I washed my clothes in a public laundry and when I brought them home I found that a piece of underwear belonging to a female was in with them ( this obviously was not mine). It must have been in the drum and I mustn't have checked it throughly. I washed my underwear and bedsheets in this wash at 40 degrees. Do you think I could catch crabs or herpes from the underwear if the person was infected. I only did a 40 degree wash- I think most bacteria are denatured at 60 degrees.
2007-10-31 17:37:00 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ STDs
That probably is very unlikely. Many of the bacteria may have died from the actual chemical in the detergent. They wouldn't be able to stabilize in the washer because the environment isn't the same as the ones they prefer. I know that herpes would not be able to be communicated and most of the crabs would die right away.The worst thing that may have happened is the females micro flora may have come in contact with your sheets and then rubbed off. I wouldn't worry about it.
2007-10-31 17:43:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-08-31 11:45:19 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most standard laundry soaps are pretty powerful disinfectants. And Herpes is a virus! Tougher than bacteria!
I seriously doubt anything contageous would survive washing and drying at a laundromat.
But if you are worried, check with a doctor, or just rewash and dry at a higher temp, and the use of Pinesol or similar in the wash would be a good precaution.
Be sure the next time you go to put the undie in their lost-and-found!! Someone might be looking for it desperately!
2007-10-31 17:59:20 · answer #3 · answered by looey323 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have alwasy heard that all these urban legends you hear about people catching std's off toilet seats and things like this are untrue. If I'm not mistaken these germs outside of the body cannot live very long, probably a matter of minutes. Crabs may be different than viruses and bacterias and stuff like that but I would imagine the odds are very low if not impossible.
2007-10-31 17:41:09 · answer #4 · answered by chillinginchicago 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. You cant... just think of that hot dry cycle in the dryer too! Although are you wearing the extra pair? cuz i'm not sure i'd suggest that... kinda creepy...lol. Still, just think of the things people buy at Thrift Shops and Second-hand clothing stores, i've never heard of a disease arising from those pieces... especially after they've been washed.
2007-10-31 17:41:55 · answer #5 · answered by Trish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would still take a bath in Clorox...and use Lysol as body wash...
Just kidding, I really don't think that you can....if they were washed I wouldn't think any parasite, or "std" could survive an hour long (common wash time) under water....but what do I know....you could also call Planned Parenthood and ask them, it would be a quick descrete answer.
Good Luck!
p.s.
Did you sniff the panties??
2007-10-31 17:41:54 · answer #6 · answered by bcbuss2003 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
So wash everything again in warmer water and use anti-bacterial soap (although herpes is a virus).
If you are really in doubt maybe you should throw away at least the lingerie from that load.
2007-10-31 17:41:09 · answer #7 · answered by arklatexrat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you should be okay. If you are worried. Take the stuff back to the laundry and wash it again in hotter water.
2007-10-31 17:40:42 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think u should wash them again at 60 degrees if u are worried better to be safe than to be sorry
2007-10-31 19:06:34 · answer #9 · answered by ME 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, maybe crabs but not herpes. I would take them for another wash and pour some pine sol disinfectant in the mix just bc you dont know.
2007-10-31 17:40:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋