Does washing socks in the washing machine spread germs? What happens when socks and panties are mixed together? tell you the truth

Many people have encountered this scene. When washing clothes, when they throw clothes, socks and underwear into the washing machine, their mother or girlfriend will always say, "Why do you wash socks and underwear together, socks? How dirty!"

Socks give the impression that they are smelly, dirty, and contain a lot of bacteria. They must not be "entangled" with intimate clothing. So who is more dirty, underwear or socks? Will washing socks in the washing machine spread germs? Xiao Jiu will take you to reveal the secrets. This is a science popularization with a slight flavor.

1. What happens when panties and socks are washed together? Who is the "dirty king"?

First of all, Xiaojiu wants to ask: Are the underwear really clean?

The types of bacteria that grow on underwear may include microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Gram-negative bacteria, and mycoplasma, as well as secretions such as urine stains and fecal juices that may be contaminated on underwear .

Extensive surveys of underwear by some microbiologists have found that a dirty pair of underwear contains an average of 0.1 grams of feces.

0.1 gram of feces, isn't it just digested waste? You are thinking too easily. It has been reported that "one gram of feces contains 10 million kinds of viruses, 1 million kinds of bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs" , and the underwear is very dirty.

And why do smelly socks smell?

When it comes to socks, we can always think of the top smell. The reason why socks smell "strong" has a lot to do with the sweat on the soles of the feet. The soles of the feet sweat, and the sweat is wrapped in the shoes and socks, and the bacteria on the feet multiply and grow rapidly. When the sweat is decomposed by the bacteria, the leucine in it can produce volatile fatty acids represented by isovaleric acid, which is the source of the sour smell. one.

In fact, this smell is almost indistinguishable from the body odor of other parts of the body, and bacteria can also exist on the surface of other parts of the body, so although socks are "smelly", it does not mean that they are "dirty".

Unless it is a fungal infection such as severe athlete's foot, toenail fungus, etc., then washing the underwear and socks together at this time, the pathogenic bacteria may run on the underwear and underwear, causing jock itch or tinea corporis.

In addition, women may be more worried that if the underwear and socks are washed together, will the athlete's foot on the socks cause female vaginitis?

In fact, the two pathogens are different. Athlete's foot, technically known as tinea pedis, is caused by pathogenic fungi including Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum. It is highly contagious and can appear as small blisters, redness and itching.

Vaginitis, also known as vaginal inflammation, is mainly caused by bacterial, candida, and trichomoniasis infections, and can cause vulvovaginal symptoms such as itching, burning, and abnormal discharge.

From the perspective of pathogenic bacteria, the two kinds of bacteria are fundamentally different. Athlete's foot will not cause vaginitis . Girls don't need to worry too much.

Can socks and panties be washed together? The answer is not absolute , socks and underwear are dirty in their own way, but if you really want to be "lazy", it's not impossible.

Second, washing socks in the washing machine, will it spread bacteria?

The existence of the washing machine has indeed greatly improved the sterilization ability of hand washing. Most bacteria on socks can be removed by washing machines and laundry products.

Generally speaking, the life activities of bacteria depend on enzymes, and the main components of enzymes are proteins. When the protein encounters most alkaline detergents, the protein mutates, thereby causing a certain destructive ability to the bacteria. So if the socks have only ordinary bacteria or sweat, they can be machine washed with other clothes in the washing machine without spreading bacteria.

However, if the foot patient has fungus or other specific diseases, it is not recommended to wash it by hand. It is best to wash it by hand or buy a separate small special washing machine.

In another case, when the inner tub of the washing machine has not been cleaned for a long time, the residual fluff, dander, and dirt are deposited in the interlayer of the inner tub, the pulsator, and the complicated ravines at the bottom of the sleeve, which breed a large number of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. Clothing is at risk of secondary contamination.

3. If you want to wash underwear and socks together, do a few things

If you really want to be "lazy" and want to mix panties and socks, you should pay attention to the following points:

1. Fully sterilized

Many washing machines have a temperature control function and a drying function. Most of the microorganisms on the body surface will die once the temperature is higher than 36 °C. Washing with hot water and drying in the washing machine not only increases the temperature, but also ensures that the environment is dry, which can effectively inhibit bacteria.

For people with beriberi, bleach or color bleach can be added to the laundry process, and the active oxygen in it can also play a role in effective sterilization.

2. Dry in time

After washing clothes, ventilate and dry in time in the sun. Under the action of ultraviolet rays, a large part of bacteria can be killed. In cloudy, rainy, foggy days, and in warm and humid environments, bacteria may breed. At this time, you may need to use some tools to dry the clothes. Such as: dryer, hair dryer, drying and washing machine, etc. Among them, the drying and washing machine has the highest degree of cleanliness, followed by blower and dryer.

3. Symptomatic treatment

If you or your family have beriberi or other infectious diseases, it is best to seek medical treatment first.

For athlete's foot, antifungal drugs, such as terbinafine cream, ketoconazole cream, can be used, and in severe cases, oral medication is required. After the condition is under control, consider mixing socks with underwear.

4. Clean your washing machine regularly

Generally speaking, a newly purchased washing machine should be disinfected every two or three months after it has been used for half a year.

The non-metal liner washing machine is put into an aqueous solution containing 300~500ppm of effective chlorine, and it is drained after opening for 3~5 minutes. The metal liner washing machine is put into glutaraldehyde solution with a content of 0.5%~1%, soaked for 10~15 minutes and then drained. The front-loading washing machine can run a high temperature program of 90 degrees Celsius regularly and completely once a month, and can also play a certain degree of disinfection.

5. Change intimate clothing frequently

Underwear must be changed and washed frequently, 1-2 times a day, don't save it for several days, "brew" the old taste, and then wash it together. If the underwear is not cleaned properly, it may induce diseases such as genital eczema and folliculitis.

Extension: A few secrets about underwear, do you know?

In addition to cleaning, there are also some common misunderstandings in the use of underwear in life.

·The shape is not useful

There are some panties with unique designs that attract shopping desires. But you know what? The shape of men's underwear may affect fertility.

A study published in Human Reproduction found that men who wore boxer briefs had 25% higher sperm concentrations and 17% higher total sperm counts, which were more conducive to fertility. It can be seen that comfortable underwear has a positive effect on fertility.

For women, although thong underwear is sexy, the wrapping area is not enough, which increases the chance of secretions, bacteria, etc. entering the body. It is not recommended to choose underwear that is too tight, and comfort should be given priority. Briefs or boxers are better.

·The choice of color is exquisite

Secretion is a "barometer" of women's health. If the color of underwear is too dark or too bright, it is easy to ignore the signal brought by the secretion, and it is difficult to detect the physical condition in time. So the best choice, white or light-colored underwear.

It is true that cleaning underwear every day is indeed a hassle, but "saving trouble" for a while is likely to create unique breeding conditions for bacteria and bury hidden dangers to health.

References:

[1] "I have a disagreement with my mother: Can panties and socks be washed together? 》.All things science manual.2020-09-10

[2] "Can panties and socks be washed together? Do these 5 points, rest assured shuffle! 》.Professor Yang Xichuan of Dermatology.2021-03-12

[3] "Can panty socks be washed together? After completing this test, you will understand". Tencent Medical Code she knows. 2020-04-09

Reproduction is prohibited without the author's permission