There is actually no clear answer on whether you should wash your underwear separately from other clothes. Many people choose to dump theirs in the washing machine together with other things. So, it is a topic that has sparked debates among individuals for years. Some will question whether it is sanitary to wash underwear with regular clothes while others will argue that it is a waste of time and resources.
However, if you go by health experts’ recommendation, then you should segregate them for washing for obvious hygienic reasons. Underwear comes in close contact with our body and can harbor bacteria and other germs that are not present on other clothing items. The wearer could be carrying an infection or the underwear may contain traces of feces. Thus, if you don’t separate underwear from the rest of your laundry, you risk transferring the bacteria to other items in the washer.
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How To Make It Sanitary To Wash Underwear With Regular Clothes
One of the suggested methods to make it possible to wash your underwear together with other clothes is to use hot water that is at least 150-degree Fahrenheit or 60-degree Celsius. Your clothes are not exactly clean even if they smell clean after washing. This is because you need the water to be sufficiently hot before it can kill off bacterias.
However, not all clothes are suitable to be washed with such high temperature. Hence, it comes back to having to wash your knickers, boxers, and other underwear items separately.
The other option then is to use laundry sanitizer. But that will also mean additional running cost and delicate fabrics may not be able to hold up well against harsh chemicals.
There Is No Need To Handwash Your Underwear!
Perhaps given a choice, many would prefer washing their underwear separately. But the hassle of having to handwash them will typically put us off. Neither would people be willing to turn on the washing machine just for a small load of underwear. Therefore, it is not surprising then that a lot of people end up just dumping their underwear into the washer together with their clothes.
In actual fact, there is a solution to this. You can just get a portable mini washing machine that you can use just for your underwear and other small items such as socks. Just like a collapsible kettle, these mini washers are even foldable for easy storage. Hence, you can bring it along when you travel and you will have a supply of clean undies while you are away from home.
Basically, if you are too lazy to handwash your undergarments and yet, is worried about the hygiene of washing them together with your regular clothes and towels, then this is the thing you can wash your underwear with.
Other Practical Reasons For Separate Washes
Apart from hygienic reasons, there are also other practical considerations for segregating your underwear from other clothing items. Undergarments and lingeries are small items and may also be delicate. When you put them together in a big load of laundry, they may become damaged by the zippers from your other clothes and pants. Thus, washing them separately will help to lengthen their lifespan and preserve their quality.
The other good reason to segregate them is because you will save yourself the hassle of having to sort them later. When you have a big pile of laundry, the small items can easily get lost or left behind in the washer or dryer. It is also difficult to look for them from among the pile of clothes and you will have an additional category to sort after drying. So, it can be more convenient to wash your undergarments separately if you already have a huge load of laundry to tackle each time.
Finally, if you are a dog owner, it may be hard to get dog hair off your clothes. By putting everything into the washer together, the pet hair won’t dissolve and could just end up clinging to your undergarments after washing.
In conclusion, whether it is sanitary to wash underwear with regular clothes is pretty clear if we go by experts’ opinion. But at the end of the say, it still boils down to personal choice and what you are comfortable with.
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