Yesterday there was a clog in my toilet. I reported it to my complex and waited around all day for the guy to come. When he finally did, I was on the phone with my Internet company. While on hold, I showed him the toilet and resumed speaking with the Internet company. He came downstairs while I was on hold again and asked me to show him the broken lights I had also reported. He walked over to examine them just as the phone representative got back on the phone, and I was hemmed in and distractedly tried to move out of his way. In doing so I managed to scrape my shoulder on the toilet snake thing and got some (extremely light colored) brown/tan stains on my shoulder, a circumference of maybe an inch and a half. It didn’t seem wet at all. It was on my favorite all black sweatshirt, which I had just taken out of the dryer. I really don’t want to wash it in the highest cycle again because I don’t want it to bleed, but I also don’t want these horrible and dangerous bacteria allowed to linger on my sweatshirt, especially in such close proximity to my face. So does anyone know of the best method to remove these germs without bleeding out the color too badly?
Wash it in a shorter/cooler cycle and put a cupful of disinfectant in with the detergent. I prefer Dettol.
You could also soak it in disinfectant for a while before washing. (And if you do that, you might choose to wash it by hand after soaking).
ETA: I always use special detergent for dark/ black clothes that prevents bleeding anyway. It does make a difference!
Disinfectant is not the same thing as bleach. If you use a bleach-free disinfectant, like Dettol, then you should be fine. What I’d do in your situation is make up a solution of Dettol in a bucket, using the directions on the bottle (it lists a recommended ratio to use for something like “for nappies/diapers and sick-room laundry”, IIRC), then dump the sweater in there and leave it to soak for a while. Then wash on the usual cycle you would use for that sweater. Hey presto, no more poopshoulder.
To be honest, though, I’d probably just bung it straight in the washing machine with maybe a capful of Dettol. I’m assuming you don’t have children - since becoming a father I have become much more blasé about the odd poop smear on my clothes. It happens…
NB make sure that the disinfectant you use is bleach free. I think some types of Dettol spray etc do contain bleach, but the basic liquid Dettol doesn’t.
Just a little poop smear? Throw it in the wash on whatever temperature you want, use ample amount of detergent, and it’ll come right out.
And if you’re REALLY paranoid, soak the smear in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes first.
That could affect the colour.
Just wash it. It’ll be fine.
Agree with the rest: a run through the regular wash cycle should do just fine. If you’re worried, get some Lysol and add a teaspoon or so the the wash.
Cripes, just wash it. It’s not the plague. Clearly some of you have never lived with children or animals.
My thought as well.
Maybe it’s because of my job and having had many dogs, but the thought of a little poop stain doesn’t give me the wim-wams.
And isn’t it your own, um, droppings and bacteria anyway?
*this may not be the best time to refer you to the recent newspaper article about aerosolization that occurs with toilet flushing.
Just wash it. What do you think people with babies do?
You mean, you’re not supposed to soak the baby in bleach? Oops.
BRB …
One word: autoclave.
Doesn’t even have to be babies. People with pets have this problem too. Also, people who have had a stomach flu definitely have this problem…I know I have. According to Trainspotting, people who drink too much and do coke also sometimes have a problem.
Anyway, poo washes out. Not just baby poo.
Seriously, wash it. What has our civilization come to anyway?
(To be fair, I volunteer at a wildlife rescue on the weekends. You haven’t gotten poo on you until you’ve gotten opossum poo on you.)
you could boil the garment; or if you were afraid boiling water would fade the garment, you could bake it at 300 - 400 degrees for 30-60 minutes; you could also soak it in isopropyl alcohol
I’ve heard that very few pathogens would survive open flame. I recommend* at least a quart of gasoline (petrol, whatever) and a match. At a safe distance.
*No, actually, I don’t. This is just a dumb joke. Don’t try this at home, or at work, or at someone else’s home, or anywhere at all. Instead, just wash it normal cycle. Maybe the Lysol/Dettol thing, but I suspect you’d be better off getting used to the idea that shit is everywhere.
Just wash it. If you have some sort of stain treatment that you regularly use on this garment, use that. Take a look at it before you throw it in the dryer. Odds are, it will be perfectly clean. If not, *then *is the time to look for ‘special cleaning methods’
Was it as usual, but add Lysol Concentrate, from the brown bottle.
I use it as a laundry additive, & it is great on stains.
Obviously, it disinfects, too.
Mix some in a old mug, filled with water.
Ad to wash when first started.
Nuke it from orbit…
Responding to the title of you can’t shine shit …
Actually, Mythbusters demonstrated that you can shine shit.