Mucky undies and Tea towels

[NorthernRaider]

Very interesting article on tests done on washing clothes at 30 degrees and how the clothes are still dirty with live bacteria after a typical 30 degree wash.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/articl...owels.html

This could be a real issue after TSHTF when we are struggling with health, diet and hygiene issues.

[Sunna]

im going to boil all my stuff will that work?

[BFG Central]

I totally agree, If in doubt boil it.
Iv been looking for a big enough pot to do this and after banging my head up a brick wall wonder how to boil my jeans i came up with the idea of using a large stainless steel bread bin that comes with a lid.
The one i found holds 15-18 liters of water with a gap at the top.
The only other option was a steel drum which would degrade quickly in contact with heat and water on a semi regular basis.
The down side is a lot of synthetic materials dont like to be heated that much and start to fall to bits.
Cotton shrinks and so does wool garments change shape.
But if were loosing weight due to eating rationed food then that might help to size our clothing down.
I know i dont want to stand out from the crowd as a fat prepper when everyone else is loosing weight.

[BeardyMan]

(22 August 2013, 01:15)BFG Central Wrote: I know i dont want to stand out from the crowd as a fat prepper when everyone else is loosing weight.

No, but you'll stand by wearing you nice clean clothes when everyone else is filthy...

[Prepper1]

I'd have a good test of boiling your jeans now and other stuff too.
In the old days denim was pre shrunk before they made the clothes.

Nowadays I wouldnt bet on it.
My jeans leave me with blue legs most of the time, unfixed dye?
strange metabolism?

I dunno but test now, after an event is not the time to find your last pair of jeans will now fit a dolly...

[Sunna]

back in the day they used to clean their undies and put dirty stuff back on

[BeardyMan]

(22 August 2013, 13:35)Sunna Wrote: back in the day they used to clean their undies and put dirty stuff back on

I know people nowadays who do the same...

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They're not people you'd want to stand near

[bigpaul]

our ancestors had a thing called a "copper"(no not a policeman) in which they used to BOIL all their clothes.

[BeardyMan]

(22 August 2013, 13:44)bigpaul Wrote: our ancestors had a thing called a "copper"(no not a policeman) in which they used to BOIL all their clothes.

So THAT'S why they all wore Short Trousers

[Tarrel]

This has to get the award for " most eye-catching thread title of the year"!

FWIW, a good session on the washing line in the sun will kill a lot of bacteria through UV. What you don't want to do is put it in the tumble drier.

Bear in mind a sizeable portion of the World's population wash their clothes in cold water, and they don't all die as a result.