Do Clothes Dryers Kill Bacteria?

Do Clothes Dryers Kill Bacteria?

Many of us have used clothe dryers to enhance the fast drying of clothes. But do clothes dryers kill bacteria?

The simple answer is yes. It is possible to kill Bacteria when you wash your clothes in a dryer.

While understanding this process is not a straightforward issue, it is needful to have a good enough knowledge of the process and its viability.

It is important to remember that devices cannot accomplish everything for us on their own.

A dryer potentially kills scores of bacteria. Indeed, a vast majority of bacteria is eliminated by the use of a dryer. But the dryer must get hot enough.

One may ask, how hot is hot enough? The minimum temperature at which you can expect to realize any significant eradication of bacteria from your clothes using a dryer is 135°F.

This is the same case for viruses. Additionally, the duration at which the bacteria and viruses are exposed to the heat is of paramount importance.

Therefore, a keen observance of the drying cycle is of utmost importance since the right temperature paired with the wrong drying cycle may not register any positive results.

How Do Bacteria Behave In Different Environments?

Although it may require a scientist to describe the life-cycle of specific types of bacteria fully, a little research on bacteria reveals much information that can be useful to you when doing your laundry chores.

The lifespan of bacteria in the dryer is affected by several factors, and these must be factored in in any worthy discussion regarding dryers.

 

To effectively dive into the worthy discussion of whether or not a dryer can potentially eliminate viruses and bacteria, it is needful to acknowledge that bacteria are diverse and come in all forms.

They are either harmful or un-harmful.

Clothes dryers are said to have the capability of eradicating, by death, a vast majority of bacteria at temperatures above 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is important to note that a clothes dryer may not kill any significant number of safe bacteria. Indeed, only harmful bacteria can be eliminated using a clothes dryer.

We find bacteria on all surfaces. There is virtually no space that can be said to be safe from bacteria. However, all bacteria are not harmful.

For the bacteria which are not harmful, they can brave extreme temperatures. A dryer will not be able to get the heat that would suffice to kill such bacteria.

But, is there any good reason why you would wish to kill bacteria that are not harmful?

This may not be a worthwhile adventure but if you want to kill them, then look for the solution in another place but not in a dryer.

How Hot Do Dryers Get?

Different manufacturers have different ratings for dryers. However, by default, many dryers have their peak temperatures at around 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today, you will still easily find clothes dryers that can run at 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the other hand, if you are desperate enough for higher heat rated clothes dryers, you will still find others that can run at temperatures closer to 176 degrees.

However, this is not a common occurrence. Therefore, as most dryers hover around 135 degrees Fahrenheit, you will need to know how to deal with bacteria at this temperature.

Because you cannot change the maximum temperature for your dryer, it is needful to understand how to navigate your way out of bacteria with the temperature that your dryer can manage.

It is best practice to use what you have rather than die desiring what you can’t have.

Can Bacteria Survive in the Clothes Dryer?

It is naive to assume that washing clothes in a dryer are not the panacea to kill all germs and viruses in your clothes. If this has been your thinking, then you are dead wrong.

Indeed, bacteria and viruses can survive and even live in your dryer.  Bacteria found on clothing do not give up their lives simply because they are in a dryer! 

Indeed, modern-day clothing styles have made it possible for more viruses and bacteria to exit the dryer safe or even safely live in the drier.

Consider the role of modern washing detergents that enable us to wash clothes at low temperatures with great success.

Due to the advancement in modern technology, we today have biological detergents packed with the capability to ensure a clean wash at temperatures as low as 40 ℃.

This seems to be a blessing to our already straining pockets, as there are lower bills to pay at the end of the month. Unfortunately, this is not always the best way to cut the bills.

Indeed, clothes washed at such low temperatures will leave the clothes’ dryer with most of the bacteria on them before they were put in the dryer.

Still, they can even get more contaminated in the dryer either by other clothes or by the dryer itself.

Dryers that are always used at these low temperatures will have bacteria left behind by every wash.

These bacteria can be propagated to other clothes that are introduced to the dryer.

Therefore, modern methods of washing our laundry are, by default, the greatest culprit of spreading harmful bacteria in our homes.

A cooler heat setting in your fryer will provide a haven for bacteria in your dryer. Bacteria will be kept lurking by a lower setting during washing cycles.

Unfortunately, the bacteria will be left alive in the washer drum and can stay there for long.

Therefore, if you wish to reduce bacteria and germs from your clothes, you will not want to wash clothes at lower temperatures to conserve energy.

Although everybody wants to save any reasonable amount of money and divert it to other uses, the laundry may not be the best place to cut corners.

This is especially so if reducing the temperature at washing cycles is what you have at your disposal as the strategy to reduce power consumption.

Why would you save money with the bills and use more to have your family members treated with even more of it due to infections passed on through the clothes dryer?

You want to be careful with the temperatures in your clothes dryer. However, there is more that goes into the laundry work.

You will not only need to address the temperatures in isolation.

You will also need to access the process. Have you ever thought of the benefits you can realize if you washed your clothes in separate loads?

Washing clothes in different loads is tedious but required for keeping consistent health!

It is important to maintain a strong and rigid stance when making your laundry experience as bacteria-free as possible.

To ensure that you get to this state of security with your laundry, you need to get an appropriate laundry machine and provide best practices in washing.

Continue reading on to know more about ensuring a clean and safe wash with your laundry.

Should Washer Drums Be Sanitized?

Lingering bacteria love the washer drums area, and these come as the main culprits. The situation is more difficult when there is a deliberate avoidance of the hottest cycles.

The strangeness of sanitizing washer drums confuses many. This is because to them; laundry detergent is always running through the washer.

Worth noting is the fact that, in their design, laundry soaps were never intended to kill any form of bacteria.

They have a simple function, which is to rid clothes of stains, odors and other forms of dirt.

Therefore, without using bleach, it is impossible to tackle the issue of bacteria in washer drums.

Yes! It will help if you run a wash cycle directly poured bleach into the washer drum to get the best results.

However, to conserve energy, you may opt to use a bleach-water mixture. This should be sprayed onto the drum, after which it should be wiped with a clean fabric.

Are There Other Alternatives to Killing Bacteria in the Laundry?

Methods to be used to get rid of bacteria abound. For instance, the use of peroxide, borax, and the use of pine oils has been used for a long with significant levels of success.

As you decide to use these methods, you need to take a few precautions. You will need to factor in your pets like cats.

Cats cannot stay near pine oils, while peroxide may create bleach-like effects on your dark clothes.

Therefore, you are better off sticking to what has been tried, tested, and found true; heat.

Ensuring you run adequate heat cycles with the proper heating will get rid of many types of bacteria that may be on your clothes.

Indeed, this is the ideal way to eliminate most of the bacteria you have in your clothes.

Why Should You Use A Drier?

Many people know the usefulness of a washing machine when it comes to washing and rinsing. A washing machine can wash many clothes within a very short time. 

This is a very useful thing in today’s world. However, the clothes will still be wet after washing, and they cant be worn right away. This is where dryers come in handy.

Dryers have effortlessly solved this problem and are more popular than washing machines.

One good thing about a dryer is that you can use it regardless of the time of day. With a dryer, there is no need to think about the weather.

Even if it is during the rainy season, you can still clean your clothes and wear them instantly.

This is unlike other forms of washing where you have to wash your clothes and then spend more hours waiting for them to dry in the sun.

A continual practice of drying clothes in the sun is the fading away of bright-colored clothes. This is not a thing you want to happen to your clothes.

A dryer is handy as you can get your clothes clean and dry within a short time. You do not have to wait for hours before you wear your clothes.

Again, you do not have to wash the clothes early to give them time to dry.

This means that you have a lot of time that a drier frees up for you to use the same on other productive activities.

If you live in humid places and have been using the conventional way of drying your clothes in the sun, there is so much you can benefit from once you buy a dryer.

With a dryer, nothing can ever be bulky. Even heaps of clothes will be easy to wash without much strain.

With a dryer, you will not need to hang heavy clothes on a clothesline, always concerned about the weather patterns.

This comes as the fastest method for drying your clothes.

Dryers are meant to save you much in terms of laundry time.

Read on to know how to buy the best dryer.

How Do You Get The Best Drier?

With so many products in the market, it is not easy to know which dryer to go for.

However, a few precautions can see you buy the best dryer that will ensure that you enjoy your laundry.

First, you can ask around. You may ask among your friends and relatives. These will be handy as they may recommend the best dryer that they have used.

They will also tell you what not to buy according to their experience with certain brands.

Additionally, you may read user reviews online for a better glimpse of what those who bought the same products feel about them.

Only consider buying the brand that has the most positive reviews.

Conclusion

A dryer is a great way to take care of the germs and bacteria that threaten your life. Many forms of bacteria cannot stand the heat for extended periods.

Once you know the maximum heat that your dryer can run at, decide how long you will need to be exposing bacteria in your clothes to heat.