Why freshly laundered towels incubators for bacteria

How often do you change your towels? Probably not enough, because towels are much dirtier than you think. The Problem is the visible traces of Dirt, but invisible bacteria. They will be collected in the towel, as in a trap. Prior to the pure number of germs, however, nobody must be afraid. The body is set in peaceful co-existence to life with a myriad of microbes.

It becomes dangerous in a toilet and a bathroom, because that is where the hands come in contact with feces. So E. coli and Salmonella are put on the towels. Escherichia Coli is one of the most common causes of infectious diseases. In the dark, moist and warm environment of the bathroom, the germs then multiply magnificently.

Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, showed in a study that almost 90 percent of the towels are contaminated with coliform bacteria and about 14 per cent, even with Escherichia Coli. Most people do not wash their hands so thoroughly that it comes to a disinfecting effect. The bacteria can survive and be rubbed the remaining moisture into the towel. “If after two days, the towel dries, you’ll probably receive a more Escherichia Coli bacteria in the face, as if you stick your head in the toilet,” said Charles Gerba, the “Time”.

Washing machines

Warentest: Good washing machine is also available for surprisingly little money

Stiftung Warentest has made washing machines. Only a few models failed, but it was the cheap machine Constructa performed particularly well.

Two days are enough

His advice: frequent and thorough Washing. Towels in the kitchens and bathrooms should be changed after about two days, and washed. Especially if small children live in the household. Start to smell the towels, hanging them is definitely too long. The microbiologist Philip Tierno from the New York School of Medicine says: “A towel should be used a maximum of three Times.” And only if it is in between dried completely. Because: “A damp towel begins to live.”

Bacteria don’t like it when the towel in between to dry. Who has a heated towel rail, is on the safe side. In any case, you should give towels the ability to Dry and spread out and not crumpled hanging.

Only genuine 60 degree help

A normal wash is not enough for cleaning. A washing temperature of 30 or 40 degrees makes all the bacteria. You should also keep in mind that most of the machines for reasons of power consumption wash actually with a lower temperature, than on the program. The Stiftung Warentest showed many years ago, as the manufacturer trick. Instead of the set 60 degree wash with only a 50 or 45 degree. In the Test, none of 14 machine actually reached the 60 degrees. “Real” 60 degrees should it be for towels and underwear. The quick wash works mostly in fact with the specified temperature. Cooking washing and disinfecting detergents have a stronger effect, in everyday life, however, necessary. You should leave the attached towel is also not too long in the dirty Laundry, because even there, the germs continue to thrive.

No Towels-Sharing

Also in the case of a contaminated towel, it will not immediately come to an infection. But anyone who regularly uses “Mature” towels, you have to use at some point, even if he has minor injuries or abrasions on the Hand. And then the infection increases the risk. And of course, the danger also increases when it comes with the germs of other people. A one-person household is protected, as an apartment in the different persons, the towels. In front of the towels Sharing Hygiene Professor Philip Tierno warns: “If the towel is shared with other, you come in contact with organisms that the body cannot tolerate. You can get boils, pimples or even infection.”