surfaces and the washer and dryer buttons with dettol. I'm in the UK too xx

[Ocean1]

Hi,

Thanks again for your replies, appreciate it.

emet-ana: Hi nice to see a fellow UK member Are you having any treatment for your emet? I wondered if you could recommened a therapist/treatment etc here in the UK?

Thanks,
Ocean

[Grace47]

The CDC usually recommends a plain hot wash and dry on hot. Honestly, I have never bleached anything with v or d on it and have not gotten sick with anything from my clothes or linens. Since some germs can remain in the washer after a wash, if you want, you can run an empty load with bleach and a good rinse cycle after you are finished washing. However, bleaching everything will ruin your clothes and linens by leaving white spots. I have a lot of experience with this.