Hot, soapy water followed by a soak in a dish sanitizer wiped out nearly all microscopic organisms. But cooler water, followed by a rinse and sanitizer, killed off germs just as well, according to the research.

For the most part, in case of heavily soiled clothes, towels and bedding, whites should be washed in warm or hot water, but there are some exceptions: Sheer or delicate fabrics, such as lingerie and swimwear, require lower temperatures, while stains like blood, wine, and coffee might set if washed in warm or hot water.

Put on protective gear when diluting or using bleach as it irritates mucous membranes, the skin and the airway. Cold water should be used for dilution as hot water decomposes the active ingredient of bleach and renders it ineffective.

Just like humans don’t like taking cold showers, cars prefer hot water when it comes to getting clean too! Some quick cleaning factors that are temperature dependent: Soils and soil deposits are more soluble at elevated temperatures. The surface active agents in detergents are more efficient.

There is one good reason to wash up in hot water, and that’s because most bacteria die at about 60C, and nearly all at about 87C. You might as well wash up in cold water and make sure the plates are thoroughly clean to feel and sight, and then dry them with a clean cloth immediately.

The bottom line: While hot water can, in some instances, speed up the cleaning process, for most modern tasks, cold works just as well—and has immense benefits to the environment.

“Warmer water can irritate the skin and affect the protective layer on the outside, which can cause it to be less resistant to bacteria,” said Carrico. Using hot water to wash hands is therefore unnecessary, as well as wasteful, Carrico said, particularly when it comes to the environment.

Pro: Hot Water Kills Germs Washing clothes in hot water is a great defense against germs, bacteria, and viruses. To kill germs and allergens, you must wash in temperatures of 140 F or more, so toss the potentially infected bed linens and clothing into a hot wash and let the water do what it does best—kill germs!

110-120 degrees

Drinking even a small amount of hand sanitizer can cause alcohol poisoning in children. (But there is no need to be concerned if your children eat with or lick their hands after using hand sanitizer.)

Does Hot Water Kill Germs? Boiling water kills the germs in the water, and it also can kill germs on surfaces of items submerged in the boiling water. Using moist heat is an excellent method of sterilization, which is why boiling baby bottles for five minutes is a recommended practice to sterilize the them.

between 175 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C). This temperature is below that of boiling water or even a simmer.

It will kill all the germs if the food gets hot enough all the way through. I usually find that 8 minutes works for most things. As long as the food gets hot enough all the way through, for things like meat, fish, chicken.

There are three levels of disinfection: high, intermediate, and low.