I read that washing clothes with detergent in low temperature doesn’t kill germs.
I also read that regular hand soap doesn’t kill germs too – it just helps to wash away germs from hands in connection with water.
Does laundry detergent do same?
Does washing clothes in low temperature with detergent wash away germs to any extent?
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Washing clothes with normal detergent will remove some bacteria, but certainly not all of them.
If you want to kill all the germs on your clothing, you need to sanitize it – use very hot water, or use bleach or some other laundry santizer additive. Do be careful; most clothes don’t like very hot water, and some additives – like bleach – can have negative effects as well.
Washing clothes with normal detergent will remove some bacteria, but certainly not all of them.
If you want to kill all the germs on your clothing, you need to sanitize it – use very hot water, or use bleach or some other laundry santizer additive. Do be careful; most clothes don’t like very hot water, and some additives – like bleach – can have negative effects as well.
Molecules broadly have two types of affinity: one for water (hydrophilic), one for oil (hydrophobic). The two don’t mix. Some molecules, like the main important ones for soap, interact with *both* very well on different sides, allowing it do essentially dissolve oil *into* water by acting as a middle man. This will dislodge oily substances, bacteria, and in many cases–it can also break apart the membranes of microbiological life because of how these membranes are structured around using similar molecules to maintain integrity. However, this effect is somewhat effected by temperature, and bacteria are often built to be very resistant to their environment.
Molecules broadly have two types of affinity: one for water (hydrophilic), one for oil (hydrophobic). The two don’t mix. Some molecules, like the main important ones for soap, interact with *both* very well on different sides, allowing it do essentially dissolve oil *into* water by acting as a middle man. This will dislodge oily substances, bacteria, and in many cases–it can also break apart the membranes of microbiological life because of how these membranes are structured around using similar molecules to maintain integrity. However, this effect is somewhat effected by temperature, and bacteria are often built to be very resistant to their environment.
Generally, detergents will kill *most* of the bacteria on your clothes. Same goes for soaps and hand wash when washing your hands – most bacteria will be removed. It’s hard to say exactly how much – too many variables.
In order to be fully sterilised (e.g. completed free of bacteria), you need to use something a bit stronger. For clothes, this generally means washing at a higher temperature. For your hands, this means something like hand sanitiser.
That said – most of the time, a little bit of bacteria isn’t going to hurt you, and washing your clothes at higher temperatures is bad for the environment (and using hand sanitiser dries your skin out). Bacteria is all around you all of the time – trying to remove 100% of it from a given item or place is only ever going to be a temporary fix. Once you wear those clothes, they’ll be populated with new bacteria from your body.
Unless there’s a very good reason why something should be sterile (e.g. it’s going to be used for surgery, or going to be used around a severely immunosuppressed person), it’s fine for there to be a little bit of bacteria.
Generally, detergents will kill *most* of the bacteria on your clothes. Same goes for soaps and hand wash when washing your hands – most bacteria will be removed. It’s hard to say exactly how much – too many variables.
In order to be fully sterilised (e.g. completed free of bacteria), you need to use something a bit stronger. For clothes, this generally means washing at a higher temperature. For your hands, this means something like hand sanitiser.
That said – most of the time, a little bit of bacteria isn’t going to hurt you, and washing your clothes at higher temperatures is bad for the environment (and using hand sanitiser dries your skin out). Bacteria is all around you all of the time – trying to remove 100% of it from a given item or place is only ever going to be a temporary fix. Once you wear those clothes, they’ll be populated with new bacteria from your body.
Unless there’s a very good reason why something should be sterile (e.g. it’s going to be used for surgery, or going to be used around a severely immunosuppressed person), it’s fine for there to be a little bit of bacteria.
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