Clean, freshly laundered clothes ? they are one of life's little joys and necessities. But, have you ever been concerned about how clean your clothes really are? With the polluted air, germs, and other environmental contaminants your clothes come into contact with on a daily basis, you have to wonder if your laundry detergent is doing its job adequately.
Depending on your lifestyle and what you do for a living, disinfecting your laundry may not always be necessary. But if a member of your family is ill or if you wash your clothes at a public laundromat, then disinfecting your laundry every time becomes a priority. And, of course, you never really know what germs you might have come into contact with on a daily basis. After all, they are everywhere around you and you don't even know it. So, what is the best way to ensure your clothes are germ-free? Read on for some valuable information on microbial disinfection by hot water and how to disinfect your laundry.
Hot Water Still Rules
Way back in the old days people would literally boil their clothes to make sure they were clean and sanitized. It seems our ancestors had the right idea. Studies have shown that hot water is a naturally hostile environment for germs and other microbes, essentially killing them off. These same studies also concluded that, to effectively do this, the temperature of the hot water needs to be between 178'F and 194'F. The problem here is that washing machines in most homes heat water to a maximum of 140'F, not quite hot enough. An obvious solution is to add bleach to your laundry. Known for its ability to sterilize, bleach can augment the disinfecting power of hot water, but should be used only if the fabrics being washed will allow it. Some fibers such as silk, wool, and many of today's popular spandex blends cannot tolerate such a caustic agent and they tend to weaken and break down when bleach is used. The solution to this dilemma is to use a detergent that is gentle enough for finer fabrics, but equally tough to both clean and disinfect your laundry (FULLER 86 Powder Laundry Detergent). And, keep in mind, hot water will boost the cleaning power of any laundry detergent.
Detergent Additives and Boosters
Answering the needs of consumers, a recent trend in laundry detergents has been the addition of enzymes. Enzymes have long been famous for their ability to break down and remove tough protein stains such as blood, perspiration, and urine when used to pre-soak clothes. But detergents enhanced with an enzyme disinfectant (FULLER Plus Liquid Laundry Detergent) will effectively clean your clothes without pre-soaking and without bleach. In fact, the addition of chlorine bleach will minimize the cleaning power of enzymes. Adding a booster in with your detergent is an alternative to bleach when washing heavily soiled clothes. A booster (FULLER Cleaning Booster) will augment the performance of your detergent, giving you truly clean and disinfected laundry.
Other factors to keep in mind to ensure cleaner laundry are: do not overload your machine, follow the directions on your detergent's package so as not to use too much of it or too little, and whenever you can, wash your clothes in the hottest water your machine will allow.
Hooking up a hot water heater is one of the most common home repair jobs there is. However, if you don't do the obvious things first, problems can arise. If the homeowner who considers him or herself a do-it-yourself type rushes into this project without some prior knowledge, he or she could be in hot water (or without hot water). The best method for installing a new hot water heater is to become informed by reading directions and instructions first. Then, successful completion of the project is a matter of following basic steps in detail.
In fact, this project can be an easy one for just about any homeowner who takes a few minutes to learn about the task and then follows some simple steps. Because the water service to the house (at least to the water heater area) must be shut off, it is essential that the project be completed in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise, the family may be without hot water until a professional can come in a finish the job. The stress and extra cost of this can be avoided if the homeowner takes great care during the installation.
After the water is shut off, the old water heater can be disconnected and removed. Be very careful, however, because there is usually some hot water left in the tank. This will make the unit heavier and a bit harder to handle. Disconnect the electricity or gas service with care as well. With a good pipe wrench or two, disconnect the pipes. These may also have hot water in them, so be careful with this process.
When disposing of the old water heater, make sure to understand the local and state regulations concerning disposal of appliances and water heaters. Some landfills are regulated to the extent that they cannot accept such items. This may be one of the more difficult steps in the entire project.
If possible, move the new water heater to the location with some assistance and with an appliance dolly or cart. Connect cold and hot water pipes to the same service lines as the old unit. Use extra caution when positioning the new heater so it is not damaged, and to ensure easy access to the natural gas line if necessary. Locate the release valve on the new heater so that the heater will properly release extra heat and pressure from the system. A visual inspection will usually indicate if this valve is in good condition. This is one of the most important features of the new unit.
Connect the new water heater to the power source and gas service last. Always refer to the manual and installation instructions, following each step exactly. Nothing as complicated are required. While removing an old water heater and installing a new one is a critical task for a homeowner, it does not have to be difficult. If the homeowner follows instructions carefully, the hot water installation task should be relatively easy.
Both Vincent & Ken Morris are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Vincent has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Sales and Negotiation and Cars. Author Vincent Platania represents the Fuller Brush Company.Fuller Brush has been in business since 1906, and offers safe, environmentally friendly products for keeping your home and your body clean. Visit. Vincent's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Ken Morris has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Home Management and Air Purifier Cleaners. Ken Morris writes normally for , a web page with topics around 12 volt air compressor . His publications on. Ken Morris's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.