How to Disinfect Colored Clothes
- 1
Hot Waterhot tap image by pncphotos from Fotolia.com
Wash clothes on the hottest water setting possible. As hot water is a strain on utility bills, it is only recommended for special circumstances. Very hot water can kill some germs. However, it is important to make sure that the items being washed are colorfast or they can fade. - 2
PinePine tree image by __PeTe__ from Fotolia.com
Add a pine oil disinfectant (such as Pine-Sol or Lysol Pine Action) at the beginning of a warm or hot water wash cycle. The USDA's Textile and Clothing Laboratory has deemed this method of disinfection effective yet safe for various fabrics. For best results, use a product that contains at least 80% pine oil. - 3). Add a phenolic disinfectant such as Lysol during the wash or rinse cycle (only if the rinse water is warm). As with pine oil cleaners, phenolic disinfectants will eradicate bacteria and viruses without ruining colored clothing.
- 4). Add a quaternary disinfectant at the beginning of the wash or rinse cycle. Also known as "quats", these disinfectants are highly effective in any water temperature. These specialized chemicals will not typically be found at grocery stores. Quaternaries can be found among the sanitation supplies of CO-OP and farm supply stores.
