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.
That is where I drew the line . I did not take home rancid smelling clothes . That smell tends to stay on the synthetic polyester type pants. I used to only take home some of Moms delicate blouses or sweaters so they didn’t shrink them . Mom used to keep them separate from her other laundry (until her dementia got worse ) .
I bought Mom cheap black sweatpants with a wider leg in Wal mart and Amazon ( whoever had them in stock ) and hemmed them to look like regular pants . ( mom was very short ) . She loved that they looked like regular pants and kept her warm and were easy to get on . She never tucked in her shirts anyway , so nobody really knew they were sweatpants . ( Mom was concerned about that because she was a fashion diva) . If some got lost or ruined at least they were cheap .
Throw the clothes out and buy new ones, it'll save you a giant, nasty headache in the long run.
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.
There’s situations to pinch pennies; this is not one of them.
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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.
Sounds like you now need to get a cleaner for your machine
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.
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.
Nok Out is a product we order online. Use on dog when skunked but will remove any odor. Heard it was used in morgues.
I have had to clean every mess a human being can make for 25 years.
This should work well for taking care of both the washing machine as well as the clothes.
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!
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.
That's been my 3-fold laundry cocktail for years.
babysitter was shocked how clean the clothes were..,
BEST THING I EVER USED.
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.
Is Dad wearing disposable underwear?
Buy Dad replacement clothes from the thrift store. It will be much more affordable.
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.
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.
If this is going to be a regular occurrence dad will need to be less picky about his clothes.