The good news: "Any detergent, when used in accordance with the directions for heavy soils, will eliminate these odors," says Russ Maziarka, Product Manager for Ecolab, Inc., a leading provider of cleaning, food safety and health-protection products, in St. Paul, MN. Doing so will require a few extra procedures.

"The first step would be to maintain a clean environment," Maziarka advises. "If the clothes are held in a hamper for an extended period of time prior to washing, the hamper must be cleaned with soap, hot water and a disinfectant each time the clothes are washed. To insure that you eliminate even the highest level of odors, you may want to rinse or pre-soak the clothes in hot water prior to putting them into the washing machine. When washing the clothes, follow the detergent use instructions for heavy soils, and wash the clothes in a normal manner."

Maziarka adds that too many items in the washer prevents a good rinse. Also, other solutions or wash formulas may be used, but in this case, he says, "No special chemical is needed."