Which of the following is recommended when washing clothing worn during pesticide application?

• A. Run an empty cycle of the washer with just detergent
• B. Use bleach in every wash
• C. Add fabric softener during the wash
• D. Dry clothes immediately on high heat

Answer: (A)

Removing pesticide residues from both clothing and the washing machine is the goal. After washing clothing that was worn during pesticide application, run an empty cycle with only detergent to flush out any remaining pesticide from the washer itself. This helps prevent residues from contaminating future loads.

Washing contaminated clothes with detergent and hot water is important, but the empty-cycle step specifically targets the equipment so nothing unwanted gets carried into clean laundry. Bleach isn’t reliably effective against all pesticides and can leave harmful residues or react with chemicals; fabric softener can leave a coating that traps residues; drying on high heat can set any remaining residues into fabric and increase exposure. The empty-cycle wash with detergent best reduces cross-contamination by cleaning the machine.