How to Kill MRSA Bacteria on Bedding

Methycillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is easily spread and difficult to treat in the human body. Health care facilities have found the best way to prevent its spread is through scrupulous cleanliness. While most people don't have access to the industrial-strength laundry facilities used by hospitals, your home washer and dryer will do a good job of eliminating MRSA from clothing, towels and bedding without dousing everything in bleach. Just as plain soap and water kill MRSA on your hands, so does the average laundry product kill it on sheets and pillowcases. Frequent washing and avoiding cross-contamination while doing laundry are the two best measures in fighting the spread of MRSA at home.

Things You'll Need

• Washer
• Laundry detergent
• Plastic bags
• Disposable gloves
• Clothes dryer
• Clothes iron (optional)

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Launder your bedding every week. Remove sheets, pillowcases and blankets that may be contaminated with MRSA, and either put it directly into the washer or place it in a plastic bag until you're ready to do laundry.

• 2

  Launder bedding items such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets and mattress pads in the hottest water recommended by their manufacturers. Not everything can be washed in hot water, so follow the laundry instructions printed on the sheet's or pillowcase's tag.

• 3

  Use standard laundry detergents and additives when washing bedding that may be contaminated with MRSA organisms. Using a lot of bleach is usually not necessary and can damage bedding fibers. Your favorite brand of detergent will do just fine in combating the spread of MRSA among family members.

• 4

  Dry laundered bedding items thoroughly in a clothes dryer using the highest temperature appropriate for their fabrics. Pressing sheets and pillowcases with a clothes iron is not usually necessary but may provide some extra peace of mind.