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Laundry sanitization is one of those things you may never think about until the need arises — but when the need arises, you want to make sure you do it right. For example, if a contagious illness is threatening to make the rounds in your house or your gym clothes have gotten red-level smelly, sanitizing is the best way to remove germs and bring your laundry back to life. All laundry can be sanitized, but the right method depends on the material; sturdy fabrics like cotton can withstand high heat or bleach, while wool requires a gentler approach like a laundry sanitizer or steamer.

In day-to-day life, a regular wash cycle is all you need to get your laundry clean enough to safely use again. But the primary purpose of washing is to remove debris rather than to kill germs (though it does kill some in the process). By contrast, sanitizing is specifically intended to reduce the amount of germs on a surface to safe levels; many sanitizing products claim to kill 99.99% of germs, for example. There’s also a difference between sanitizing and disinfecting, although the terms are often used interchangeably. Whereas sanitization kills bacteria, disinfecting kills both bacteria and viruses.

Sanitization isn’t necessary for every load — on the contrary, since it requires harsher treatments, it’s better not to do too often to avoid damaging your clothes. However, workout clothes or uniforms that get sweaty should be sanitized regularly. Porous fabrics tend to hang onto germs, so you should wash your bedding after you’ve been sick as well as your towels and clothes. You can also sanitize certain baby gear.

Hot water and bleach are the two most classic methods of disinfecting laundry, widely used by health care facilities. The regular hot water setting on your washing machine likely isn’t hot enough to kill bacteria. If you’re lucky enough to have a sanitizer setting on your washing machine, that’s the ideal way to sanitize these fabrics since the water reaches much higher temperatures — it must get to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit to be effective. Still, regular hot water kills more microbes than cool water, so if you’re in a pinch, wash your laundry in the hottest water the fabric can withstand and dry on high. Fabrics that are typically safe to wash in hot water include cotton and some durable synthetics, but check the label to be sure. Avoid using hot water to sanitize delicates or other synthetics like spandex. Wool, for example, will shrink in high heat.

Similarly, only use bleach to sanitize bleach-safe items, as it can damage or discolor certain fabrics. Fabrics like cotton, linen, polyester, nylon, or viscose rayon are usually safe, while you should never use bleach to clean wool, silk, cashmere, spandex, or elastane. Look for a chlorine bleach with between 5.25% and 6.15% sodium hypochlorite. Oxygen bleach isn’t as effective at sanitization as chlorine bleach, but it is more gentle on fabrics.

Let’s say you don’t have a sanitizer setting on your machine, or you’re dealing with fabrics that cannot tolerate bleach or high heat in any form, like wool, silk, or cashmere. One solution is laundry sanitizer, which you can find in just about any cleaning aisle nowadays. These products contain antimicrobial ingredients to reduce germs.

Before choosing a sanitizer, check the label to make sure it suits your needs; some kill only certain types of microbes and not others. For example, Clorox Laundry Sanitizer is more targeted toward smelly bacteria than illness-causing ones. Lysol Laundry Sanitizer claims to kill 99.9% of both bacteria and viruses when used as directed, including COVID and staph. Typically sanitizers should be added to the fabric softener dispenser or the rinse cycle.

As for DIY laundry sanitizers, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar are two of the most common options. Hydrogen peroxide is effective at killing microbes, and though it can have a bleaching effect, studies have found no discoloration when it’s added to the main washing cycle with liquid detergent on the “warm” setting (around 104 degrees Fahrenheit). Add one cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Vinegar is likely the most gentle option you have, but keep in mind that regular household vinegar only kills a few types of bacteria, and does not kill viruses at all. Moreover, you’d need to use vinegar with at least 10% acetic acid to effectively reduce microbes in laundry.

Lastly, a sanitization method that works for nearly every fabric you can think of: steaming. You can safely steam cotton, most wool, silk, synthetics — you’re unlikely to damage any material with steam alone, so this is the ideal sanitization method to turn to when nothing else is safe to use. It’s also convenient for things that can’t easily be thrown into the wash. You can even steam suede or velvet items, like jackets, as long as you don’t hit them with the steamer straight-on. Your laundry will also get de-wrinkled at the same time. To be effective at sanitization, your steamer must reach at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Above 212 degrees is even better for killing more bacteria and viruses.

Another option is the steam sanitizer cycle on your dryer, if it has one. This works well for items that can endure high temperatures just fine, but cannot get wet, such as pillows and stuffed animals. It can also be a solution to sanitizing delicate or dry clean-only clothing, as long as it’s heat-safe.

Don’t forget to take other steps to protect your health when sanitizing laundry, particularly if it’s from a sick person. Wash your hands or wear gloves, and avoid shaking out the laundry to prevent germs flying all over the place. If the laundry is extremely soiled, wash it in a separate load. Don’t forget to sanitize your washing machine occasionally as well.