I always use bleach when washing washcloths and kitchen towels, separately. I still can't kick the habit of using 1/4-1/2 cup in a full load of my white bath towels. Now I add it in the last 5 minutes of a regular cycle instead of at the very beginning. Also use it when I wash my granddaughter's changing pads-those get 2 deep rinses. I have been using Lysol around here like crazy and so far no one has gotten sick. I did buy some Arm and Hammer powder detergent last weekend, Cool Burst scent. That stuff smells so clean!

Well, Ihad forgotten about Roc's suggestion about the alcohol! I will do that. Lysol and sprays floating in the air is something I dislike. That solves that! Yes that raw meat-yuck! I'm the only cooker here as well. But nobody could ever wipe down the counters or the handles on the fridge and sink to my liking so I would always follow behind on the rare occasion that someone did cook!

me too, Jean and mamap.

I might be weird, but when I have a sick house, I like to use the Lysol concentrate in the dark brown bottle. It has a very powerful smell, but I believe things are really getting clean when I use it and the germs are getting killed.

Just did a white towel load last night. Hot water and bleach in the dispenser. I also use bleach when I do dishes sometimes. Especially after preparing chicken. Chicken creeps me out :-0

I used to use Lysol until I found Odoban. I use it on everything when needed. In a spray bottle, the wash or on the floors and other hard surfaces. It has the germ killing power of Lysol but is a lot more user friendly and smells better.

Another user of plain ol' Clorox on whites. If it works, it works, I see no reason to change to anything else.

And yep, Donna, Odoban is great stuff!

ALCOHOL...so just plain ol' rubbing alcohol in a sprayer?

I just buy the generic a buck a bottle and I guess you could use a sprayer, but I just dump some on a paper towel.

I also reserve chlorine bleach for special circumstances. For whites, I always use oxi bleach. I like the All brand, there are no perfumes added.

If using rubbing alcohol be sure the surfaces stay wet for 20-30 seconds. It doesn't kill bacteria and viruses instantly.

Donna-Odoban is the best EVER-I had forgotten all about that wonderful stuff. You can spray it anywhere! socal thanks for the info on the alcohol.

AGAIN....Chip woke up last night sick in the bed..OMG first I stood him on the clean part of the bed and stripped him down, after I gloved up, than into the tub with him, got him all squeeky clean and dressed sitting with a plastic pumpkin halloween bucket LOL..gloved up again and bagged up all his bedding giving hubs orders on how to wash these at the laundramat. He had to drive 15 minutes to get to the all nighter..but he washed them in one of the big machines all together as everythings white, when they were done he loaded them into the van in a clean bag wet , went back in and started the washer again on hot with chlorine bleach in the main wash soap dispenser and left after it started...I seperated the bedding at home doing 3 loads and of course Chlorine Bleach in the last 7 minutes, lol notice I added a few minutes to the bleach time. I sprayed Lysol spray on the plastic mattress cover, thank god I still use them on the boys beds, let it sit 20 minutes and went in and scrubbed the plastic cover, dug out a crappy batman sheet set that's pilling and a old quilted mattress cover falling apart..of course once he laid down in the clean bed he puked again..I started all over again except this time I threw awa y the old crappy bedding, I knew there was a reason I saved this stuff, disposable sick bedding LOL..another bath..PJ's and underwear in the trash since they were just so gross...and off to the ER for Zofran. Of course I scrubbed the bed, every inch with antibacterial wipes and its all freshly made with a child feeling much better and all tucked in after another bath, this one because the stomache illness is just so gross....I bought another large Clorox reg. Today and have Tims bed all set up with old disposable bedding, because when one gets it they all will. Do you all think I'm to parinoid by sending the bedding to the laundramat for a prewash? LOL.. I also ran in the Dollar Tree and bought two 10 packs of toothbrushes for a buck a pack...disposable toothbrushes for the next week LOL.

Yes, Yes and Yes...Lol

Mama if it's too big a load for the Queenie to handle at once then yes I'd use the super capacity laundromat front loader (other wise you'd be up all night doing laundry).

But I trust the cleanliness of my machine more than the laundromat.

Before I had my Electrolux front loader, I did wash my comforter at the laundromat but it is solid white and I did use bleach.

If Queenie can handle the load size then I'd just do a double wash. One quick wash to get rid of solid soils then a real full cycle wash, with bleach of course added later in the cycle.

I would never put clothes with puke or crap in my washer whether it is a TL or FL. I also wouldnt go to the laundry to do them. I would take them outside to the faucet out there and hose all that off outside, then put them in my washer. If it is too cold outside as in icy, then I would rinse them off in the bathtub since you have already had the child in it washing off the same stuff. Then rinse the tub with clorox water which I would do after the child's bath anyway. Everyone has different ways though.I prefer outside but I know sometimes that is not possible but would never put that mess in my washer without first rinsing them off. Then I would of course bleach them. Then wipe door knobs and faucets with a clorox wipe or spray clorox water or the alcohol on them. Hope he gets better soon.

George, the boys each have twin beds so they each have a quilted mattress cover and bottom sheets and one pillow cover and one pillow case each, than they have medium weight down alt comforters twin size and duvet covers. Its 4 loads. I don't mind the time doing them its just putting the solid soil in my washer that grosses me out. But as My friend Sparky is trying to say lol, wash the damn things at home haha. And there's really no reason that I shouldn't just do a prewash like you say. LOL.. I will have to next time cause hubs has informed me he's not going to the laundramat at 3am again lol. When I think about it realistically I know I'm being crazy and even 4 loads in a TL doesn't take thst much time, its not like I have to rush out somewhere I'm here anyway lol. Thanks George.

And Thank You Sparky LOL.. I know I'm crazy about mire than a few things Haha

My sympathies MamaP, I raised 4 boys all in the same bedroom. I knew when one gets it then batten down the hatches! I had no choice but to rinse out the bedding in the tub and run the washer....twice. When I was younger I was a germaphobe.

Because they were all in one room I would move this sick child to the sofa and hope against hope that it helped lessen the spread.

My Dr actually told me that my housekeeping MADE my kids sick because they were not exposed to germs. Oh well. I am not nearly as bad now and can live with it.