The Spruce / Candace Madonna
People whohand-wash a lot of dishesoften wonder whether hot water kills germs.
Others want to know if hot water kills germs in the laundry.
And some people want to save a little money and use cold water for both dishwashing and laundry.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
Does anyone have it right?
Most people can tolerate a temperature of 110 degrees for a short time, but that’s about it.
Specific water temperatures for killing germs are difficult to pinpoint, but drinking water provides a good reference.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
That oil and grime that you rinse away with the water contains bacteria or could otherwise host bacteria.
Be sure to do this in a separate sink basin or washing tub from the bleach solution.
The dishes must be submerged.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
There are very good reasons why you must wash the dishes first and air-dry them.
Making Water Safe in an Emergency.Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
Michaels B, Gangar V, Schultz A et al.Water temperature as a factor in handwashing efficacy.Food Service Technology.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
2002;2(3):139-149. doi:10.1046/j.1471-5740.2002.00043.x
Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water.United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Avoiding Tap Water Scalds.U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
4 Steps to Food Safety.U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services.
