Forum: outdoors.stackexchange.com
Tags: <clothing><hygiene><cleaning><socks>
Title: How do I disinfect my wool hiking socks?
Question: I've got athlete's foot after having my feet in the same boots for extended periods of time.   How can I disinfect my wool hiking socks to prevent this from spreading and reinfecting my feet?

Answers:
sents: text: Simply throwing them in the wash should suffice, but if you want to be extra sure the fungus dies, you could soak your socks in a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water mixture for ten minutes.
text: Keep in mind that it's not your socks you need to worry about so much as your shoes, they're a little more difficult to clean.
text: Try changing your insoles out, they make special ones which help prevent athletes foot.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/4148/ShemSeger
score: 14
sents: text: Hot Water - needs to be very hot
text: - 140 F (60C) - reported to kill all, but is not good for wool.
text: UV Light - hang out to dry in direct sunshine.
text: Products exist that claim to sterilize shoes using UV light and can be used for socks.
text: Chemicals
text: - Anti fungal Laundry rinse (e.g. Canestan) is effective, Borax etc.
text: Bleach alone does not kill fungus spores.
text: Your shoes and feet need treatment as much as your socks.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/None/
score: 12
sents: text: (Late answer here.)
text: A scholarly report discusses fungus and laundry
text: Several years ago, a scholarly report was published.
text: The report's "Appendix A" discusses, among other things, how you should do laundry if someone in the home has a fungal infection.
text: The advice given
text: The report advises: Whenever you do laundry, add some activated oxygen bleach (AOB) .
text: Notes:
text: You can use standalone AOB, or a detergent with AOB included.
text: This is available in most supermarkets, but you have to know what to look for.
text: See this link .
text: If possible, also do laundry at 140 °F (60 °C) .
text: Note:
text: This may shrink and/or destroy certain items.
text: (Source.)
text: Read their care labels.
text: Use the regular cycle .
text: Don't enable "quick wash", "water saving", or any other environmentally-friendly options.
text: Make sure each item goes through the rinse and spin cycles at least twice .
text: Preferably three times.
text: It's best to wash items belonging to the infected family member in separate loads from everyone else's laundry.
text: If you can also dry the items in sunlight , this is an extra bonus.
text: Water temperature
text: In some countries (including the US and certain others), if you want to wash clothing at 140 °F (60 °C), there's a problem.
text: An article on the Bottom Line Inc. website states that, in these countries, household water heaters typically are set to 120 °F [50 °C] to minimize the risk of scalding.
text: The article suggests three possible workarounds.
text: One
text: ( dangerous ) workaround would be to raise your water heater's temperature to 140 °F (60 °C).
text: But this is a dangerously-high setting.
text: (Source.)
text: It may also be illegal in your jurisdiction.
text: (Source.)
text: Water at 120 °F (50 °C) takes 5-10 minutes to cause a third-degree burn; but water at 140 °F (60 °C) takes just 3-5 seconds. (Source.)
text: Third-degree burns sometimes kill people.
text: (Source.)
text: Maybe I should email the Bottom Line Inc. and suggest that they revise their article.
text: Another workaround might be to pour a kettleful of boiling water into your top-loading washer shortly before it's finished filling.
text: A third workaround is to use a washing machine with a water-temperature-boosting feature , "such as the Whirlpool Front-Load Washer with Deep-Clean Steam, model #WFW86HEBW, which can get the water up to 150 °F [65 °C]".
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/12817/tealhill supports Monica
score: 10
sents: text: Going along the "homebrew supply" route, peracetic acid AKA PAA/peroxyacetic acid is a reasonably safe and very effective sanitizer.
text: It's used in hospitals and by veterinarians, as well as in the brewing industry.
text: I've splashed it on myself and my partly wool socks (and shoes)
text: enough times that I'm confident it won't hurt your socks.
text: Use suggestions: Dilute 1:200. Don't get the undiluted stuff on your skin or in your eyes!
text: Don't try to smell it!
text: (I've been there and done that.)
text: Diluted, it is still a bit of a skin irritant, so rinse immediately.
text: Even diluted it will react with metals, except for stainless steel.
text: Recommended exposure time is usually 10 minutes, but I'd probably use it longer on cloth.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/4310/Pepi
score: 4
sents: text: Chlorine Bleach is not good for wool.
text: Found a solution that worked for me - phenolic disinfectant (Lysol) the web site also suggested Pine Oil (Pine Sol or Lysol Pine Action) http://laundry.about.com/od/handwashing/fl/How-to-Wash-Wool-Socks.htm
text: Remember to also disinfect towels, shower shoes/sandals, etc as the athlete's foot fungus can spread via laundry basket contact (or gym bag / backpack)
text: http://laundry.about.com/od/laundrybasics/a/athletesfootlaundry.htm also (same address as prior ending with) /disinfectlaundr.htmBest
text: of luck
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/9285/Charles
score: 3
sents: text: I have dealt with this myself.
text: I use wool socks almost exclusively and sometimes a tech liner underneath.
text: Cheap White Vinegar.
text: Buy by the gallon and keep on hand and foot.
text: Use undiluted or 50/50 lowest. 10% bleach solution is what I use INSIDE my shoes and fan dry thoroughly at least once a season for any shoes I sweat in.
text: Good luck.
text: Foot AIDS sucks.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/8624/bob
score: 2
sents: text: Rubbing alchohol is also an effective disinfectant.
text: However, the problem is more general:
text: Wearing socks inside foot boxes on a day in, day out basis is the root.
text: Recommendations to prevent a recurrence: Go barefoot more of the time.
text: When you do get an infection, rub your feet with rubbing alcohol at the end of the day.
text: Do not sleep in socks.
text: If the weather is cold enough, keep separate day socks and sleeping socks.
text: On canoe trips I wear 'reef boots' (footwear with rubber soles and neoprene sides) on several week trips.
text: During the day my feet were constantly wet.
text: Once in camp, I changed to dry socks and lightweight runners or sandals.
text: No problems.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/2157/Sherwood Botsford
score: 2
sents: text: I have found that using a mixture of a cap full of bleach with the detergent and adding a cup of pine sol helps.
text: As well as turning your water heater up a small amount.
text: I would also highly recommend using anti fungal powder in between your toes after showering and throughout the day as needed, as a preventative.
answer_details: author: outdoors.stackexchange.com/users/19474/Ryan
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
Some say bleach alone will not kill fungus spores. others say to soak your socks in a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water mixture for ten minutes. Use anti fungal powder in between your toes as a preventative. Peracetic acid  AKA PAA/peroxyacetic acid is a reasonably safe and very effective sanitizer. Anti fungal Laundry rinse (e.g. Canestan) is effective - Borax etc. Another recommendation is phenolic disinfectant (Lysol). The web site also suggested Pine Oil (Pine Sol or Lysol Pine Action), or rubbing alcohol. UV light or a hot wash are also recommended.
Hot water, antifungals, alcohol and disinfectants work well. Bleach can work in combination with other products.