Germ Warfare

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my 2 cents ... maybe 4 ;-))

1) Mold, bad smells and co.

I use liquids since the 80s, use FS but I never had any problem.
Ronhic's washer has a plastic outer tub, but he hasn't any issue too.
The secret maybe is this : both of us often run our machines @ 60°C or more.

I do agree with Flo/MrBoilwash about the "cold-wash-hype". It's a wrong way to be green. Launderess wrote hundred times : our body temp is 37°C so body oils can't be washed away properly with colder water

The right way is solar heated water to feed washers. Solar tanks never exceed 55°C/130°F so profile wash (enzyme phase) is possible. Don't you believe me? Check the piped vid : @ 4:40 you can see the main wash starting @ 40°C

2) Germ-o-phobia

Lee/Sudsmaster is right. "Trained" antibodies work better. When there is no germ to struggle, antibodies have odd behaviours AKA allergies. In the past many doctors prescribed antibiotics even when unnecessary (read flu - a virus, not a bacterium). The results are : more antibiotic-resistant bacteria (new antibiotics required) and more allergic people.

3) Hygienic laundry

Germ-o-phobic or not, all of us have germs/fungi in/on our bodies. Some of them are necessary, others are dangerous if too many. We have just to control their number. [Let's put a condom in the washer - sorry,can't resist LOL] Between cross-contamination and sterilization there's common sense. Common sense says that a pair of socks worn all day long in a hot day requires hot water or bleach. Probably is less evident that kitchen towels dirty of raw meat/fish/egg require very hot water or bleach (also cutting boards and knives)

 

[launderess]

Germs Growing In A Washing Machine

Am shocked. Shocked!

Have been saying this for years, and shall go on saying so, indeed if this house was on fire would stand on the roof top and shout it again: yes, there are "germs" on laundry and or growing inside one's washing machine. So what of it? There are also bacteria and god only knows growing all over every single surface you come into contact with, if you could see them you'd never feel safe in your own skin again. As have also stated, back in nursing school,one assignment in our Microbiology class was to swab and culture various surfaces around the school, and am here to tell you what grew in those petrie dishes was foul.

Aside from several very contagious diseases such as smallpox, no one in history has been greatly harmed much less killed by exposure to bacteria laden laundry. Yes, one hundred or even sixty or so years ago before the invention of antibiotics one could come down with an illness, and one supposes depending upon one's physical state that infection could lead to or hasten death, but that is not the case today.

Think of all the times persons break wind, sneeze, cough, pick their noses and god only knows what else in bed, and or wearing clothing. Not to mention sitting down on various surfaces. Each time one is picking up and carrying "germs" around that will sooner or later end up in one's home, and probably in one's laundry therefore in the washing machine.

Cleaning a washing machine to remove mould and germs is probably a good thing, in so far as that goes, but germs at least will be right back soon as the next load is washed. Moulds and mildew are VERY difficult to get out of enclosed spaces such as a washing machine because you can only "clean" where water in the tubs reach. Mould growing say around the inside of rubber boots on front loading washing machines isn't going to be touched by "boil" or "cleaning" washing no matter how often and with what chemicals are used. Water simply does not contact the surfaces enough for the saturation with heat and chemicals to do the job properly. Unless germ levels are knocked down to near nil, those remaining will quickly repopulate. Indeed they now may be stronger after having survived and even adapted to whatever chemical or method was used for cleaning.

There is also the fact that once germs, moulds and so forth start growing, soon they create what is known as a "biofilm". Basically a strong colony of bacteria and such that is very difficult to disloge. Again, unless one gets down to the bottom of this film and removes the entire group, the layers below remaining after "cleaning" will simply continue to reproduce.