posted
Ive washed and dried a down comforter, and used clorox. Once it dries (which takes a long time) it turned out great.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Lyme patients often have too much ammonia in their bodies and the liver seems impaired in getting it out.
Please do NOT use ammonia. It is very toxic, even in small amounts. And the steam from the washer (and ammonia laced humidity from the dryer) can be toxic to you, your eyes, nasal passages, lungs - and nerve cells.
It's best to not even have a bottle of ammonia in the house - as the fumes can escape plastic. It can be adding to overall toxicity, even if you don't notice it.
Ammonia does not dissipate easily. But, then, neither does chlorine bleach - that can live on for months in fabric. I found that out the hard way with some cotton curtains someone gave me.
I used about 1/2 cup of bleach(way too much but I was trying to lighten the fabric). I could still smell it 4 months later. I rinsed them, washed them over in soap and nothing could wash away the chlorine smell that clobbered me over and over.
I would steer clear of chlorine, too, as that is very toxic to nerve cells and irritation to your respiratory system. The humidity and agitation of the machines make that worse.
If you do use bleach, maybe just one teaspoon per load. And you might rinse two or three times. Ventilate the laundry room BEFORE you open the bottle and all during the wash and dry cycles.
CITRUS BASED soaps can kill mold, and germs. So can dryer heat. Maybe add two drops of a lemon essential oil to the wash water (but not to the dryer). -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
Twelve Common Household Chemicals That May Be Dangerous - by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Excerpt:
ammonia - Ammonia is a volatile compound that can irritate the respiratory system and mucous membranes if inhaled, can cause a chemical burn if it is spilled on skin, and
will react with chlorinated products (e.g., bleach) to produce deadly chloramine gas. . . .
The liver plays a vital role in most metabolic processes. One of these processes is the detoxification of ammonia in the blood. Ammonia is a by-product of normal protein metabolism and is also created by bacteria in the intestines.
When the liver is damaged,
[Keebler's interjection: and lyme often damages, or at least strongly stresses the liver]
the detoxification process is disturbed and ammonia levels rise. High levels of blood ammonia can cause problems in a number of organs, most notably the brain. . . .
- full article at link above. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Wash with a cup of white vinegar, that will kill the mold and remove odor. I add a half cup to every load of laundry I do.
-------------------- Down on her knees, she wept on the floor. This hopeless life, she wanted no more. Dead in the mind and cold to the bone, She opened her eyes and saw she was alone. ~Seether Posts: 427 | From Rhode Island | Registered: May 2011
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I just took a look at this thread again and, I swear the headline read:
"Do you think you can wash down a comforter with ammonia?"
To my brain came this picture: a tired guy perched on a bar stool, cozied up with a marshmallow white comforter and tall pint of icy beer. Really, right there on my mind's theater screen.
Oy, Vey! It's late here but not yet midnight. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
Tammy, Every time I see this post it reads to me
"Do you think you can wash down a comforter with ammonia"
My dyslexia must still be in full function mode.
Good luck with your comforter!
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Borax is much better.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- karen - cudos. "20-mule team" borax power to the rescue. Now I remember those old commercials. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Keebler! I had to laugh when you said.. "I just took a look at this thread again and, I swear the headline read: "Do you think you can wash down a comforter with ammonia?"
I've read the same title every day, maybe a couple of times a day, and that is exactly how I keep reading it! I have to keep going back and slowly reading it to get it right!
In fact, I came here JUST to share that same thought! Not once have I read it right the first time!
And like you, some poor guy sitting on a bar stool trying to wash down a comforter with a cup of ammonia is what kept coming to my mind too!
Glad YOU said it first! Now I don't feel so __________ (fill in the blank).
momlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 27775
posted
What proof is there that borax kills mold or neutralizes mycotoxins?
I know using ammonia is controversial here and I have read the arguments against it.
I have to say from experience, I have used borax, 100% boric acid, 35% food grade H2O2, vinegar, orange guard and ammonia on moldy clothing and other items contaminated with mold. Ammonia is the only one that definitely stops my reaction to mold.
I am hypersensitive to mold and IMO borax just doesn't do the job.
This study and most of the studies out there are on decontaminating grain with ammonia. The studies say, ammonia works on mold and mycotoxins. http://www.fao.org/docrep/T1838E/T1838E0c.htm
-------------------- May health be with you!
Toxic mold was suppressing our immune systems, causing extreme pain, brain fog and magnifying symptoms. Four days after moving out, the healing began. Posts: 2007 | From NY/VT Border | Registered: Aug 2010
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posted
If you're worried about the after-effects or lingering issues with using ammonia to wash the comforter, why not just run it through an extra rinse cycle after washing with the ammonia?
Then you could try and wash it again with Charlie's Soap laundry detergent. Charlie's Soap does an excellent job of removing lingering odors and traces of things in clothes.
Charlie's Soap works great for me on removing that lingering Clorox odor when I wash cleaning rags.
I wash the cleaning rags in hottest water with normal detergent and Clorox, put it through an extra rinse, and then wash it again with Charlie's Soap and Voila! I do it this way because I don't believe Charlie's Soap will disinfect things -- it's just a super detergent for removing residues and odors.
Charlie's Soap is non-toxic, scent-free, safe for all fabrics, biodegradable and great for removing allergic and potentially toxic traces from laundered items.
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