Disinfecting Towels and Shirts

[The Ranger]

I have been hit -- and hit hard -- with a fungus that spreads about
one's torso (luckily) after showering and when wearing "the same shirt"
throughout the day.

It's one of the fun fungus -- in that it's resilient to many of the
standard forms of cleaning. The medication I'm currently using is
thorough, though, and quite effective (short term). The dermatologist
laughed when he mentioned this. There's a catch.

It would seem that since I don't use Institutional Towels and Uniformed
White shirts, the normal "bleach it to death and destruction"
instructions can't really be applied. My Sainted Mother (tm) used to use
a Lysol product called Lysol's Institutional Laundry Disinfectant -- a
viscous, maroon glop which the manufacturer provided a steel disposable
lid to measure said stuff out. That was before everyone in the PRC had
their own tort lawyer on speed dial, though, so the product -- as least
in my little burg -- seems to have been yanked from the dangerous
consumers' hands.

I'm looking for a similar _NON-BLEACH_ product because I like the colors
I've chosen in my shirts to remain in place. I also don't want to damage
the towels because SWMBO won't use Institutional Towels for similar
reasons of color and softness.

Many thanks,

The "Sulfide Using" Ranger

[Michael A. Ball]

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 18:13:26 -0800, "The Ranger" <cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I have been hit -- and hit hard -- with a fungus...

I'm not sure if you're serious, but I do have a few minutes to spare.
I've supervised a couple of nursing home laundries and been involved
with three hospital laundries. None of these facilities used a
disinfectant in the laundry process.

In some cases an additive was used to increase the pH (and sometimes a
"sour" to lower the pH). Between the effects of hot water, laundry
chemicals and the drying process, hospital linen is considered
disinfected. Items for surgical use are further treated to make them
sterile. This is accomplished by autoclave and/or ethylene oxide.

There are many disinfectants on the market, but I found none designed
for laundry use. Lysol's professional product dilutes 1:512, but that's
for third sink wares washing (restaurant use).

If using a disinfectant is really important to you, go to a janitorial
supply store and by a gallon of no-rinse disinfectant---Not disinfectant
detergent. Wash the items and rinse them, refill the tub and add the
prescribed amount of disinfectant. Agitate the load for a few minutes,
halt the cycle and allow at least ten minutes of additional contact
time. Complete the wash cycle and dry as usual.



When I die, I want to go where dogs go!

[The Ranger]

Michael A. Ball <Guardian@wireco.net> wondered in message
news:7cvg21htfjhplejg54j4i8rnedjvepke4j@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 18:13:26 -0800, "The Ranger"
<cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I have been hit -- and hit hard -- with a fungus...
> >
> I'm not sure if you're serious,

As a heart attack.

> but I do have a few minutes to spare.

Great!

> I've supervised a couple of nursing home laundries and
> been involved with three hospital laundries. None of
> these facilities used a disinfectant in the laundry process.

Even better; practical experience.

> In some cases an additive was used to increase the pH
> (and sometimes a "sour" to lower the pH). Between the
> effects of hot water, laundry chemicals and the drying
> process, hospital linen is considered disinfected. Items
> for surgical use are further treated to make them sterile.
> This is accomplished by autoclave and/or ethylene oxide.

Hmmm. I don't think I need go to either of these extremes (or so it
would seem.)

> There are many disinfectants on the market, but I found
> none designed for laundry use. Lysol's professional product
> dilutes 1:512, but that's for third sink wares washing
> (restaurant use).

This was a product that she could get (during the 60s and 70s) at the
local super market. It was a disgusting product because you could smell
it from several feet away whenever she added it to loads of towels or
bedsheets...

> If using a disinfectant is really important to you, go to
> a janitorial supply store and by a gallon of no-rinse
> disinfectant---Not disinfectant detergent. Wash the items
> and rinse them, refill the tub and add the prescribed amount
> of disinfectant. Agitate the load for a few minutes, halt
> the cycle and allow at least ten minutes of additional contact
> time. Complete the wash cycle and dry as usual.

Many thanks!

I'll hit the local retailer/wholesaler tonight. The manager is very
helpful and someone I'd trust with regards to any recommendations he
might make.

The Ranger

[maureeng7eh]

Hi........are you thinking of Detol (or Dettol)....was popular around
that time, at least here in Canada......


"The Ranger" <cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:38sbv6F5slh8oU1@individual.net...
> Michael A. Ball <Guardian@wireco.net> wondered in message
> news:7cvg21htfjhplejg54j4i8rnedjvepke4j@4ax.com...
> > On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 18:13:26 -0800, "The Ranger"
> <cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > I have been hit -- and hit hard -- with a fungus...
> > >
> > I'm not sure if you're serious,
>
> As a heart attack.
>
> > but I do have a few minutes to spare.
>
> Great!
>
> > I've supervised a couple of nursing home laundries and
> > been involved with three hospital laundries. None of
> > these facilities used a disinfectant in the laundry process.
>
> Even better; practical experience.
>
> > In some cases an additive was used to increase the pH
> > (and sometimes a "sour" to lower the pH). Between the
> > effects of hot water, laundry chemicals and the drying
> > process, hospital linen is considered disinfected. Items
> > for surgical use are further treated to make them sterile.
> > This is accomplished by autoclave and/or ethylene oxide.
>
> Hmmm. I don't think I need go to either of these extremes (or so it
> would seem.)
>
> > There are many disinfectants on the market, but I found
> > none designed for laundry use. Lysol's professional product
> > dilutes 1:512, but that's for third sink wares washing
> > (restaurant use).
>
> This was a product that she could get (during the 60s and 70s) at the
> local super market. It was a disgusting product because you could smell
> it from several feet away whenever she added it to loads of towels or
> bedsheets...
>
> > If using a disinfectant is really important to you, go to
> > a janitorial supply store and by a gallon of no-rinse
> > disinfectant---Not disinfectant detergent. Wash the items
> > and rinse them, refill the tub and add the prescribed amount
> > of disinfectant. Agitate the load for a few minutes, halt
> > the cycle and allow at least ten minutes of additional contact
> > time. Complete the wash cycle and dry as usual.
>
> Many thanks!
>
> I'll hit the local retailer/wholesaler tonight. The manager is very
> helpful and someone I'd trust with regards to any recommendations he
> might make.
>
> The Ranger
>
>

[Michael A. Ball]

On Fri, 4 Mar 2005 16:26:42 -0800, "The Ranger" <cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com>
wrote:


Around 1998, Lysol became available as a quaternary ammonium chloride
disinfectant: the blue version. It is a strong germicide and very gentle
to skin and environmental surfaces. As "quats" go, it is not very
concentrated. A long term weakness was that quats were not
tuberculocidal. That problem has been conquered, by some manufacturers.

The foul smelling product your mother used was based on Lysol's original
formula, what is a "phenolic" disinfectant. Phenol being the crystalline
form of carbolic acid. Phenolics are tuberculocidal, broad spectrum
disinfectants which have a bacteriostatic quality. The weakness is that
the in-use dilution is corrosive to skin and practically everything
else.

Phenolics led to the phrase: "hospital smell".

If you find a suitable product, please, tell us about it.


When I die, I want to go where dogs go!

[Anita]

Hey Ranger. I sympathsize. My husband has to wear Nomex and we have constant
heat-and-bacteria related problems during the summer. Use vinegar every
single wash. EVERY ONE, in the final rinse. Toss in a cup of baking soda
with the wash, then a cup of vinegar in the final rinse. Removes a large
variety of screaming meemies.


"The Ranger" <cuhulain_-98@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:38n9fcF5opkjsU1@individual.net...
>I have been hit -- and hit hard -- with a fungus that spreads about
> one's torso (luckily) after showering and when wearing "the same shirt"
> throughout the day.
>
> It's one of the fun fungus -- in that it's resilient to many of the
> standard forms of cleaning. The medication I'm currently using is
> thorough, though, and quite effective (short term). The dermatologist
> laughed when he mentioned this. There's a catch.
>
> It would seem that since I don't use Institutional Towels and Uniformed
> White shirts, the normal "bleach it to death and destruction"
> instructions can't really be applied. My Sainted Mother (tm) used to use
> a Lysol product called Lysol's Institutional Laundry Disinfectant -- a
> viscous, maroon glop which the manufacturer provided a steel disposable
> lid to measure said stuff out. That was before everyone in the PRC had
> their own tort lawyer on speed dial, though, so the product -- as least
> in my little burg -- seems to have been yanked from the dangerous
> consumers' hands.
>
> I'm looking for a similar _NON-BLEACH_ product because I like the colors
> I've chosen in my shirts to remain in place. I also don't want to damage
> the towels because SWMBO won't use Institutional Towels for similar
> reasons of color and softness.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> The "Sulfide Using" Ranger
>
>

[The Ranger]

Anita <nitacostroff@cox.net> wrote in message
news:HeGXd.12272$2s.3808@lakeread06...
> Hey Ranger. I sympathsize. My husband has to wear Nomex
> and we have constant heat-and-bacteria related problems during
> the summer. Use vinegar every single wash. EVERY ONE, in
> the final rinse. Toss in a cup of baking soda with the wash, then
> a cup of vinegar in the final rinse. Removes a large variety of
> screaming meemies.

Great! Thank you!

The dermatologist is right: this thing's resilient!

The Ranger

[ilaboo]

Michael

we need some more info--any medical problems like diabetes--taking any
medication how old are you?

doubt fungus came from laundry--was the fungus cultured so we know what
we are dealing with?

there maybe an underlying medical condition that makes you susceptible
to skin fungus

tia
peter