Hotter is better for removing allergens in laundry

A new study finds that the heat setting you choose when doing laundry makes all the difference when it comes to killing dust mites. The scientists observed that washing laundry in hot water--140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 C) or higher--kills all house dust mites, compared with just 6.5% of dust mites in laundry washed at 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 C), or warm water. The study is being presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Sunday, May 20.

Hotter water temperatures are also more effective in removing dog dander and pollen, says lead researcher Jung-Won Park, M.D., Ph.D., of Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.

There is an alternative to washing in hot water thats also effective, Dr. Park found: washing at a lower temperature (between 86-104 F, or 30-40 C), then rinsing the laundry twice with cold water for three minutes each.

In the study, scientists compared allergen levels on cotton sheets after they were washed in various temperature settings. They observed that since more pollen was left on the sheets when they were washed in cooler temperatures (86 F, or 30C), rinsing the sheets was particularly important when using this temperature setting.


Posted by: JoAnn    Source