How Can Handwashing Dishes Increase Your Chances of Getting Sick?

[lordkenmore]

Anti-bacterial soap

does pose one problem that is worth mentioning. Some suggest that the use of it (and all the other anti-bacterial treatments) leads to "super bugs." The decision of what products to use is personal, but I, myself, refuse to use it.

 

[maytagbear]

Plus,

Triclosan and Triclocaraban (active ingredients in "antibacterial" soaps) are possible endocrine disruptors, and my endocrinology nurse practitioner said that I should avoid them as much as possible.

He said that "regular" soap/handwash, lots of water, vigorous rubbing, and a clean towel were sufficient in every day use.

L/Mb

 

[whirlcool]

You know, this thread reminds me of something.

When I was growing up from the time I was 14 until I was 18 I had a serious strep throat every winter. Two times ended up in the hospital. When I moved away to college and then off by myself I have never had it again.

Sometimes my sister would wash dishes instead of using the DW. Her trademark was any Tupperware glasses she washed(and we had a TON of them!) would be just as greasy as the sauce on the roast served the night before when done. It's just wonderful to grab a Tupperware glass out of the cupboard and have it slip out of your hands because it was so greasy. My parents didn't seem to think that there was anything wrong with this.

I wonder if there was a connection between my streph throat and my sisters wash methods?

 

[arbilab]

Tupperware's porous surface and affinity for grease is why I never liked it. But sure, slimy glasses of any material presents inadequate washing technique.

 

[stan]

germs

humm
Well do you want to kill them, or do you want to get rid of them? There is a difference!

It seems to me there are a few methods that are being discussed to achieve the same desired results!

Extreme heat ( sometimes heat and hold ) Disinfectants (chemical) Soap and water, I'll call that the (slippery method)

Plain old soap and water, I can tell you, germs are not going to like very much! The alkalinity of the soap, and the fact that the surface tension has been reduced so greatly, that it's extremely difficult for the germ, or microbe to hang on!! Therefor "sliding" down the drain! Screaming "NO NO"

The kitchen sponge is a little different, in that it is not a smooth surface, and a germ could hang on for dear life! Wetting the sponge, and putting in the microwave for 2 min should do the trick.

Plates, glassware, flatware, kitchen countertops, are pretty smooth surfaces for the most part. Same for bathroom surfaces.
(there is is reason for that!) The smooth surface and the use of hot soap and water is generally enough to remove, and rinse away the bad guys!

Now if you turn around a dry with a dirty towel, or wipe the floor, ect then you caused a cross contamination situation to occur! Most people
( that have enough sense to pour piss out of a boot) would not do that! Or wash the dishes with the same water that was used to scrub the kitchen floor! (whoever did that needed to be slapped there her mother!)

The dishwasher is not the all end all!
If someone dose not wash there hands before taking the clean stuff out...or reaches into the cupboard, where the clean dishes are with dirty hands, or into the sliver ware drawer, or sets their purse on ect ect ect
Most communicable diseases are caused from cross contamination, not because you don't have a dishwasher!

Common sense, hand washing, sanitizing sponges, dishclothes, and dishtowels, will serve well in the fight!

 

[whirlykenmore78]

@ Whirlcool, Slimy or gritty glasses or dishware

Holy shit. Was sis going to be the cross-contamination Queen? Improper warewashing procedure in the home can be just as devastating as in the professional kitchen. Proper warewashing procedure is key to they avoidance of foodborne illness. If the machine is keeping temp and being used properly in both domestic and institutional settings most risk can be eliminated.
WK78

 

[twintubdexter]

I've read all about those super-strains of bugs and germs that can develope from using antibacterial soap, but if it says antibacterial on the label, I'll buy it. I'm a rebel.

 

[alr2903]

"We do the best we can"

The 10 nastiest things in the kitchen are your fingers,  wash wash wash your hands sinks and countertops need wiped down before and after use.  Twin tub dexter is right, it's your hands that put the dishes away from the dishwasher or a sink wash and hot rinse under a running faucet.  I prefer to wipe down with dishwashing liquid and a capful of LCB after preparing  raw poultry or pork.  Make very sure you use pesticide under the kitchen sink especially around the pipes.  Are your cabinets free of all pests?  1 ant or a single roach can crawl through the worst of muck under a house then track every microrganism listed in this thread across your "sanitary dishes".  Wash your hands thoroughly before you put dishes away.  Automatic dishwashers excel at difficult to wash items like dish "brushes", have you ever attempted to wash a "splatter screen" by hand? This is a project an automatic dishwasher, makes effortless.  Last of all look at stainless steel flatware,  where the name or pattern is stamped on the back of the handle of most forks and spoons, especially teaspoons the tiny writing will have a bronze cast in some homes that handwash, doubtful  you will see this "bronzing" in homes that use a dishwasher. The nastiest thing in many homes and most hotel rooms is the remote control for the TV.  Most cell phones would be in the top 10 for pathogens. Just my opinions.  alr

 
 

 

[tolivac]

Can DISHWASHERS be a problem,too? I used to eat at a freinds house-they had a WP dishwasher-they didn't scrape or rinse dishes-the kids did the "KP" dish duty.As the washer was loaded by them-dishes not put in the way you normally would.and their pets,2 cats and a dog-were LICKING food residue out of the dishwasher door.and the machine smelled.Probably should be buried at the hazardous waste fill.And when the dishes were done-they were NOT clean-had to ask several times while eating there for truely clean dishes and glasses without food "specks" on them -surprized they all didn't get sick.and they liked that blue speckeled enamelware dishes-most of the enamal was worn off-leaving a RUSTY dish.Asked to eat off a regular plate.didn't want rust or whatever elese was in it in my food.Honestly I would have taken that worn enamalware out for target practice!

 

[sudsmaster]

A malfunctioning dishwasher is probably far worse than the average hand dishwashing technique.

I remember I once picked up a semi-non-operational Bosch dishwasher, free off Craigslist. The owners only said it took a long time to wash. When I got it home and tested it, it became obvious the internal water heater wasn't working any more. And the whole thing had this awful mold smell. Like a old mushrooms left in the fridge too long.

I put it back on Craigslist with an explicit warning that it didn't work right, but some guy swung by and snapped it up. Apparently all he needed it for was for some cosmetic purpose, although I didn't pry.

That said, I really loathe hand washing dishes. Like as was said here, I found I had to keep on dumping the lukewarm greased out dishwater. Wearing rubber gloves could allow the water to be hotter, but then the gloves make handling smaller items problematic. And basically it's a drag. I was a renter until I was 47 and hence had to hand dish wash until then. I was in 7th heaven when I bought my own house and installed a new dishwasher. Even though it was a POS Frigidaire, it seemed like magic to me. It's since been replaced by a working Bosch. Although the Bosch is making groaning noises during drains so it might be on its last legs and get bumped sooner than later by a Hobart KA...

 

[frigilux]

While most of us have dishwashers that heat to 140 degrees in the Normal cycle, the newest models only heat to around 110-120. You have to use a Heavy cycle or opt for the Sanitize rinse to get that number from 140-160 degrees. I suppose the strength of dishwashing detergents will still get rid of germs/bacteria in the cooler temps...right?

Choosing the 160 degree rinse adds only about 8 minutes to a cycle on my LG, so I use it quite often--more to speed drying than any concerns about sanitization, really.

Kitchen Sinks: Notorious for being as germ/bacteria-laden as toilet seats. I buy industrial yellow disinfecting cleaner and pink sanitizing fluid from Sam's Club and use them on countertops and sinks, as they do in bars and restaurants.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Everything that goes in our mouth (or that our mouths go on) goes in the dishwasher...

Though we're waiting for our daughter to out grow her "mini" dishes & silverware that aren't dishwasher safe, or at least not break our "adult" dishes so that her stuff can get washed in the D/W, too!

Aren't there different trade names for "sanitizing" among certain brands of dishwashers?

I've seen on Kenmores, 'Sani-Temp', and some other brand had 'Hydro-Boost'... What are/were others?

-- Dave

 

[lordkenmore]

the Bosch is making groaning noises

This possibly proves that even dishwashers hate the drudgery of washing dishes!

 

[lordkenmore]

Wasn't there some article that got linked to here a few months back that suggested that using heated dry on a dishwasher alone would sanitize dishes well enough for home use?

 

[washerboy]

bleach

Yeas ago an inspector for the state health department told me to add one part per million of household bleach to the rise water and all the nasties would be killed. When I do have to wash dishes by hand I add a little bleach to the wash water and I try to have a clean field and a dirty field.

I think the part of the problem is we don't teach home eco in schools like we used to. We have several generations of folks that grew up on fast food and have no idea how to manage home kitchen. Not only general household operations but food safety as well. One doesn't thaw meat on the counter top for 3 days before cooking or make french fries with the lid on the skillet..or like my future daughter-in-law...squirt dish soap on a dirty sponge..give the dish a swipe and rise in cold water...you know..that hot water can burn your fingers as well as mess up your nails!!

 

[twintubdexter]

There's certainly a lot of useful information posted here that goes beyond the dishwasher. One of the things that I find helpful is the hot water circulating pump that came with my house. I didn't think much about at first but now I don't think I could live without it. Another thing I like is Clorox Spray Cleaner. Another one of my weird quirks...I sort of like the way chlorine smells.

 

[hunter]

Dishmasters

I prefer to use the Bosch and do 99% of the time. But for the things that MUST be washed by hand, the Dishmaster is great. You can squirt HOT soapy water on stuff, use the non porous brush on the items then rinse in HOT water. And you don't have to immerse your hands in a HOT dishpan so you can use much hotter water and NOT burn your hands.

It does a nice job.

 

[davey7]

You mean there are people (other than my dad) who actually use a dishpan or sink filled with soapy water?!?

I remember hearing a few years ago, that thanks to bathroom cleaning products, that the kitchen is by far the least sanitary room in the home.

 

[washer111]

@washerboy

Its not that there ins't Home Ec (Here in Aus, anyway), its that they don't teach how to wash dishes CORRECTLY.

 

In our cooking class, they use just ONE sink (which is pretty small), and it forces you to not rinse, before or after washing. Who ever I work with, I DO THE DISHES. My way is the right way (my way or the highway baby!). I rinse EVERYTHING before washing, and use water that I can barely touch. Even with a small load of dishes, I will do 3-4 water changes. Sometimes I will rinse everything afterwards too. 

When I rinse, I use the hottest water available at the tap, and since the school is probably wary of germs etc, the heater is set so hot the water STEAMS quite severely out of the tap (Scalding risk).

 

Some people are pretty hopeless, whilst others are not. 

 

With our DishDrawer, the "Normal" cycle, the Main-Wash is at 122-131ºF (50-55ºC). The Final Rinse is what some machines of the 80's (GE GSD2800) would call sanitised: 140ºF/60º. 

Recently, with my frequently changing loading patterns, I've used the Heavy/Heavy-Eco cycles in order to get rid of any musty smells inside (so 158º/149º or 149/140). The best part of the Heavy (and Eco version) is that it includes 3 post-wash rinses. I had to hang around to see whether that was true! But the dishes sparkle more than ever when washed on Heavy (I tested it on some regular dishes yesterday. I've never seen dishes so sparkly!)

 

[perc-o-prince]

-Drink water from garden hoses

-Share bottles/cans of pop (soda) with your friends (no straws- just lip it)

-If your sandwich hits the ground, dust it off and continue eating it

I won't let the kids on my bus (any age) use hand sanitizer while on my bus. I tell them to use it before they get on the bus or after they get off, if they want. My excuse is that there are too many kids with sensitivities, and there's a risk of spilling the messy stuff thereby making a mess. Now, add to that that I can't stand the smell of most of it and that's a distraction to the driver (safety concerns are always looked at seriously!).

We've gotten too hung up on a lot of this. Yes, there are far worse "bugs" out there now than when most of us were kids, but with all the sanitizing these kids go through now (hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial soaps, etc.), it's no wonder they can't fight anything off! Our dishes are clean, dishwasher-done or by hand. Common sense prevails, if one has it. Whether it had raw meat on it or had water in it, it gets the same treatment. Good old hot water, soap, and a (thorough) rinse. That said, 90% of our stuff goes through the Hobart KA as neither of us likes hand-washing the everyday stuff.

Sheesh. Rant over.

Chuck