Tips to protect patients with asthma and weakened immune systems, and to prevent deadly lung, urinary tract, and skin infections
Most people wash their clothes at least once a week, but there are a number of common mistakes some make while washing or drying clothes that can have a direct negative impact on skin and health.
The Only My Health website published a report covering 6 laundry and drying mistakes and expert tips to avoid harming skin and health, as follows:
1. Using too much detergent
Detergents should be used in ideal amounts, as overusing them leaves residue, stains, and odor on clothes. Detergent residue can cause skin irritation, which, if not taken care of, may lead to skin infections.
2. Not drying clothes properly
Sometimes, when clothes are not completely dry, they can cause an infection through fungal growth on the clothes. This can also result in a very unpleasant smell in clothing racks, in addition to the appearance of termites in the case of a wooden wardrobe. Undried clothes can also be a breeding ground for other types of harmful bacteria.
3. Washing patient’s clothes with cold water
Care should be taken to wash a patient’s clothes separately, using hot water, to eliminate the causes of infection transmission, even for people who do not have direct contact with the patient. The patient’s clothes should be washed more often and stored in a sealed laundry bag.
4. Not disinfecting clothes
To maintain public health, clothes must be cleaned and disinfected. Since detergents designed only to remove stains and dirt from clothes do not eliminate bacteria or prevent their growth, experts advise choosing fabric disinfectants after using detergents to kill germs.
5. Drying clothes indoors
The most common mistake is drying clothes indoors. Clothes should be dried in direct sunlight, but you should also be careful to remove the clothes from the sun as soon as they are dry to preserve their colors. Sunlight greatly helps kill bacteria and get rid of the smell of damp clothes.
6. Storing clothes before washing
Piling up dirty clothes for several days and not storing them properly before washing can lead to the spread of infection. Not washing hands after touching clothes before washing is also a common mistake many people make. Clothes can contain all kinds of bacteria and viruses before being put in the washing machine.
Important Tips
Dermatologist Dr. Nivedita Dadu recommends: “Detergent and laundry powder residues and other mistakes in washing and drying clothes can cause severe skin infections, so people with a tendency for allergies or a family history of eczema should completely avoid these mistakes and dry clothes in the sun to ensure they are fully sterilized.”
Experts warned that wearing damp or not fully dried clothes can lead to UTIs, as bacteria spread in clothes that touch the body.
Experts emphasized the need to dry clothes in the open air under the sun to avoid the proliferation of mold germs, which can pose a danger to patients with asthma and weakened immune systems, and may, in the worst circumstances, lead to deadly lung infections.