mamap - I don't have the answer but am glad you know about the toothbrushes! I hope the boys will be back on their feet soon.

MamaP sorry your boys are under the weather. But this thread has brought up something I have been thinking about. How much bleach does it take to kill the variety of germs on clothes, towels and sheets in the washer? And what about colored and dark clothes. I am particularly wondering about the Norovirus'. Several years ago I had a Norovirus and subsequently ended up with aseptic-meningitis. I am very concerned as this virus is rampant right now and I do not want to ever experience that again.

I have safely used bleach on colors. I wouldn't use it on every load but once in a blue moon or only when you need to kill bacteria. You don't need much. You need to pre-mix a Tablespoon or two it a container (like in a quart of water), then add it to the end of the wash cycle. I just pour it into the bleach dispenser followed by a cup of water chaser.

I always use bleach on my whites and I force it into the end of the wash cycle. Otherwise the machine would dispense it in the first rinse (which to me is pointless).

It only needs a few minutes of contact with the watered down bleach to be effective then it's rinsed away starting with the first rinse.

Referencing the dosage for treating contaminated drinking water, it doesn't take much LCB to be effective.

I would use the bleach dispenser. Why it's there. Expect you'll get them new toothbrushes. You likely already have done this but I also recommend a going over of surfaces with 90%+ alcohol -- about $2 at Walmart. I hit things like sink faucets, the toilet lever and seat, door handles, edges of the bed, TV remote -- most anything the little hands have handled recently. It will help keep you and DH healthy as well. I also do that in the kitchen -- fridge handle etc. I just saturate a microfiber cloth. I find it really helps.

When I am sick I always use LCB on my sheets. Generally 1/8 of a cup. I, too, force my bleach into the wash with about 5 minutes to spare. However, the Duet dryer has a sanitize cycle that I use as well. The very light bleach scent is VERY comforting when sick.

Thanks everyone. ....I was thinking of forcing it into the wash cycle, last 5or6 minutes as I also don't like the idea of it going into the first rinse.

Roc I do have a spray bottle filled with alcohol. .however it has to be sprayed on and left wet for I think its around 5 minutes in order to disinfect.

Dorey, sadly if you can smell any chlorine in your textiles than its still there and will continue damaging the fabric. When using chlorine bleach things should be rinsed until zero scent remains.

I used to buy the cheap 10paks of toothbrushes at the dollar tree for use during strep infections...but I was given a box of over 500 kids toothbrushes, each factory sealed in plastic. Weve been using these as daily disposable T.brushes during strep and other infectious illness. I get a case every year from a school employee. They are sent to the school to be given to thechildren during dental health awareness but the school is over stocked and I agreed to take some off their hands lol. This spring I will most likely be given more and tthat's when I will have to express my thanks but I can't take anymore LOL. But these really came in handy. When treatment is over I'll get them new good brushes, actually I already have them.

Hopefully no one else in the family gets sick as you know how stressed I get if I have piles of bedding to catch up on haha

Heather back in around 1989 my sister almost died from bacterial meningitis, than my sons teens at the time ended up with virial meningitis..it was a nightmare.

My old Samsung has a Sanitize cycle. It takes 2 hrs. and 23 min to get done. I don't know how effective it is. I thought my bleach dispenser added the bleach to the wash water after the water put the soap in and tumbled a bit, but I am not sure. Probably depends on the model. How do you handle blankets etc.

Nerdy I don't know anything about your washer, but chlorine bleach should never be added to the wash any sooner than the last 6 minutes of the wash cycle.

I use duvet covers over all the comforters, white cotton so they get washed same as the sheets. I will have to wash the comforters also probably around day 6 of antibotics. But right now they are using down alternative and not down.

The boys like those soft fleece blankets but I refuse to buy anymore. They can't be washed in hot water unless you like major pilling. Lol. They do have fleece batman throws for the family room but haven't used them since the air conditioner was on. I doubt adults bedding needs extreme laundering with strep or viruses, as were more careful, but kids sneeze and blow snot over their bedding. Lol. Not intentially at these boys ages but in their sleep it happens. I've changed pillowcases in the middle of the night beca use I just can't stand them sleeping on nasty. Haha

MamaP- Aseptic Meningitis caused seizures and I didn't know it. Not a good thing if driving or standing on a subway platform. Apparently I had a very bad stomach flu, Norovirus and many weeks later I had serious vertigo. The virus had settled in my brain and erupted later in the form of vertigo and small seizures. Two trips to the emergency room, 4 days in critical care, a battery of test and bingo Aseptic Meningitus. It has never returned but I have been warned, get the same virus again and 1 to 2 months later the meningitis will return. This is something that has occurred with increasing frequency around the world and I had a close friend who's whole family showed symptoms, but was never diagnosed.