The water temperature does not make a difference in removing harmful bacteria, according to a Rutgers-New Brunswick study.
Rutgers study indicates that hand washing for 10 seconds eliminates harmful bacteria
Donald Schaffner, distinguished professor, Department of Food Science.
Donald Schaffner, distinguished professor and extension specialist in food science, says their study found that cool water removes the same amount of harmful bacteria as hot.
In the study, published in the June issue of the Journal of Food Protection, high levels of a harmless bacteria were put on the hands of 21 participants multiple times over a six-month period before they were asked to wash their hands in 60-degree, 79-degree or 100-degree water temperatures using 0.5 ml, 1 ml or 2 ml volumes of soap.
“This study may have significant implications towards water energy, since using cold water saves more energy than warm or hot water,” said Schaffner. “Also we learned even washing for 10 seconds significantly removed bacteria from the hands.”
Read more about the study’s findings in Rutgers Today.
