To sanitize laundry, wash it in the hottest water the care label allows, add chlorine bleach to bleach-safe loads or an EPA-registered laundry sanitizer to the rest, then dry on the highest heat setting (CDC; University of Illinois Extension). Regular detergent cleans but isn't registered to kill germs, and cold water alone won't knock out the hardier ones (EPA; a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
You don't need this for every load. A normal wash is enough for a healthy household; sanitize when someone has a stomach bug, has a weakened immune system or brings home work clothes from patient or animal care (University of Arizona).
Key takeaways
- Sanitize after vomiting or diarrhea, for someone with weak immunity, and for scrubs or animal-care work clothes; everyday loads don't need it.
- Wash soiled items at once, with gloves, without shaking them, on the hottest and longest cycle, then dry on the highest heat.
- For bleach-safe whites, use 1/2 cup of unscented disinfecting bleach in a standard washer or 1/4 cup in an HE washer, with 10 minutes of contact.
- For colors and darks, add a registered laundry sanitizer to the rinse and follow its label time, such as a 16-minute rinse.
- Vinegar, borax and baking soda are not registered laundry sanitizers; never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or any other cleaner.
When do you need to sanitize laundry?
Sanitize when the laundry is likely to carry hard-to-kill germs. University of Arizona researchers Charles Gerba and Kelly Reynolds name four cases: a stomach bug with vomiting or diarrhea, a person with a weakened immune system, work clothes from patient or animal contact, and items soiled with body fluids (University of Arizona).
For everything else, washing is enough. The same researchers say a normal cycle with a deep-cleaning detergent handles healthy-household laundry and the viruses behind colds, flu and COVID-19 (University of Arizona). Those are enveloped viruses, which detergents remove even in cold water (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Does regular laundry detergent sanitize clothes?
No, not by EPA's definition. Cleaning removes dirt and germs with soap or detergent, sanitizing kills bacteria with chemicals, and disinfecting kills bacteria and viruses; EPA registers only the last two (EPA). Detergent lowers the germ count by lifting microbes off fabric, but temperature does most of the killing (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Sanitizing vs. disinfecting laundry
A sanitizer is tested against bacteria and is not intended to kill viruses. A disinfectant must clear a higher bar and works on both (EPA). Read the label: a product sold as a laundry sanitizer may say nothing about viruses, which matters for a stomach bug.
What can you put in your laundry to disinfect it?
Heat and a registered germ-killing ingredient do the work. University of Illinois Extension lists quaternary ammonium, chlorine, pine oil and phenolic products as possible disinfectants, and says to look for an EPA registration number on the label (University of Illinois Extension). The table compares the options from the sources below.
| Method | What it does | Use it on |
|---|---|---|
| Hot water | 40 to 60°C (104 to 140°F) or hotter reduces resistant bacteria; above 60°C reaches a 99.9% cut in Staph aureus (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology) | Fabrics whose label allows hot water |
| Chlorine bleach | Sanitizes with 10 minutes of contact at the label dose (Clorox) | White and colorfast cotton and polyester |
| Laundry sanitizer (rinse cycle) | Bleach-free; one brand claims 99.9% of bacteria, in cold water (Lysol) | Colors, darks, many delicates (check the label) |
| Oxygen bleach | Cuts bacteria and viruses in cold washes but may not eliminate them (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology) | Most washable colors |
| Pine oil or phenolic disinfectant | 1 cup in the wash for fabrics that can't take bleach (University of Illinois Extension) | Non-bleachable washables |
| Dryer on high | Cuts bacteria by 99% or more; weak on some stomach viruses (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology) | Anything the label lets you tumble dry hot |
For more on the two bleach types, see our chlorine bleach vs. oxygen bleach comparison.
How do you sanitize laundry after someone is sick?
Treat the load as contaminated from the moment you pick it up. These steps combine CDC's norovirus guidance with the University of Arizona researchers' advice (CDC; University of Arizona):
- Act fast. Remove clothes and linens with vomit or feces on them right away (CDC).
- Wear gloves (rubber or disposable) and carry items without shaking them, so germs don't spread into the air (CDC).
- Wash it separately from the rest of the household's laundry (University of Arizona).
- Pick the hottest water and longest cycle the label allows, with detergent (CDC). Use the Sanitize cycle if the washer has one (University of Arizona).
- Add a sanitizing agent: chlorine bleach for bleach-safe items, or a registered laundry sanitizer for the rest (University of Arizona).
- Dry on the highest heat the fabric can take (CDC).
- Wash your hands with soap and water, and clean the hamper before clean laundry goes back in (CDC; University of Arizona).
- Sanitize the washer. Gerba recommends running an empty load with bleach or a sanitizer afterward, because bacteria left in the drum can reach the next load (University of Arizona). Our guide on how to clean a washing machine covers the steps.
How to sanitize towels and sheets
Towels and sheets are usually white or colorfast cotton, so they can take the full method: hot water, bleach at the label dose and a hot dry (Clorox; CDC). Gerba and Reynolds also suggest washing sheets, towels and pillowcases more often (University of Arizona). See how to wash towels for the everyday routine.
What temperature kills germs in the washer?
Hotter water kills more germs, and 140°F (60°C) is the usual target. Whirlpool calls 140°F generally the minimum recommended to help disinfect clothing (Whirlpool). A 2021 review found washing above 60°C was needed for a 99.9% reduction of Staphylococcus aureus, one of the hardiest laundry bacteria (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Cold washes in the US are far cooler: the review puts the median at 14.4°C (57.9°F) (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). That's fine for respiratory viruses but not for stomach viruses and resistant bacteria, which need 40 to 60°C and/or bleach (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). The review was co-written by University of Arizona scientists and researchers at Reckitt, the maker of Lysol (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Does washing at 40 kill germs?
Partly. The review cites a recommended minimum above 40°C (104°F) to detach and kill pathogens when no oxygen bleach is in the detergent, and 60°C (140°F) for fungi (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). One study it cites found nonenveloped viruses needed 30 to 40°C plus an oxygen-bleach sanitizing detergent (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). So 40°C helps, but add a sanitizer if someone is sick.
What does the Sanitize cycle on a washer do?
It uses extra-hot water and takes longer than other cycles; on select Whirlpool washers it is rated to eliminate 99.9% of three common household bacteria (Whirlpool). Keep using detergent with it (Whirlpool). A washer certified to the NSF protocol must cut microorganisms by 99.9% on its sanitize cycle without significant carryover to the next load (NSF).
What do hospitals use to sanitize laundry?
Hospital laundries use heat, bleach and a pH swing. CDC guidance cites water of at least 160°F (71°C) for 25 minutes, with chlorine bleach at 50 to 150 ppm for an extra margin (CDC). Low-temperature cycles of 71 to 77°F rely on chlorine or oxygen bleach under tightly controlled conditions (CDC).
An acidic final rinse drops the pH from about 12 to 5, which inactivates some microbes (CDC). Drying and especially ironing add more germ-killing heat (CDC). Home washers can't hold those settings, which is why home advice leans on bleach, sanitizers and a hot dryer.
How to wash scrubs at home
Wash scrubs apart from family laundry, in hot water or on the Sanitize cycle, with bleach or a registered laundry sanitizer, then dry completely on high heat (University of Arizona). That's Gerba's advice for health care workers, who are often exposed to sick people (University of Arizona). Follow your employer's rules if it launders uniforms for you.
How do you sanitize laundry with bleach?
Use regular unscented disinfecting bleach, measured, in the dispenser. Clorox gives these amounts for sanitizing with its disinfecting bleach, and says the laundry must contact the bleach solution for 10 minutes (Clorox):
| Washer | Bleach to sanitize | How to add it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard top-loader | 1/2 cup | Dilute in 1 quart of water; add 5 minutes after the cycle starts |
| High-efficiency (HE) | 1/4 cup | Bleach dispenser |
Clorox gives 1/3 cup for a standard washer in its general directions, and Illinois Extension suggests 3/4 to 1 cup for whites (Clorox; University of Illinois Extension). Follow the dose on your bottle; the amounts differ by product and purpose.
- Skip scented and splashless bleach for sanitizing: Clorox says scented bleach isn't approved to sanitize laundry, and CDC says some laundry and splashless bleaches aren't fit for disinfection (Clorox; CDC).
- Never pour it straight onto fabric. Undiluted bleach can discolor and weaken fibers (Clorox).
- Don't bleach wool, silk, mohair, leather, spandex or colors that aren't colorfast (Clorox).
- Watch for iron. In iron-rich water, chlorine bleach can leave rust stains (University of Illinois Extension).
- Never mix bleach with other cleaners, including ammonia or vinegar: the mix can release dangerous vapors (CDC). Keep the room ventilated (CDC).
How do you sanitize laundry without bleach?
Use a registered laundry sanitizer, a pine oil or phenolic disinfectant, or heat. These suit colors, darks and anything labeled "do not bleach" (University of Illinois Extension; Lysol).
- Rinse-cycle laundry sanitizer. Lysol says its 0% bleach sanitizer works in standard and HE washers and in cold water. The directions: 2 capfuls in the softener compartment or the rinse, then a 16-minute rinse (Lysol).
- Wash-cycle sanitizer powder. OxiClean's Laundry & Home Sanitizer goes in before the laundry: 1 scoop and an 18-minute hot wash in a standard washer, or 2 scoops and 15 to 16 minutes in an HE washer (OxiClean).
- Pine oil or phenolic disinfectant. Illinois Extension suggests 1 cup in the wash for fabrics that can't be bleached (University of Illinois Extension).
- Heat. The hottest water the label allows, the Sanitize cycle if you have one, then the dryer's Sanitize cycle or warmest setting (Whirlpool).
A sanitizer's kill claim holds only at the label's dose and contact time, so don't shorten the cycle (EPA). Rinse-cycle sanitizers aren't for silk, wool or dry-clean-only items; check each label (Lysol).
Does OxiClean sanitize laundry?
OxiClean's sanitizing directions are for its separate Laundry & Home Sanitizer, which the maker says kills bacteria and, at a double dose in an 18-minute hot wash, influenza A (OxiClean). Oxygen bleach in general reduces germs in cold water but may not eliminate them (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Does vinegar actually disinfect laundry?
Not at household doses. A 2020 lab study in a 2020 study in BMC Microbiology concluded that acetic acid, vinegar's active ingredient, doesn't disinfect at the dosage commonly used for cleaning (a 2020 study in BMC Microbiology). At a high 0.75% concentration in a 60-minute, 30°C lab wash, it wiped out most test bacteria but left some Staph aureus (a 2020 study in BMC Microbiology).
Vinegar isn't among the disinfecting ingredients Illinois Extension lists (University of Illinois Extension). Never add it to a load with bleach (CDC). Our vinegar in laundry guide covers what it is good for.
Does borax or baking soda sanitize laundry?
No. Neither is a quaternary, chlorine, pine oil or phenolic disinfectant, the types Illinois Extension names (University of Illinois Extension). Both can help a detergent clean; see borax for laundry and baking soda in laundry.
What natural disinfectant can I use to sanitize my laundry?
Heat is the most reliable chemical-free option: hot water and a long, hot dry (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). Line-drying in sunlight may reduce microbes through UV, but the review doesn't treat it as a replacement for heat or bleach (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Does the dryer kill germs?
Yes, a hot dryer kills many bacteria, but it is weak against some stomach viruses. In studies collected by the 2021 review, a 28-minute permanent-press dry at 55°C (131°F) cut E. coli by more than 99.99% (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). The same cycle barely touched rotavirus and hepatitis A (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
A medium-heat gas dryer cut Staph aureus by more than 99% in 16 minutes in another study (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). Longer drying at higher settings reduces germs more (a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). Household dryers average 120 to 160°F, depending on the model (Whirlpool).
That's why CDC pairs a hot wash with a high-heat dry for norovirus rather than relying on either alone (CDC). A dryer certified to NSF's protocol must cut microorganisms by 99.9% and avoid carryover between loads (NSF).
How to disinfect blankets without washing
If a blanket can be tumble dried, a long cycle on the Sanitize or highest setting is the best no-wash option (Whirlpool; a 2021 review in Applied and Environmental Microbiology). A disinfectant spray works only if its label covers fabrics and the item stays wet for the full contact time (EPA). Anything with vomit or feces on it should be washed, per CDC (CDC). Heat also matters for pests; see does the dryer kill bed bugs.
Can you sanitize laundry at a laundromat?
Yes, and big machines help with bulky sick-day bedding. More than 4,000 listings in the LaundroMaps directory report large-capacity machines, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data). Bring your own measured bleach or laundry sanitizer, pick the hottest wash, and finish on the dryer's highest heat (CDC).
- Carry it bagged. Hospitals move soiled laundry in closed bags, and CDC says to handle it without shaking (CDC; CDC).
- Use a rinse-cycle sanitizer only if you can add it at the rinse; it needs its full rinse time to work (Lysol).
- Wipe down the cart and folding table before clean laundry touches them, as you would a hamper at home (University of Arizona).
- Go at night if you need to. More than 1,600 listings are tagged open 24/7, as of October 2026: use our 24-hour laundromat finder (LaundroMaps directory data).
While you handle the sick-day load, hand off the rest. More than 6,700 listings offer a wash-and-fold service, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data), or find a laundromat near you.
Frequently asked questions
Is vinegar a better laundry sanitizer than Lysol?
No. A 2020 lab study found vinegar's acetic acid doesn't disinfect at normal cleaning doses, and vinegar isn't a registered laundry sanitizer. A registered sanitizer is tested to its label claim at a set dose and rinse time. Never combine vinegar with bleach.
Which is better, Lysol or Clorox laundry sanitizer?
We found no independent head-to-head test. Compare labels instead: look for an EPA registration number, check whether it claims viruses or only bacteria, and follow its dose and contact time. Chlorine bleach is the low-cost option for white and colorfast loads.
How do you use Clorox to sanitize laundry?
Clorox's laundry directions for its disinfecting bleach call for 1/2 cup in a standard washer or 1/4 cup in an HE washer, with 10 minutes of contact. Add it through the dispenser, never straight onto fabric, and use it only on bleach-safe items. For a bleach-free rinse-cycle sanitizer, follow its label.
Does hot water alone sanitize laundry?
Hot water kills more germs the hotter it gets, and 140°F is the usual target. A review found washing above 60°C was needed to cut Staph aureus by 99.9%. When someone is sick, add bleach or a sanitizer and dry on high heat as well.
How often should you sanitize laundry?
Only when the risk is real: stomach illness, a household member with weak immunity, or work clothes from patient or animal care. For everyday loads, a normal wash with a good detergent is enough, and hot cycles can shrink or fade clothes.
How we researched this
We read agency guidance from CDC and EPA, University of Illinois Extension, the University of Arizona's laundry-hygiene researchers, two peer-reviewed papers, NSF's appliance certification page, and the makers' own directions for their bleach, sanitizers and washers. This post cites 12 of those pages plus LaundroMaps directory counts, as of October 2026. We don't lab-test methods, and this isn't medical advice; for a specific illness, follow your doctor or local health department.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- How to Prevent Norovirus
- University of Illinois Extension -- Ask Extension: Sanitizing Laundry
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- What's the difference between products that disinfect, sanitize, and clean surfaces?
- Abney, Ijaz, McKinney and Gerba, Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2021) -- Laundry Hygiene and Odor Control: State of the Science
- University of Arizona -- The Dirt on Laundry and How to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Sick
- Clorox -- How to Use Bleach in Laundry to Clean, Whiten and Sanitize
- Lysol -- How to Sanitize Laundry
- Whirlpool -- How to Sanitize Laundry: Tips and Methods
- NSF -- Washer and Dryer Certification
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- Laundry and Bedding: Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- Cleaning and Disinfecting with Bleach
- OxiClean -- How to Sanitize and Disinfect Laundry
- Zinn and Bockmuhl, BMC Microbiology (2020) -- Did granny know best? Evaluating the antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral efficacy of acetic acid for home care procedures
- LaundroMaps directory data -- 13,000+ US laundromat listings, October 2026
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