An advanced method with an initiator pretreatment was developed for the coating of nylon/cotton fabrics with the hydantoin-containing monomer 3-allyl-5,5-dimethylhydantoin and two water-soluble crosslinkers N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide and poly(ethylene glycol) 200 diacrylate. The formulations were applied to textiles by either batch coating or dip coating. In the dip-coating process, the influence of individual parameters on the fabric modification was investigated and evaluated. After treatment with chlorine, the hydantoin structure was transformed into antimicrobial active N-halamines. The modified fabrics exhibited potent antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Our method, based on an initiator pretreatment and water-soluble crosslinkers, outperformed current technologies in the degree of fabric modification. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 1646-1651, 2011