Disinfectant and antibacterial detergents

We are surrounded by a huge number of microorganisms, useful and harmful. We breathe them together with air, absorb them with water and food, our skin is constantly attacked by microscopic invaders, but this does not mean that a person should be afraid of them. We just need to take adequate measures to ensure that our body lives with bacteria and viruses in relative harmony. First of all, it is necessary to observe the basic rules of hygiene, and it is not only about washing your hands, washing, brushing your teeth and showering in the mornings and evenings. You must remember about the mandatory antimicrobial treatment of linen during washing.

The modern man somehow forgot about what tricks our ancestors went to to rid the laundry of dirt and germs. Well, he poured powder into the cuvette of the automatic washing machine, launched the program, and received washed and wrung linen at the output, however, it is not a fact that this linen is properly sanitized. In this article we will tell you how to properly disinfect clothes, what disinfectants to use and how to choose them optimally.

How to rid the laundry of germs?

An antibacterial agent for washing machines is a chemical substance or mixture of substances with pronounced antimicrobial properties. However, not every antibacterial detergent can be used freely, because aggressive chemicals often harm not only microbes, but also the fibers of the fabric, gradually rendering the laundry unusable. Therefore, our grandfathers and grandmothers, and a considerable number of modern housewives, prefer to disinfect their clothes with more gentle methods. Over time, four main approaches have been developed in the antibacterial treatment of linen:

• boiling disinfection;
• antimicrobial treatment with aggressive chemistry based on chlorine and alkali;
• disinfection using improvised, home remedies;
• processing of laundry during washing with modern antibacterial compounds.

The mechanical method is also distinguished, although in our case it is used not during washing, but rather as an addition to it. It's about steaming when the laundry is laid. into a washing machine with steam function, and the washer processes things for a certain time, resulting in 98% of the microflora dying.

The mechanical method of processing laundry after washing can be attributed to ironing.

However, we will not be distracted and return to the methods of antibacterial processing of laundry during washing and start with boiling. This method is one of the oldest and, nevertheless, popular so far. Its essence is clear to everyone. The linen is immersed in a suitable container with hot water, after covering the bottom with an unnecessary rag so that things do not burn, then bring the water to a boil and boil for about 40 minutes. Then the fire is gradually reduced and a container of linen is left on the already cooled stove until it is completely cooled, then rinsed.

In its pure form, hostesses hardly use boiling, combining the thermal treatment of laundry with chemical, adding various detergents to boiling water, at least laundry soap, chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide or borax. Boiling with bleach is super-efficient. Not a single spot of dirt will survive, and even microbes even more so, but what will happen to the tissue? It is no wonder that boiling with bleach is able to withstand only natural unpainted cotton or linen fabrics.

If you have synthetic or mixed clothing, it is better to refrain from aggressive chemicals or boiling, and get rid of germs in another way. You can take 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 100 g of borax. Add them to the washing machine along with the powder, start the wash as usual, and then wait until the program ends.An even more gentle way of antibacterial effect on linen is the use of grapefruit seed extract. We take 10 drops of the extract per 4 liters of water and also add to the machine along with the powder.

In addition to grapefruit seed extract, essential oils of lavender or tea tree are used. The latter is well suited for allergy sufferers, since it leaves no aromas at all, except for the smell of freshness. If the use of home remedies is unacceptable for you, you can use modern factory disinfectants, which we will talk about later.

Antimicrobial Product Review

What antibacterial detergent to choose? The question is quite serious, given the volume of supply in the modern market. Our experts tested several varieties of antimicrobial agents for linen and came to the conclusion that the list of effective and safe disinfectants is not so long.

1. Lion Top Hygia. A unique Japanese-style detergent and laundry disinfectant. The uniqueness of this washing gel is that it perfectly removes various, even persistent stains, without any harm to the fabric. Gently eliminates germs, and it does it no less effectively than chlorine bleach. It does not harm human health and is economically consumed.
   
2. Fa Fa gel for washing. Another Japanese washing gel. It is also very good, but its characteristics are not so impressive, since this product is not concentrated and is more expensive, but it is suitable for washing children's clothes.
   
3. CHAPTER washing. Professional disinfectant powder, which, inter alia, is intended for special washing. clothes made of linen, cotton, mixed and synthetic fabrics. Dyed clothes, clothes made from natural wool and silk should not be washed with this powder. The substances contained in the powder completely suppress mycobacterium tuberculosis, influenza virus, HIV, herpes, Candida fungi and other microorganisms.
   

CHAP washing is used when washing bathrobes for personnel of specialized medical and other institutions.

4. Antibacterial Laundry Detergent Plus. In fact, it is a washing gel with a pronounced antibacterial effect. It not only perfectly removes dirt and 97% of microflora from the tissue, but also prevents the reproduction of microbes on its surface and inside the fibers for some time. The main disadvantage of the gel is the content of chlorine compounds. So it is not recommended to use it for “delicate” tissues. Also, they should not wash their children's clothes and allergic things.
5. Sarma Asset. Of the common laundry detergents, Sarma, based on the data obtained from the test results, has the most pronounced disinfecting effect. True, this powder has a rather aggressive composition and is poorly rinsed, so if you decide to wash it, put a double rinse.
   

We presented the five best disinfectants for washing clothes. These powders and gels have been thoroughly tested and their antibacterial effect has been proven. As for the rest of the powders, gels, sprays and other means, we cannot say anything definite, it is necessary to continue the study.

The use of antimicrobial chemistry

As you can see from our review, most of the factory detergents for disinfecting linen are part of washing powders and washing gels, which means that there should be no problems with their use. In an extreme case, you can read the instructions on the package and clarify some incomprehensible points. The situation is slightly worse with improvised disinfectants. They can easily spoil clothes, just make a little mistake in the dosage or mix chemicals in the wrong proportions. There are certain recommendations in this regard.

1. Before using improvised antimicrobial agents for specific items of clothing, first wash the fabric samples that the manufacturer usually attaches to them. If a piece of fabric has not changed color and has not deteriorated, then this composition is safe for the thing.
2. Use bleach only to disinfect unpainted coarse natural fabrics. For mixed and synthetic fabrics, as well as for wool and silk, they are not suitable.
3. Using essential oils as antibacterial compositions for linen, take only those that do not leave marks on things and do not have a pronounced smell. Exceeding the dosage of essential oils is also not recommended, they are difficult to rinse out of the fabric and, at high concentrations, they can cause an allergic reaction.
4. Especially do not get carried away, using borax, soda ash or hydrogen peroxide. These substances at high concentrations can ruin things, and in some cases even a washing machine.

So, when we talk about the use of antibacterial detergents, we often mean either special powders or gels, or homemade improvised products. You need to use these tools in strict accordance with the rules, otherwise it is fraught with consequences not only for your things, but also for your health. Have a nice wash!