In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On 17 Jul 2015 10:33:29 GMT, 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.

Cheers

Dave R

Two thoughts:

1) The British public (and probably all in the western world), are
neurotically and unnecessarily obsessed with the hazards of 'germs'.
Those that can do real harm are few and far between. It's not as
though we suffer the ravages of tropical diseases, and our immune
systems can cope with the rest, if properly trained (which they
probably aren't these days, due to our neurotic and unnecessary
obsession, see above).

2) Detergents in dishwashers wash away the germs along with the food
residues; it's what they do. Just like soap when you wash your hands.
You don't have to wash your hands in bleach or boiling water to remove
germs. Dishwasher detergents are probably sufficiently caustic to kill
the germs anyway, irrespective of temperature.


Yup.

And unless the clothing has been exposed to some significant nasty, I'm
not sure what we are supposed to be catching from clothes washed at 30C
or whatever (and again, surely the detergent will get most of them?)
--
Chris French