toxic laundry

Twice in an 18 month period I have experienced a reaction to some chemical used by the small laundry services that populate tourist areas--once in Bangkok and once in Pattaya.

The clothing in question was just out of the plastic bag. The only identifier I can note is a very strong, sickly floral-chemical smell to the laundry items, generally not present in the laundry I've had done there.

Symptoms are not mild: I felt on the verge of blacking out, unable to get up, and that my breathing was not providing enough oxygen.

I'm fit and have no health issues that would relate to this. Different laundry locations (small, family-run), and the wearing situations were totally different--one occurred at home when I wore a Pattaya laundered a-shirt to the gym. My guess is the physical activity accelerated the skin absorption of the substance.

Any expats up on this? I'd like to avoid this ever again.

The smell you describe could well be the rinse additive used by the laundry. Masks any smells of staleness caused by poor drying conditions, etc.

I know my local small laundry watches out for the speciall offers on rinse aid and soap powders at the local supermarkets, and then buys in bulk, so there is a regular change, whatever is cheapest is flavour of the day.

Given the lack of controls on quality and counterfeiting in Thailand, who knows what could be used in some of the special offers.

Reminds me of the cheap duvets sold in China that were discovered to be filled with used hospital dressings!

I have suffered an allergic reaction twice (nasty chest rash) in the last year after using certain sunee laundries. I dont know what they use as i launder every second day but it only happened the twice. Maybe they use different things on different days.

I had to have all my stuff recleaned on return last month.

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Originally Posted by fattman

but if you have a permanent place here you should buy your own washing machine.

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I did and she's excellent - collects the laundry 3 times a week and brings it back ironed.
Hardly ever breaks down but if she does her sister does the job until repaired.

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Originally Posted by litefoot

Symptoms are not mild: I felt on the verge of blacking out, unable to get up, and that my breathing was not providing enough oxygen.

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This doesn't sound like a reaction to your laundry unless they soaked it in fresh trichloromethane and held it over your mouth. The worst you should feel is an itchy rash. I used to get it sometimes in very hot humid weather, so I got the maid to use the rinsing programme twice, never had it again.

You should see a doctor me thinks.

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Originally Posted by fattman

This sounds a bit like my car. It seems to wash itself overnight - miraculous :cyclops:

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Bless.

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"We had to experiment to find powders that did not give us a rash and now stick to one or two brands, and the amount of powder used is important too." - Fattman

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I have also had problems with skin irritation from washing powders I have used in Thailand. Which one or two brands do you use?