Yeast and Bleach

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2005
Yeast and Bleach
6
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 8:41am
I get frequent yeast infections and I think that they are caused by my birth control pills. I say this because I have never had yeast infections untill I started taking the pills. I have read that you can use bleach to wash your underwear in and it will kill the yeast spores. So my question is...Does anybody know if I should just add the bleach with the regular wash cycle? Or should I wash the underwear first with detergent then send it back through another wash cycle and add just the bleach? Thanks!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2004
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 9:48am

Hi,

I suppose bleach wouldn't hurt but it seems a little extreme. And lack of it in the wash probably isn't the real cause anyway, so if something else is causing it, bleach wouldn't help that anyway. Instead of bleaching underwear it could be the wrong kind of underwear.

I think you're right that sometimes bcp can be a cause of yeast infections along with other medications and the wrong kind of underwear can cause it or at least make it worse if you're prone to get the invections anyway and a lot of girls don't realize it and their vanity choice of underwear and clothing just exasperate the problem. Thongs should definitely be out. You should wear cotton panties whenever possible. and not wear ultra tight jeans and not wear panties to sleep in.

But the best thing to do is discuss it with your doc. There are other infections with similar symptons. So talking to your doc is at least a peace of mind thing. And she'll give you recommendations on prevention, and relieving the symptons.

Good luck

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2005
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 11:34am
I only wear 100% cotton underwear. I have stopped wearing thongs for a long time now. But I have read that the yeast spores can still live on your underwear after regular washing, therefore reinfecting you. I want to avoid that at all cost. I don't want to keep going out and buying new underwear. On the back of the clorox bleach, it says it kills viruses and other things, and also yeast. So that is why I wanted to try it. I was only going to put a small amount in. But I didn't know if I should put it in at the start of the cycle with the detergent...or put just plain detergent alone, let it run through the cycle, then put plain bleach in and run it through another cycle. I wasn't sure what to do.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 2:20pm

Hi jelly2323, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2006
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 2:59pm

Throughout college, I worked at a restaurant and we had to disinfect all of our linens each time we did the laundry. We would put the bleach in with the laundry soap, let the agitator go for a while, then we would actually stop the laundry cycle for 30 minutes to an hour so the linens could soak and get super disinfected and clean. If you have your own washer, you might think about doing that. If you're like me and have to deal with the laundromat, I'd just throw the bleach in with the soap and some really hot water.

Sounds like you're doing everything you can to help your problem! Don't forget that yogurt and acidophilus supplements are great yeast fighters, too. I think my love of yogurt has really kept me healthy in that department.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 9:18pm

i don't know about bleach (but my guess is that it will kill ANYthing), but my friend a while back used to iron the crotch of her underwear to kill off any bacteria or yeast. She had lots of problems with yeast and other infections until she started this practice. As far as I know, she still does it.

Good luck, yeast infections are a drag.

Apricot

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 02-01-2007 - 9:40pm

Hi again apricot.sushi,


>>my friend a while back used to iron the crotch of her underwear to kill off any bacteria or yeast. She had lots of problems with yeast and other infections until she started this practice.<<


Great suggestion!

      Jill