Are some things too dirty to put in the washing machine?

[Cacique]

Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about rags
that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather dirty
areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty by
use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use? I
know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider myself
environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss them
away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use my
washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or something
inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.

[Nan]

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 02:15:27 +0900, "Cacique" <cacique83@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about rags
>that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather dirty
>areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty by
>use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use? I
>know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider myself
>environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss them
>away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use my
>washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or something
>inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.

I wash cleaning rags all the time. If you're concerned, you can add
some Lysol to your load (or bleach if it won't harm the rags). You
should always check the inside of your washer before putting nicer
clothing in, if you've washed something questionable.

Nan

[Cacique]

>"Nan" wrote in message
>"Cacique" > wrote:
>
> >Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about rags
> >that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather
dirty
> >areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty
by
> >use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use? I
> >know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider
myself
> >environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss
them
> >away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use
my
> >washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or something
> >inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.
>
> I wash cleaning rags all the time. If you're concerned, you can add
> some Lysol to your load (or bleach if it won't harm the rags). You
> should always check the inside of your washer before putting nicer
> clothing in, if you've washed something questionable.
>
> Nan
>

Thanks for the reply. That's the answer I was hoping to hear. I wasn't
sure though, because I've never heard of anybody washing, for example, cloth
diapers in their home washing machine. I assumed this was for hygienic
reasons. Maybe I'm wrong.

I have a bottle of bleach, so I don't mind using that to disinfect the load.
How much should I use, and how would the bleach harm the rags, aside from
whitening them?

Are there any things that should not be put in the washer? I'm not talking
about having anything unusual around the house, just everyday household
things that would not be wise to put into the machine for contaminating it?

[Nan]

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 03:30:01 +0900, "Cacique" <cacique83@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>
>>"Nan" wrote in message
>>"Cacique" > wrote:
>>
>> >Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about rags
>> >that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather
>dirty
>> >areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty
>by
>> >use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use? I
>> >know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider
>myself
>> >environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss
>them
>> >away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use
>my
>> >washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or something
>> >inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.
>>
>> I wash cleaning rags all the time. If you're concerned, you can add
>> some Lysol to your load (or bleach if it won't harm the rags). You
>> should always check the inside of your washer before putting nicer
>> clothing in, if you've washed something questionable.
>>
>> Nan
>>
>
>Thanks for the reply. That's the answer I was hoping to hear. I wasn't
>sure though, because I've never heard of anybody washing, for example, cloth
>diapers in their home washing machine. I assumed this was for hygienic
>reasons. Maybe I'm wrong.

Strange... when I used cloth diapers I washed them in my washer all
the time.

>I have a bottle of bleach, so I don't mind using that to disinfect the load.
>How much should I use, and how would the bleach harm the rags, aside from
>whitening them?

That's pretty much the extent of damage, other than weakening the
fibers and causing holes after a while. But then, if they're *rags*
that wouldn't matter :-)
I'd use no more than a cup of bleach for a full load, as well as wash
in hot water.

>Are there any things that should not be put in the washer? I'm not talking
>about having anything unusual around the house, just everyday household
>things that would not be wise to put into the machine for contaminating it?

Not anything I can think of, other than anything that's gotten
gasoline on it. That can be combustible.

Nan

[Cacique]

> >>"Nan" wrote in message
> >>"Cacique" > wrote:
> >>
> >> >Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about
rags
> >> >that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather
> >dirty
> >> >areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too
dirty
> >by
> >> >use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use?
I
> >> >know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider
> >myself
> >> >environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss
> >them
> >> >away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I
use
> >my
> >> >washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or
something
> >> >inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.
> >>
> >> I wash cleaning rags all the time. If you're concerned, you can add
> >> some Lysol to your load (or bleach if it won't harm the rags). You
> >> should always check the inside of your washer before putting nicer
> >> clothing in, if you've washed something questionable.
> >>
> >> Nan
> >>
> >
> >Thanks for the reply. That's the answer I was hoping to hear. I wasn't
> >sure though, because I've never heard of anybody washing, for example,
cloth
> >diapers in their home washing machine. I assumed this was for hygienic
> >reasons. Maybe I'm wrong.
>
> Strange... when I used cloth diapers I washed them in my washer all
> the time.


Pardon me, Nan. That's just my lack of knowledge about cloth diapers
showing through. I was under the impression that cloth diapers were usually
provided as a service by a diaper cleaning company that would pick up and
drop them off. I guess I just assumed that it was because people couldn't
wash them at home. Why the heck don't more people use cloth diapers then?
Wouldn't it be much cheaper than buying disposables, and way better for the
environment than dumping tons of disposables into the trash every day?

> >I have a bottle of bleach, so I don't mind using that to disinfect the
load.
> >How much should I use, and how would the bleach harm the rags, aside from
> >whitening them?
>
> That's pretty much the extent of damage, other than weakening the
> fibers and causing holes after a while. But then, if they're *rags*
> that wouldn't matter :-)
> I'd use no more than a cup of bleach for a full load, as well as wash
> in hot water.
>
> >Are there any things that should not be put in the washer? I'm not
talking
> >about having anything unusual around the house, just everyday household
> >things that would not be wise to put into the machine for contaminating
it?
>
> Not anything I can think of, other than anything that's gotten
> gasoline on it. That can be combustible.
>
> Nan
>

[Nan]

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 05:08:06 +0900, "Cacique" <cacique83@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Pardon me, Nan. That's just my lack of knowledge about cloth diapers
>showing through. I was under the impression that cloth diapers were usually
>provided as a service by a diaper cleaning company that would pick up and
>drop them off. I guess I just assumed that it was because people couldn't
>wash them at home. Why the heck don't more people use cloth diapers then?
>Wouldn't it be much cheaper than buying disposables, and way better for the
>environment than dumping tons of disposables into the trash every day?

Yeah, there are diaper services for people that don't want to wash
their own, or don't have the facilities. Someone that lives in an
apartment complex may not be allowed to use the common washing
machines for diapers, or hauling them back and forth can be a hassle.

Not to get into a "what's better for the environment" debate, but
comparisons of disposables and using energy/water/resources to wash
cloth diapers are in closer running neck and neck than a lot of people
realize. Besides, disposables are just way more convenient for a lot
of people.
Nan

[Vox Humana]

"Cacique" <cacique83@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:d40pvv$n6i$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
> Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about rags
> that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather
dirty
> areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty by
> use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use? I
> know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider
myself
> environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss them
> away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use my
> washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or something
> inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.

The only things you probably shouldn't wash in your washer are items that
are caked with grease - the kind of grease that you might find on heavy
machinery. That sort of grease probably would simply coat the machine and
ruin subsequent loads. In other words, if something is covered with soil
that isn't easily water soluble with some added detergent, then you
shouldn't wash it. Another class of soiled items that probably shouldn't be
washed would be items that are saturated with highly flammable liquids like
gasoline. That is just a common sense, safety precaution.

People seem to have the idea that bacteria are very hard to kill. In fact,
most bacteria are easily killed with hot water and soap. Adding a little
bleach also helps. Hot water and detergent will kill most pathogens like
tuberculosis, HIV, staph, strep, herpes,and most viruses that cause colds
and other communicable diseases Normal washing and drying will also kill
fungus. The only class of pathogens that aren't likely to be killed in a
washer are spore-forming pathogens like hepatitis B.

Feel free to wash rags and diapers in your washer. If washing machines were
a vector for disease, then there would be mass epidemics. How careful do
you think people are at coin laundries?

[Cacique]

> > Are some things just too dirty to wash? I'm talking basically about
rags
> > that I use for scrubbing the sink drain, toilet bowl, and other rather
> dirty
> > areas. Can these be washed and re-used, or are they rendered too dirty
by
> > use to even consider placing them into the washing machine for re-use?
I
> > know rags are cheap and I don't mind buying new ones, but I consider
> myself
> > environmentally consicious, and if I can re-use them rather than toss
them
> > away, I'd prefer to do that. I'm just worried that the next time I use
my
> > washing machine for my clothes, that it would have baceteria or
something
> > inside of it from washing the dirty things in it.
>
> The only things you probably shouldn't wash in your washer are items that
> are caked with grease - the kind of grease that you might find on heavy
> machinery. That sort of grease probably would simply coat the machine and
> ruin subsequent loads. In other words, if something is covered with soil
> that isn't easily water soluble with some added detergent, then you
> shouldn't wash it. Another class of soiled items that probably shouldn't
be
> washed would be items that are saturated with highly flammable liquids
like
> gasoline. That is just a common sense, safety precaution.
>
> People seem to have the idea that bacteria are very hard to kill. In
fact,
> most bacteria are easily killed with hot water and soap. Adding a little
> bleach also helps. Hot water and detergent will kill most pathogens like
> tuberculosis, HIV, staph, strep, herpes,and most viruses that cause colds
> and other communicable diseases Normal washing and drying will also kill
> fungus. The only class of pathogens that aren't likely to be killed in a
> washer are spore-forming pathogens like hepatitis B.
>
> Feel free to wash rags and diapers in your washer. If washing machines
were
> a vector for disease, then there would be mass epidemics. How careful do
> you think people are at coin laundries?
>
>

OK, you and Nan have put my mind at ease about this, and it's something i've
wondered about for a long time, but never asked about it. I just have one
more question and then I'm going to bed, but what's wrong with washing
clothes that have some gas on them? Of course, i understand that gas is
flammable, but wouldn't the water in the machine dillute the gas, and what
is the risk of combustion; is it that the washing machine is an electrical
device and could short out causing an explosion? Maybe it's a naive
question but I had never considered this before.