The COVID-19 Pandemic has placed more scrutiny than ever before on effective hygiene.  There have been countless articles, reports, and YouTube Videos on proper hygiene techniques and hacks such as singing the birthday song while you wash hands.  In our previous article, we discussed the benefits of handwashing over hand sanitizer. In this article, we will discuss if there is a difference between cold versus hot water and which is more effective for various cleaning tasks.

Hot Water

It has been well documented that extreme heat kills germs and bacteria and sanitizes objects.  Dishwashers are run with hot water.  Medical tools are sanitized in hot water.  Even some loads of laundry are recommended to be washed in hot water.  Does that mean everything should be done in hot water to ensure it is clean?

Concerns About Using Hot Water

Hot water is not the end-all solution to cleaning.  As mentioned above, hot water is used for many purposes in sanitation, there are times where hot water might not be the best.

When Using Chemicals

When using chemicals, it is better to use cold water.  The reason is that hot water can cause a chemical reaction by heating the chemical molecules thus breaking them down and preventing them from being effective in the cleaning process.

Dishes

Although dishwashers use hot water to clean the dishes, it might not be effective for handwashing dishes.  The most effective way to hand wash dishes is to soak the dishes with soap and hot water but clean with cold or warm water.

Laundry

As mentioned above some laundry settings require hot water.  There are times, however, when washing with cold water is better.  For example, when washing clothes with colors, hot water might tend to make the dye in the clothes run.  Furthermore, if an article of clothing has a stain, then hot water might cause the stain to set.

Hand Washing

The extreme heat water is needed to get to sanitize and kill germs and bacteria is hot enough to burn if not melt skin.  As long as you are washing hands with soap and giving it a good lather on both sides, then the temperature of the water will not have an impact.

Is Cold Water Better?

Not necessarily.  As mentioned already, there are times when you want to use as much hot water as possible to sanitize something.  This is especially true with medical tools and utensils.  With that said, however, there are times where cold water might be more advantageous.

Laundry

Coldwater provides a clear advantage when washing clothes.  Coldwater can be suitable for articles of clothing that are either white or has color in it.  The best way to determine what temperature to use when launder clothing is to check the tag on the clothing.

Dishes

As mentioned already, soaking dishes in hot water and dish soap will help break down the grease and food particle buildup.  Dishes should be rinsed in cold or warm water afterward for an effective clean.

Using Homemade Cleaning Solutions

As discussed above, it is not recommended to use hot water with chemical solutions, the opposite is true for using homemade solutions.  When using a homemade solution made out of vinegar, baking soda, and/or lemon then the cold water will prevent the molecules of these natural cleaners to interact with the dirt properly thus making them less effective.

Wood Floors

When mopping on wooden floors, one should use cold water.  Hot water tends to warp wood and reduces the lifetime usage of the flooring.  To prevent damage to the wood floors while cleaning, it is best to use cold water.

Hand Washing

There is a reason why hospitals, especially the operating rooms, are kept extremely cold.  Cold is effective in preventing germs and bacteria from growing and thriving.  With that said, however, the temperature needed to get water cold enough to work similarly is essentially ice.  Not only is washing with ice uncomfortable but it not very effective in cleaning hands.