Bacteria can survive on clothes for a long time, especially if they are exposed to favorable conditions. Studies have shown that bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes can survive on clothing for months, especially at room temperature. Bacteria survived on cotton or mixed fabrics for up to 90 days, and on polyester fabrics – for up to 200 days.
Most bacteria survived better in high humidity conditions, suggesting that Clothing should be stored in a dry environment to minimize the growth of microorganisms. Although it is difficult to precisely determine the risk of infection associated with wearing second-hand clothing (as comprehensive research has not yet been conducted on this issue), people with a weakened immune system are much more vulnerable to infections.
To minimize the risk, Therefore, you should wash used clothes in hot water (approximately 60°C) with detergent. This temperature effectively removes contaminants and neutralizes pathogens, but it wouldn’t hurt to add a disinfectant to the laundry. It is also worth remembering that new clothes straight from the store may also be a source of contamination, because many people may have worn them before, so it is also worth washing them before wearing them for the first time.
***
Stay up to date and become one of 88 thousand followers of our fanpage – like Geekweek on Facebook and comment on our articles there!
Source: geekweek.interia.pl
