Eli5 why do people say to wash dishes or your hands in warm water when cold slows down bacteria growth?
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In the catering businness you’re technically not supposed to use hot water to wash anything that touched proteins (since the heat cooks it and makes it harder to get rid of), but no one cares and does it any way.
As someone said, any temperature that would actually have an impact would be unsafe for you, so who cares
Warm helps break up food-stuffs and oils on dishes.
Cold slows bacteria growth. (still grows, just slower than normal)
Hot KILLS bacteria. (lowers the amount of bacteria – possibly to nothing, depending on temp and exposure time).
The dish-soap’s despite main function, despite the bacteria-killing claim, is a degreaser. It cuts through oils and helps loosen the bio stuff on the dishes – works better as the temp increases.
Warm helps break up food-stuffs and oils on dishes.
Cold slows bacteria growth. (still grows, just slower than normal)
Hot KILLS bacteria. (lowers the amount of bacteria – possibly to nothing, depending on temp and exposure time).
The dish-soap’s despite main function, despite the bacteria-killing claim, is a degreaser. It cuts through oils and helps loosen the bio stuff on the dishes – works better as the temp increases.
That’s why you should use hot water for dishes not warm.
I soak the dishes in water so hot I can’t put my hands in.
Warm helps break up food-stuffs and oils on dishes.
Cold slows bacteria growth. (still grows, just slower than normal)
Hot KILLS bacteria. (lowers the amount of bacteria – possibly to nothing, depending on temp and exposure time).
The dish-soap’s despite main function, despite the bacteria-killing claim, is a degreaser. It cuts through oils and helps loosen the bio stuff on the dishes – works better as the temp increases.
In terms of washing greases/fats off dishes, look up ‘micelles’. These are what the surfactant in the washing up liquid creates around the fats in order to solubilise them in water and clean them off. The rate of micelle formation increases as a function of temperature, so hot water is better.
That’s why you should use hot water for dishes not warm.
I soak the dishes in water so hot I can’t put my hands in.
In terms of washing greases/fats off dishes, look up ‘micelles’. These are what the surfactant in the washing up liquid creates around the fats in order to solubilise them in water and clean them off. The rate of micelle formation increases as a function of temperature, so hot water is better.
I wash with cold (whatever doesn’t go in dishwasher) – waste of energy using warm water ie. gas to heat up warm water when just going down the drain.
That’s why you should use hot water for dishes not warm.
I soak the dishes in water so hot I can’t put my hands in.
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