Doctor’s Warning: Mixing Laundry Can Cause Illness!!
Washing machines are direct tools for cleaning hygiene, but improper use can turn them into carriers of disease.
Medical experts point out that many people believe water removes dirt and also kills germs, so they mix outerwear, pants, socks, handkerchiefs, towels, bras, and other items together in the washing machine. This inevitably leads to cross-contamination, creating opportunities for disease transmission. In fact, many diseases and parasites have strong survival capabilities—water alone cannot eliminate them. Common examples include fungal skin diseases, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, viral hepatitis, and parasites like scabies mites and trichomonads—all can spread via laundry.
To prevent disease transmission through washing machines, observe the following:
• Wash different types of clothing separately.
Separate garments heavily contaminated with bacteria—such as outerwear, pants, and socks—from those with lower contamination levels, like underwear.
• Separate work clothes from other garments.
Items requiring high cleanliness, such as masks, handkerchiefs, and bras, should not be washed in the machine. Hand-wash them individually.
• Never mix clothing of infected individuals with that of healthy people.
It is best to boil or otherwise sterilize the clothing of sick individuals before washing them separately.
• Rinse thoroughly.
Avoid leaving detergent residue on clothes, as some detergents can irritate the skin. Especially for infants’ clothing, ensure thorough rinsing.