[jan hooper]

jan hooper  asked the Naked Scientists:

Hi Chris

With the current emphasis on being green:

(a) do we really need to use detergents to adequately clean our clothes in a washing machine or does oxygenated water do the job just
as well (Lakeland Plastics claim that the oxygenating balls they sell can do this)?

(b) we are being urged to wash our clothes at 30 degrees if they are not truly dirty but I read somewhere that washing clothes below 40 degrees just gives you clean bacteria true or false?

Regards
Jan Hooper

What do you think?

[lyner]

Lots of parasites will survive low temperature washes that would die with a good old 'boil' wash.
Feel a bit 'itchy' do we???