How do you get the rancid smell of elderly diarrhea out of clothes?

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How do you get the rancid smell of elderly diarrhea out of clothes?

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I picked up a pair of sweat pants from the nursing home while visiting my dad. He said he had pooped in them. I brought them home to wash and just put them in the washing machine with extra soap, vinegar and hot water on two cycles of wash. When I open the door, it still smells so rancid. My dad is very picky about pants and I put his best pair of pants with two shirts together in the washing machine. Now I feel like my washing machine stinks and the clothes! First, how do I get the smell out of the clothes in second what do I use to clean out the washing machine? So frustrated tonight.

Home Care Hygiene New to Caregiving

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My daughter uses ODO BAN (I think that's the brand name) on her dog's many accidents and on her not-totally-potty trained kid.

She says it's a game changer--but you're dealing with a much larger and more powerful problem.

You need to clean the washer with hottest water posssible and bleach Let it sit overnight.

If you've dried the clothes--man, I don't know what tp say. That kind of 'sets' the smell.
I hope your dad is weaiing incontinence briefs. This is a problem that won't get better, sadly.

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I forgot about Odo ban! I have not put the clothes in the dryer yet. I am doing one more wash cycle. I need to do my washing machine with the cycle of this Odo ban as well!

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I had no luck with vinegar....I AM having some luck with cutting a lemon in half, and throwing a full box of baking soda into the load WITH the clothes first. I squeeze the lemon, and then place the two halves into the mesh bag and close it - and throw it in the washer along with emptying a full box of baking soda...That's the first cycle.
Second cycle I rewash with regular laundry pods, (leaving the lemons in the washer/mesh bag) and run it through again.
Been doing that for the last couple of years and that seems to do the trick.
Hope this helps.

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Never thought to use lemon… I’m gonna try this that next..

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Buy lots of pants and throw out all feces stained ones. It's going to be expensive but cheaper than replacing your washing machine.

If this is going to be a regular occurrence dad will need to be less picky about his clothes.

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You can get cheap clothes at Goodwill. No reason to buy new when they are probably going to just get ruined anyway.

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There are many 'clean your washing machine' products on the market. I'd try a well known brand.

I think if I'd washed the clothes twice, in warm water & the smell or stains lingered - into the bin they'd go.

I'd try cheaper elastic waist pants until all traces of the gastro infection cleared up.

Then I would be looking into having the facility wash the clothes. Take any woollens or more special items only home to wash.

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OxyClean washing machine cleaner is the best thing I've ever used.

I cleaned a washing machine that had to be 40 years old that stank to the high heaven and it got that stink out quick.

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I feel after a couple of washes if the odor is still there the clothes need to be thrown away. Do not put in dryer until the clothes are completely clean. Feces contaminated clothes should be washed right away and the washer sanitized with vinegar & baking soda.

Is Dad wearing disposable underwear?
Buy Dad replacement clothes from the thrift store. It will be much more affordable.

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Never put something in the dryer if it stinks. You'll never get the stink out of the dryer.

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The first product you need to buy is OxyClean washing machine cleaner. Washing machines have to be regularly cleaned on a scheduled basis or clothes will stink that are washed in them.

I used to use a detergent called '20 Mule Team' borax soap powder with some Tide powder mixed in then do a double rinse.

If a wash is extra nasty, fill the machine with the hottest water it can. Add the 20 Mule Team and the Tide. Let that dissolve. Soak the load for several hours or overnight. Then drain the water, add the soaps again and put the wash cycle on - extra hot. I find that nothing worked as well as this.
I was an in-home caregiver for 25 years, so I've tried every combination of every kind of detergent.

If you have a newer (he) washing machine with no agitator, you can't use the powdered detergents directly. Dissolve them in a half-gallon of hot water first and you can.

For things like towels, sheets, and chux pads I always went Tide powder and old-school bleach in hot water.

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Burnt caretaker has the solution I used when I had a baby and had to get the bad stains out. Over 20 years ago..

babysitter was shocked how clean the clothes were..,

BEST THING I EVER USED.

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I know what works from doing homecare for so many years.

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GROCERY LIST::

OXY CLEAN
BORAX
TIDE.

sometimes I use downy fabric softener for fragrance, but I only add a little.. I think it may break down some materials.

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@MAYDAY

That's been my 3-fold laundry cocktail for years.

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A few more things. If clothes are badly soiled.. stuff stuck on them.
remove as much as possible. Swish in toilet to move sticky stuff.

then spray SHOUT on stain, then wash as directed in the posts..

you will discover which solutions work best for you! Good luck!

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Sometimes, if things WERE washing improperly, and then put in the dryer, that odor is kind of baked in. Especially in the case of better=living-with-chemistry-blends of clothing with some lycra or some polyester. These will basically be throw aways in some cases, as each time they go into the dryer it bakes stuff in more. If good hot water, detergent and vinegar didn't do it I doubt you will have a whole lot of luck with other stuff. Just my guess. Should you find the solution DO post it to us.

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there is a product called Odor Ban and it works great on odors in the air and on hard surfaces as well as on / in clothing. (I still buy this stuff, it is great for general cleaning, sanitizing and an air freshener, I buy it by the gallon at Sam's)
This should work well for taking care of both the washing machine as well as the clothes.

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Lowes also carries Odoban. It's a game changer.

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Pooph?

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Pooph is like a miracle. I can't praise that product enough.

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The answer depends on the style and size of the washing machine. As mentioned clean the washer monthly with a cleaner designed for your machine. Also, clean after any stinky mess is washed. I am chemically sensitive so I have a subscription to a green company that sends everything I need to handle Mom's poop and pee stains. I have a process of dunking in the toilet, doing a short cycle with detergent and Borax, then treating with my fav enzyme spray, Dreft for baby, then long, hot cycle with detergent and oxy. Sometimes I pull out the washing board and Feels Naptha to get the detergent into the fabric. Often I soak overnight in enzymes, oxy, and hottest water to kill the bacteria. Usually the pee clothes get 3 washes and poopy get at least four. If the fabric is a dense knit, you will just have to dispose of them, unless they were washed promptly. Be extra careful to not lay soiled clothes next to the regular laundry. It contaminates everything and makes extra work. I have a system of dish pans in Mom's laundry room. Products to have on hand always: quality detergent that doesn't cause skin rashes, oxy powder, Fels Naptha bar, enzyme pretreatment spray or powder, Borax (to kill bacteria), Lysol fabric rinse, washboard or fabric brushes

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Too much work. Just buy new clothes.

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How about using Pooph spray?

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That Pooph spray is like a miracle. I've used it. It's a miracle.

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We pour vinegar on pee and poop spots, clothes, pads, bed linens, as a part of the normal process then let it soak for an hour minimum can be much longer. Then I follow the same recommendations Burnt does, oxyclean, detergent, 20 Mule team soak if needed. On my laundry I always use white vinegar in the rinse rather than fabric softener or bleach and do so at Moms when I’m here too (I don’t think anyone else does this with Moms stuff). We also don’t use dryer sheets as they create a film on the fabrics that end up holding on to scents, white vinegar helps rinse that and detergent away. My mom is sensitive to scent so she only likes unscented detergent and I do like squeezing in some regular Tide here and there.

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@Lymie

I have had to clean every mess a human being can make for 25 years.

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Bonfire in the backyard.

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LOL. That will work.

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I have taken sheets and clothes outside, sprayed them with spot remover and disinfectants (there are some for pet stains), hosed them down until clean, let them dry outside before putting them into washing machine. Then used oxyclean along with detergent. There have been some I discarded in plastic bags if they were too bad.

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Sounds like a good idea.

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Odo Ban from Home Depot. Don’t dilute, just pour a couple ounces in washer.

Nok Out is a product we order online. Use on dog when skunked but will remove any odor. Heard it was used in morgues.

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OxiClean and Borax are always by my washer.

And I see that BenchmarkKid beat me to suggesting Nok Out. They also offer it in hospital-grade Sniper as well. Buy by the gallon online from their website.

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Add baking soda to 4 cups of vinegar. Then run it thru on a hot cycle. Good luck.

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You should have just thrown the pants in the garbage and go out and buy new ones for your dad.

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It can get expensive to keep throwing out clothing. I presoak in large container and hand wash in bathtub for larger items like pants; before an item goes into the washing machine.

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Good Evening,

I would get rid of the pants and start over.

You could try laundry detergent and vinegar with baking soda for future washings. This also works with athletic clothing.

Try to find him the same pair of pants but don't tell him. You can find everything online these days.

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Texascowgal08: Toss the pants. Run the washer in a very hot water cycle several times. If a front loader, make sure to wipe down EVERYTHING including rubber gasketing.

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I find that doing a pre hand washing and soaking has helped. I never put in washer soiled. I spray with oxi clean and soak. Then I add soap give a quick hand wash and then wash out in washing machine.
Sounds like you now need to get a cleaner for your machine

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Yes, if soiled, I washed the soil out in the toilet, then treat before nuking it in the washer. If two cycles don't do the trick, then the item goes into the trash.

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I agree with " toss the pants". Perhaps replace with less expensive sweats , something that can also be tossed out if needed w/ o forfeiting too much investment.

Speak with your father and his care team at the facility to be sure that he is being provided and, is complying with use of appropriate incontinent supplies.

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Run washing machine with Ammonia, bleach and a small amount of laundry detergent. Use sanitize level if you have it. Smell should be gone.

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NEVER mix chlorine bleach and ammonia together. It causes a chemical reaction that makes chlorine gas which is deadly poisonous.

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Get any of the products listed for "pet accidents" that will have enzymes to break down the waste products - and their smells.

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POOPH?

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiS0fWV1KGCAxWuFa0GHZSYDZYYABAVGgJwdg&ae=2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwy4KqBhD0ARIsAEbCt6ixKBRy36CaYQpVnh5ueSnLoyfsbtNmppWUyCj5DR_BH8XyRLTA1iAaAm6SEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESVeD2_F3yxNlMaJ9zX9W2iwecQ3rMSgnI67BmG-HZsjZ02dMdxBCVqkV4BINbK8-wyxIsuZS6xotchNSC5UCt1qzcQEsNXi58yKEuF084D7ZGgERtNvE&sig=AOD64_18dfAwzIq1LEK289BEbsueRucN4Q&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwjfn-2V1KGCAxXCLzQIHY1fDj8Q0Qx6BAgGEAE&nis=2&dct=1

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Spare yourself and your washing machine. Toss them and buy new ones in bulk. By the time you buy products to kill the smell and stains, and run a wash cycle so many times, you’ve spent as much time, money, and effort to negate the cost of new ones. Amazon or WalMart sells in bulk.

There’s situations to pinch pennies; this is not one of them.

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1. Make sure to rinse off any poop that's still on the clothes before putting them in the laundry machine—you don't want those particles getting stuck inside your washer. Rinse them outdoors if you can.

2. Then wash the clothes using a combo of lemon juice (1/3 cup mixed with 2/3 cup water—don't dump straight lemon juice on the clothes as it can discolor some fabrics), white vinegar (1/2 cup), baking soda (1/2cup) plus laundry detergent and wash on the highest heat the clothes can stand. You can also pre-soak any stains with the vinegar and baking soda mix (without lemon juice!). This mixture can also work on getting the smell out of your machine, if you run it without clothes.

3. Also if possible and depending on the time of year, a half hour to an hour in direct sunlight.

This combo, minus the sun because I live in a foggy area, helped with a particularly terrible smelling vomit smell that refused to come out of my son's clothing, bedding and rug.

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How do you get the rancid smell of elderly diarrhea out of clothes?

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