Ever wondered why cold and heat can beat bacteria and viruses, and exactly how it happens? We have. With the Corona Virus running rampant through the world, many are looking for ways to take on germs and come out the other side unscathed. But what happens when you expose different viruses and bacteria to certain temperatures? Let’s find out.
Cold vs Warm: What’s Better?
When it comes to killing viruses and bacteria, it’s better to battle with warm temperatures than cold temperatures.
In fact, you can’t kill germs in the cold at all. Freezing germs or virus particles will simply put them in a dormant state, meaning they’re less likely to do any damage at that time. Once they’ve reached a warmer temperature, they snap back into action, and continue creating havoc wherever they land.
Killing Germs in Food
One great example of this is the bacteria E.coli, which is often found in food and can cause food poisoning when it’s not dealt with properly.
To stop E.coli from spreading its potentially dangerous germs once you’ve brought food out of the freezer, you have to heat the food and cook it thoroughly. This kills the bacteria completely, and ensures that the food is safe to eat.
Germs and bacteria love temperatures between 40°F and 140°F. In fact, this is when they’ll multiply & become potentially lethal. So what temperature kills bacteria? You’ll need a temperature of around 165°F to ensure you kill all of the germs lingering in food.
165°F is the perfect temperature to break up the outer structure of the germ, which will render them completely useless and kill them, meaning you don’t have to worry about your romantic dinner causing any less than romantic after-effects.
Killing Germs on Clothing
Another area you need to keep an eye out for germs and bacteria, is in your clothing, especially if you’ve been sick. Virus and bacteria particles will cling and linger on clothing, but by cleaning your clothes regularly, you can rid yourself of every germ.
Washing machines and tumble dryers are perfect for keeping your clothing clean and as sterile as possible, because they deal with heat: hot water and soap in the washing machine, and extremely high temperatures in the tumble dryer.
In fact, it’s the dryer that’ll do the most damage to the structure of viruses and bacteria, as they work between 135°F and 150°F. Thanks to this heat, you’re less likely to have any lingering viruses or bacteria living inside your tumble dryer too, which makes them the ultimate germ killing machine.
Top tip: want to give your clothing that extra boost in the washing machine? Add a little bleach into the mix and you’ll get rid of bacteria and viruses that haven’t quite been captured by the heat.
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Last Update: 2024-04-23 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
