On 17 Jul 2015 10:33:29 GMT, David wrote:

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.

Eh? I recall the days where whites were boiled, pretty much. Big vat thing in
the basement, water, fire underneath, stovepipe to the chimney, wooden paddles
to beat the dirt into submission. This is in Treznal, though.

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.

AFAIK the cloudiness of the wash water. I have heard a recommendation to add a
squirt of ketchup to the dishes to help raise the temperature, as it dirties the
water. No idea if it works.

(Bit daft, I think, to add dirt to get the dishes warmer...)

Thomas Prufer