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What is the Right Temperature of Water for Hand Washing?
One of the most
common misconceptions today is that heat is necessary to get things clean,
especially when it comes to the right water temperature for hand washing. But,
a study has revealed that cool water temperatures are actually more effective
in eliminating similar amount of dangerous bacteria like hot water during the
process of hand washing.
Research revealed
that the safe temperature of water for hand washing is all about your comfort
than anything else, including the amount of time you spend washing, your
behaviors, and how you thoroughly dry your hands.
Where Did the Idea of Water Temperature for Hand Washing
Come From?
The process of hand
washing as a part of a personal hygiene is something that has been around for
many centuries. However, this is also associated with helping in preventing the
spread of different infectious diseases for the past 200 years. It was only
during the last several decades that the written guidelines were officially
made.
Time is More Important Than Water Temperatures
Studies revealed
that there is no such thing as a specific water temperature that is recommended
for hand washing with a significant impact on bacteria reduction. The use of
antimicrobial soaps wasn’t proven to offer substantially more effective results
compared to the use of regular soaps when it comes to the water temperature or
the process of hand washing in general. But, the amount of lather showed
substantial improvement in a specific scenario. It seems than 10 seconds is the
sweet spot because it was effective in germ removal in the least amount of
time.
Hand Washing Products with No Significant Effects
There is no such
thing as a perfect hand hygiene product and each one has its own set of pros
and cons. A plain soap’s cleaning activity is primarily mechanical or detergent
in the removal of dirt as well as other organic substances from the hands. But,
it didn’t show to get rid of pathogens from the hands of the study subjects.
But, the study revealed
that drying your hands is important for a more effective hand washing process.
Using paper towels for drying hands is more effective at germ removal than just
letting water air dry or evaporate on the hands over time. There are also
debates regarding the efficacy of using restroom hand dryers when it comes to
hand sanitation.
Hand Hygiene Can Affect Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
Taps and sinks are
some of the common sources of microorganisms and pathogenic bacteria that can
get transferred to the hands when washing them. It is the reason why using
motion sensor automated sinks and no-touch taps is more preferred.
Another essential
element is focusing on the improvement of the cleanliness of facilities with
cleaning products and techniques. It often involves working with a reliable
commercial cleaning service company like Courtesy Building Services Inc.
that cleans for the purpose of health first instead of appearances and
aesthetics alone, which is all that matters, especially in these times.