Bacteria can travel from person to person in many ways, and washing machines are just one. Minute amounts of fecal matter on underwear can contain millions of viruses. By washing that underwear with other clothing, you can spread those viruses to 90% of the other items in the washer. Most organisms responsible for the cold and flu can survive the wash cycle. It takes high-heat drying for at least 28 minutes to eradicate all bacteria from a piece of clothing.

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