Your underwear needs a breath of fresh air

(Credit: Sauda Nabatanzi)

HEALTH & HYGIENE

Many of you reading this consider underwear to be a sacred item of your wardrobe. Well, the reason could be that it is a rather private addition to your bedroom drawer.

And like any other garmet you've got, it must be washed regularly. In fact, more often than the average clothing. Reason? Underwear comes into the closest of contact with the most private of body parts. Theirs is a job as a little 'dirty' as it can get.

But in all that, take caution when keeping these delicately special items clean. While you might think that your underwear is clean after washing it, it could instead drag some health hazards with it.

That is, if you do what many people do: wash and hang the underwear indoors to dry, say in the bathroom.

This is where I remind you that the risks involve not just underwear but undergarments in general: panties, bras, vests, etc. Anything worn beneath clothing and comes into direct contact with the skin qualifies.

Due to the privacy attached to undergarments, most people use panty pegs, which they place in either their bedrooms or bathrooms to let them dry.

But there is a downside to this.

Denis Anguyo, a doctor with St. Augustine Clinic in Kansanga, throws more light on this. "Indoors is a convenient environment for micro-organisms such as fungus to grow. Such breed in moist places and this can affect the person wearing the undergarment."

Skin infections like rashes are a common after-effect. Besides, a person can pick up foul odor.

Anguyo says the ultra-violet rays of the sun have disinfecting properties that help to sterilize the garments and leave them moisture-free - all which cannot happen if these clothes are hang behind closed doors.

It is the moisture got while they are left indoors that enhances the growth of bacteria and fungi.

How to care for undergarments

Anguyo explains that for those who are totally not comfortable with hanging them outside, they should at least iron the middle part after drying. He offers more ways on how to care for undergarments.

When left outside to dry, the time should be limited and not too long to cause crumpling.

To avoid staining, undergarments should not be washed while bathing or anytime when rushing.

Undergarments should be soaked in detergent for about 20 minutes before washing them. This eases the washing process and removes attains.

Though undergarments come in various materials, Anguyo recommends using cotton ones as this type of material is good at absorbing fluids compared to others.

Different undergarments and clothes should be washed then kept separately. Underwear can be kept alone in a toilet bag.

After monthly periods, one should endeavor to use panty liners for some days in order not to stain one's panties.