If there’s someone in your home who is sick, you need to be extra careful when doing their laundry. Bacteria and germs can easily spread on soft surfaces like clothing and bedding. This increases the risk of other people getting sick or making the sick person worse. 

Even if it’s not a disease that can be easily transmitted, their laundry can still contain germs from their body especially if they have diarrhea or they are vomiting. 

Here’s a helpful guide on how to sanitize and disinfect bedding and laundry for someone who is unwell. This advice also applies after a sickness. Wash and sanitize bedding and laundry to ensure they don't get sick again.  

Get a Separate Laundry Hamper 

The first step is to store dirty laundry separately to prevent cross contamination. Get a separate hamper for the sick person and keep it away from other hampers. 

Additionally, experts recommend washing laundry from a sick person as soon as possible, especially if it is soiled. The more it stays unwashed, the higher the risk of cross contamination. It can also give stains time to set in. 

Oh and try not to shake the laundry. Germs in the clothes can get airborne and into your respiratory system.  

For Stomach Bugs, Wash Laundry Separately 

Not every illness requires washing laundry separately. For things like the flu, common cold and even Covid-19, it is okay to mix everyone’s laundry in the washer as long as you follow the washing instructions. 

But for stomach bugs caused by salmonella, E. Coli and other dangerous bacteria, the recommendation is to do laundry separately. 

That said, if there are vulnerable people in the household such as a senior, a baby, or someone who is immunocompromised, wash laundry separately no matter the illness.  

Wear Gloves When Handling Laundry and Bed Linen 

Get a box of disposable gloves and wear a pair anytime you transfer a sick person’s laundry from the hamper to the washer or when you remove bedding from their bed. 

Once the laundry is in the washing machine, dispose of the gloves and wash your hands with soap and water. 

You don't need to wear gloves when moving wet laundry to the drier, but remember to wash your hands again afterwards. 

Tip: Before you remove the gloves, use bleach or a sanitizer to wipe down the laundry hamper and any other surfaces that might be contaminated. 

Use High Quality Detergent 

Detergent on its own goes a long way in disinfecting clothes. Detergent doesn't actually kill germs; it makes it easier for water to wash it away. 

For the best results, use a high quality detergent that can tackle deep stains and remove odors. 

Use a Laundry Sanitizer 

For respiratory viruses (flu, Covid-19 etc.) you do not need to use laundry sanitizer. A good quality detergent plus hot water and the dryer is enough to disinfect laundry. 

But for stomach bugs, you’ll definitely need to sanitize clothing. Chlorine bleach is the most effective disinfectant. But it damages clothes if used often and you cannot use it on whites. 

Oxygen bleach is gentler on fabrics and works with all colors. You can also use any non-chlorine laundry sanitizer such as Lysol. 

Wash and Dry At The Highest Temperature Allowed 

Hot water on its own is not enough to kill bacteria and viruses. But combined with a good detergent and, when necessary, a laundry sanitizer, it helps disinfect contaminated or soiled laundry. 

Check the highest temperature allowed on the care label and use that. The best wash temperature for disinfecting clothing is 140F, but some clothes can’t stand water that hot. Only use 140F for towels and cotton bed linen. 

A hot dryer further helps sanitize clothing, but first check the care label for instructions. Don’t use a higher temperature than recommended. 

For delicate clothing that cannot be put in the dryer, hang it outside in the sun. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. 

Make sure laundry is completely dry before you put it away. Any dampness can attract bacteria and mold, which can spread to clean clothes. 

Get Antibacterial Bedding

Antibacterial bedding like the Hercleon Jax Sheets is designed to actively fight off germs. In normal situations, this keeps your bed smelling fresh and protects your skin from infections and breakouts. 

Hercleon antibacterial bedding is also helpful when someone is sick. It reduces their exposure to germs and lowers the risk of cross contamination.