Does washing your hands with warm water instead of cold really kill more germs?

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: DougK62
Do any of you guys saying hot water is better have ANY sort of proof? All of your reasoning sounds ridiculous.

Yes, actual real life experiences.

LOL - your post was hilarious. Hot water is better for washing dishes because the heat softens up the chunks of nasty food. It's also nicer because it evaporates more quickly.

How is that evidence that hot+soap actually gets you cleaner than cold+soap?

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: rh71
hold on... boil for 10-12 minutes ? Leave it boiling (kettle whistling) for 12 minutes ? I thought it was good as soon as it reached boiling. That's when I turn it off and assume it's good to go.

Everything I have ever read on the subject says 10-12 minutes. But consider that most of what I have read has come from camping/backpacking sites. If you were doing either of those activities, you would probably want to err on the side of overkill when it comes to your health.

10-12 minutes is overkill, but over killing bacteria is a good thing, I guess. 🙂

I'm trying to get at this... so when we boil water for tea or coffee... we bring it to a boil (the whistling of the kettle), then turn it off right away and pour. If it takes 10-12 minutes to kill bacteria, why are we bringing it to just a brief boil then drinking it ? The bacteria would still be alive.

I know what's stated is overkill, but this would insinuate you need at least a few minutes while at boiling, no ? I thought boiling temp = kill everything right away.

Guess what I'm asking:
10-12 minutes after boiling or 10-12 minutes from turning the heat on (it takes that long to reach boiling anyway) ?

http://www.healthnetwork.com.au/travelc...travelbulletin-print.php?bulletin_id=6

In most cases, water is rendered safe to drink if boiled for 2 - 3 minute, which will kill most bacteria, worm spores and parasite spores (most bacteria are killed quickly once the water is above 65ºC). To ensure that virtually all amoebas are killed, water should be boiled for about 10 minutes.

Important: As water boils at lower temperatures above sea level, add 1 minute boiling time for each 300m above sea level.

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: DougK62
Do any of you guys saying hot water is better have ANY sort of proof? All of your reasoning sounds ridiculous.

Yes, actual real life experiences.

you measure bacteria levels on your hands? really? you have a lab to do this or what?

Hot water is better for removing substances than cold water. That's what I'm trying to say. If you'd like to refute that, then do so.

 

[jjones]

No, warm, pulsating water just gives the germs that jacuzzi feeling.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: DougK62
Do any of you guys saying hot water is better have ANY sort of proof? All of your reasoning sounds ridiculous.

Yes, actual real life experiences.

you measure bacteria levels on your hands? really? you have a lab to do this or what?

Hot water is better for removing substances than cold water. That's what I'm trying to say. If you'd like to refute that, then do so.

The question at hand is "does it remove more germs?". You need boiling water to kill germs, and a person doesn't wash their hands in boiling water. So the answer is NO - temperature doesn't matter.

No one is arguing whether hot water removes crusty apple pie stains better - we all know that it does.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DougK62
Do any of you guys saying hot water is better have ANY sort of proof? All of your reasoning sounds ridiculous.

Originally posted by: mobobuff
The molecules in hot water are moving faster than in cold water, so in conjunction with the properties of the soap, the combination removes dirt/bacteria from your hands better than cold water. Washing crap off of plates is much easier with hot soap water than with cold soap water. But if you're using water hot enough to KILL bacteria to rinse your hands... then you've got some problems.

That's the reasoning. Washing your hands is NOT to kill bacteria, it's the remove some of them. In fact, using antibacterial soap is a BAD idea in most cases since it increases resistance to antibiotics and (by removing the bacteria from your skin) leaves an ecological niche for harmful bacteria.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DougK62
The question at hand is "does it remove more germs?". You need boiling water to kill germs, and a person doesn't wash their hands in boiling water. So the answer is NO - temperature doesn't matter.

No one is arguing whether hot water removes crusty apple pie stains better - we all know that it does.

You just contradicted yourself. What makes crusty apple pie stains different from bacteria? Do bacteria have some magical machine that makes them immune to the effects that govern the transport properties of small particles?

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: DougK62
Do any of you guys saying hot water is better have ANY sort of proof? All of your reasoning sounds ridiculous.

Yes, actual real life experiences.

you measure bacteria levels on your hands? really? you have a lab to do this or what?

Hot water is better for removing substances than cold water. That's what I'm trying to say. If you'd like to refute that, then do so.

The question at hand is "does it remove more germs?". You need boiling water to kill germs, and a person doesn't wash their hands in boiling water. So the answer is NO - temperature doesn't matter.

No one is arguing whether hot water removes crusty apple pie stains better - we all know that it does.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msoapwater.html

So, in summary: Hot water is better than cold. Cold water is better than none. Soapy water is better than plain water. And you and your wife need to find some hobbies if this is what you're arguing about.

LOL, it's like that response was written for this thread.

 

[DougK62]

So when did the question change? It started as "which kills more germs?" but now it's morphed into "which gets more crap off your hands?". Those are different.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: DougK62
So when did the question change? It started as "which kills more germs?" but now it's morphed into "which gets more crap off your hands?". Those are different.

Admit it -- you're Ned's wife, aren't you?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DougK62
So when did the question change? It started as "which kills more germs?" but now it's morphed into "which gets more crap off your hands?". Those are different.

Most people assumed that the OP was using the standard layperson's view of microbiology.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: DougK62
So when did the question change? It started as "which kills more germs?" but now it's morphed into "which gets more crap off your hands?". Those are different.

Most people assumed that the OP was using the standard layperson's view of microbiology.

...and the OP is satisfied with werk's answer. I guess I lose the argument.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: werk

Originally posted by: DougK62
So when did the question change? It started as "which kills more germs?" but now it's morphed into "which gets more crap off your hands?". Those are different.

Admit it -- you're Ned's wife, aren't you?

Only in my dreams 😉 I'm actually siding with Ned.

I guess maybe I'm just reading the question more literally then the rest of you guys.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: rh71
I'm trying to get at this... so when we boil water for tea or coffee... we bring it to a boil (the whistling of the kettle), then turn it off right away and pour. If it takes 10-12 minutes to kill bacteria, why are we bringing it to just a brief boil then drinking it ? The bacteria would still be alive.

LOLOLOL!
You dont boil water to kill the germs in your tea. You boil the water to make the Tea brew:
1)Raise its solvent ability factor.
2)Make the teabag paper more permeable.
3)Create Microcurrents in the water.
These 3 effects allow your tea to quickly brew while hot. Ever try making tea in cold water? It takes hours.

 

[torpid]

Here is a better question that I have debated in my mind and with coworkers.

Here at my work, they alternate bathrooms so that on one floor you have a men's room, the next women's, etc. I therefore must touch 6 door handles/surfaces to wash my hands: door to the stairwell, door from the stairwell, door to the men's room, door from the men's room, door to the stairwell, door from the stairwell.

I have often wondered what the net gain or loss in germs is. I still watch my hands in this manner, because they "feel" cleaner, but I am not sure that it really is useful. In fact, it may actually cause me to have more germs than before.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: torpid
Here is a better question that I have debated in my mind and with coworkers.

Here at my work, they alternate bathrooms so that on one floor you have a men's room, the next women's, etc. I therefore must touch 6 door handles/surfaces to wash my hands: door to the stairwell, door from the stairwell, door to the men's room, door from the men's room, door to the stairwell, door from the stairwell.

I have often wondered what the net gain or loss in germs is. I still watch my hands in this manner, because they "feel" cleaner, but I am not sure that it really is useful. In fact, it may actually cause me to have more germs than before.

Have you seen the "Dirty America" segment on Good Morning America this week? Some guy was swabbing all sorts of things (doorknobs, escalator railings, etc.) to see what types of nastiness he could find. Virtually everything he swabbed had traces of fecal matter. Virtually everything.

EDIT: Maybe it was the Today Show. I can't remember.

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: rh71
hold on... boil for 10-12 minutes ? Leave it boiling (kettle whistling) for 12 minutes ? I thought it was good as soon as it reached boiling. That's when I turn it off and assume it's good to go.

Everything I have ever read on the subject says 10-12 minutes. But consider that most of what I have read has come from camping/backpacking sites. If you were doing either of those activities, you would probably want to err on the side of overkill when it comes to your health.

That mostly has to do with killing certain cycsts and whatnot. These are not something that you are going to encounter in everyday life, especially in tap water. If you are heating up water for tea, it just has to get hot enough to steep the tea leaves in. Out of the tap, there won't be anything that needs killing.

In the wild, the bacteria/cycsts come from infected animals shitting in the water supply. That is why you filter or boil the water. That step has already been taken care of by the time it comes out of your tap. If you have well water it usually isn't a concern either because the animals generally don't have tiolet access to your aquifer.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: rh71
I'm trying to get at this... so when we boil water for tea or coffee... we bring it to a boil (the whistling of the kettle), then turn it off right away and pour. If it takes 10-12 minutes to kill bacteria, why are we bringing it to just a brief boil then drinking it ? The bacteria would still be alive.

LOLOLOL!
You dont boil water to kill the germs in your tea. You boil the water to make the Tea brew:
1)Raise its solvent ability factor.
2)Make the teabag paper more permeable.
3)Create Microcurrents in the water.
These 3 effects allow your tea to quickly brew while hot. Ever try making tea in cold water? It takes hours.

I don't care about the tea... I care about the germs in the water. People boil water (instead of it coming straight from the tap) and let it cool to make it bacteria-free for drinking (depends on how dirty you think the water is). I guess now that I realize tap water is more clean than I thought previously, this boiling is more pointless, as far as I'm concerned.

We've been boiling our water and letting it cool in a pitcher... as opposed to drinking water from the tap.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: rh71
I'm trying to get at this... so when we boil water for tea or coffee... we bring it to a boil (the whistling of the kettle), then turn it off right away and pour. If it takes 10-12 minutes to kill bacteria, why are we bringing it to just a brief boil then drinking it ? The bacteria would still be alive.

LOLOLOL!
You dont boil water to kill the germs in your tea. You boil the water to make the Tea brew:
1)Raise its solvent ability factor.
2)Make the teabag paper more permeable.
3)Create Microcurrents in the water.
These 3 effects allow your tea to quickly brew while hot. Ever try making tea in cold water? It takes hours.

I don't care about the tea... I care about the germs in the water. People boil water (instead of it coming straight from the tap) and let it cool to make it bacteria-free for drinking (depends on how dirty you think the water is). I guess now that I realize tap water is more clean than I thought previously, this boiling is more pointless, as far as I'm concerned.

We've been boiling our water and letting it cool in a pitcher... as opposed to drinking water from the tap.

where do you live that you think the public water supply is dangerous? :Q 😕

 

[sao123]

If you are that concerned about your water quality, have it professionally tested.

But if it comes from a public/city water drinking system, its generally perfectly ok to drink. If its well water, it might be worth having it tested to determine it drinkable state.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: rh71
I'm trying to get at this... so when we boil water for tea or coffee... we bring it to a boil (the whistling of the kettle), then turn it off right away and pour. If it takes 10-12 minutes to kill bacteria, why are we bringing it to just a brief boil then drinking it ? The bacteria would still be alive.

LOLOLOL!
You dont boil water to kill the germs in your tea. You boil the water to make the Tea brew:
1)Raise its solvent ability factor.
2)Make the teabag paper more permeable.
3)Create Microcurrents in the water.
These 3 effects allow your tea to quickly brew while hot. Ever try making tea in cold water? It takes hours.

I don't care about the tea... I care about the germs in the water. People boil water (instead of it coming straight from the tap) and let it cool to make it bacteria-free for drinking (depends on how dirty you think the water is). I guess now that I realize tap water is more clean than I thought previously, this boiling is more pointless, as far as I'm concerned.

We've been boiling our water and letting it cool in a pitcher... as opposed to drinking water from the tap.

where do you live that you think the public water supply is dangerous? :Q 😕

There have been cases in just the past few years where the public water supply killed people. I don't have a link, but it was up in Canada a year or two ago. Floodwaters made their way into the public water supply, and lots of people got e-coli. Deathlarity ensued.