The key to cleaning these 14 things successfully in your washer is to use the gentle cycle, correct water temperature, put small items in a mesh laundry bag and skip the heat of the clothes dryer. You’ll also have the best success with larger items if you use a high-efficiency washer without a center agitator. You may want to add a disinfectant to the wash water to kill bacteria. Some items can withstand chlorine bleach but you may want to choose pine oil or a phenolic disinfectant like Lysol to prevent damage to some materials. Simply close all the Velcro or straps, put those plastic and padded pieces in a mesh laundry bag and toss in the wash. Use the gentle cycle and regular detergent. ALWAYS skip the clothes dryer and allow items to air dry away from direct heat. Use the gentle cycle, warm or cool water, and a heavy-duty detergent like Tide or Persil that will cut through the body oils and soil. If you need to use the mat soon, roll it in a dry, absorbent towel and squeeze to remove as much water a possible. Turn the bag inside out and wash with a heavy duty detergent and warm water. If you are concerned about bacteria, especially athlete’s foot fungus in gym bags, add a disinfectant to the wash cycle. If there are heavy stains, treat them first by working in a stain remover and let it work for 15 minutes before washing. If odor is a problem, add one cup of baking soda or a disinfectant to the wash water. Just add them to a warm water wash load and then remove to air dry. If someone in your family has been ill, add a bit of disinfectant to get rid of the germs. Wash in cool or warm water and use the gentle cycle. Remove and allow to air dry. Some bags have labels with instructions on how to launder and you should follow those directions. For those that do not, always remove any dividers or inserts. These can be line dried or put into the dryer. Nylon bags should be laundered the same way but should be air dried. Remove the mop heads from the handles and place small cleaning tools in a mesh laundry bag and toss in the washer with a load of towels. Use hot water and a good detergent. Remove and allow to air dry completely before storing to prevent mold and mildew growth. Inspect the rug for stains. You’ll have better results if you pretreat stains, especially food and greasy spots, before washing. With any type of washable rug, use cold water and a liquid detergent. Never use chlorine bleach to whiten or disinfect if the rug has a rubber backing. The bleach will cause the rubber to flake off. After removing the wet rug from the washer, always air dry. High heat can shrink the rug or cause the rubber backing to deteriorate. Scrubbing poofs and loofahs need regular cleaning to remove body soil, yeast, and bacteria. Place them in a mesh laundry bag and add to a load of towels. Never place them in a hot dryer. Allow them to air dry before returning to the humid shower stall. Choose a sunny, breezy day. While pillows can go in the dryer, they can take quite a while to dry. Some time outside will speed the process and help remove odors.
