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.
If this is going to be a regular occurrence dad will need to be less picky about his clothes.
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.
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.
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.
There’s situations to pinch pennies; this is not one of them.
Throw the clothes out and buy new ones, it'll save you a giant, nasty headache in the long run.
Sounds like you now need to get a cleaner for your machine