Cold water 'just as good as hot' for handwashing

Conclusion This experimental study aimed to assess handwashing techniques by testing the most effective soap volume, water temperature, and lather time for getting rid of bacteria. Contrary to current guidelines, which recommend using hot water when we wash our hands, this study found using colder water (15C) was just as effective at getting rid of bacteria. It also found washing your hands for longer – 30 seconds – was found to be more effective than washing for 15 seconds. The researchers hope their study will help policymakers such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make evidence-based recommendations around handwashing techniques. But this was a very small study with a sample size of just 20 participants. It only compared two products: a plain soap with no specific antimicrobial ingredients and an antimicrobial soap that included 1% chloroxylenol. A more comprehensive assessment is needed, studying many more products and organisms, before we can consider changing handwashing recommendations.  Current guidelines recommend that we wash our hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds: after using the toilet after handling raw foods like chicken, meat, and vegetables before eating or handling ready to eat food after having contact with animals, including pets Read more advice about handwashing. Links To The Headlines Antibacterial handwash is NO better than soap – and cold water kills as many germs as hot, experts claim. The Su...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news