On 17/07/2015 11:33, David wrote:
The recommended wash these days for clothes is low temperature - 30C to
35C I think - and this is often quite a quick wash.

Concerns have been expressed, however, from time to time, over the low
temperature not killing bugs/germs/whatever. Sometimes a recommendation to
add a disinfectant to a wash from time to time.

So - my dishwasher has various options including a fast low temperature
35C wash. We are currently using the "daily" program which goes to 65C and
takes over two hours.

Killing germs on food items is probably more important thank killing germs
in your woolly jumper. However in the old hand wash days the water was
probably not much higher than 35-40C unless you were dead 'ard and/or
wearing thick Marigolds.

So - what does the team think about low temperature washes in a dishwasher?

I note that there is an "auto-sensing" program which washes at between 40C
and 65C but I have no idea how it makes up its mind.

My experience is that dishwashers part of the process to dry the items
in a dishwasher is by heating them up in steam.

Does this cold wash do the same, or are plates etc wet when removed from
the dishwasher?

FYI, hands can generally tolerate temperatures to just below 50C.