We have the norovirus, hot washes?

[BadPoet]

When I say we, I mean everyone but me.

Getting through it but I have a question about hot washes. Wee machine has been a star ploughing through load after load of towels, bedding, cloths etc - but the cycle is SO long, the standard 'cottons' which I assume is the hottest is 3 hours, you can shorten that to 2.

I have found a minimum iron cycle which can be bumped up to 60 temp (is that hot enough?) but it is still 1.5 hrs. Then I thought, I am washing my hands at nowhere near these temps and considering them clean, does it have to be hot as it can go? There are several shorter 40 washes but in my head that won't 'kill germs' am I right?

If anyone has a Miele and knows of a way to programme a shorter hot wash please tell me! Thanks

[Fluffycloudland77]

I think you can just wash it out at 40 tbh. A lot of bugs dont last long without a host to live on.

[BadPoet]

Thanks, I might from now on as everyone is past the worst I hope. Googling seemed to say 65 is best but hand washing thoroughly rinses bugs away, maybe same for laundry - oh I don't know. I will run machine on a maintenance wash afterwards anyway. :-)

[Fluffycloudland77]

Once you've had it though you will be immune to that particular strain for a while.

[lljkk]

I would wash everything as hot as I dared.

[CaroleService]

No advice but lots of sympathy!

[BadPoet]

Yes that's what I have been doing but the cycles are so long, I was getting a backlog (clear now thankfully). It just seems intuitive to me to use as hot as I can but I was wondering if that was actually right. One link I read says that temps above 65 kills the virus, but it is hard to eradicate completely from the home anyway.

[BadPoet]

Thanks Caroleservice! And to everyone for advice.

[PigletJohn]

60C is the temperature hot water systems are heated to, to kill Legionella in a matter of minutes.

I don't know about viruses in general.

If you have a tumble drier that will probably also get quite warm towards the end of its cycle (I know they moth eggs)

[homeaway]

Have u got any napisan ? Add that to the wash and it will kill bacteria, just add it to your wash as normal.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Dont worry, you've had it. You're all immune as you're going to be for the next few years to this strain.

New strain every year. There updated quicker than iPads near Christmas.

[lljkk]

My machine can do quickwash even with high temps.

[dikkertjedap]

Ideally 60 degrees or add OXY VANISH to a 40 degree wash.

You need to wash your hands very thoroughly with soap (not antibacterial gel) and warm water and you are okay. Don't forget door handles, light switches, taps etc. You can also use dettol spray or diluted bleach.

Hope you all get better soon.

[Conflugenglugen]

Temperature doesn't make a difference if you apply the same rules as washing your hands. It's the soap that counts, and the rinsing.

[Conflugenglugen]

Fluffy - Afaik, immunity is limited, possibly only in terms of weeks, not years. According to Wiki, immunity is "incomplete and temporary". Hence its virulence.

[mignonette]

I have never bought into the below 30c wash 'propaganda'.

As a nurse, I know that it is not enough to kill bacterial/viral/fungal/protozoal growth. I always wash bedding, kitchen linens and towels at 90c and everything else bar delicates/woollens at 60c.

People, really it is not adequately cleansing to wash below 30c.

[Conflugenglugen]

From my own (very limited experience) this year: I was the only one who had it in my household. What I did was:

a) Minimal physical contact
b) No allowing of people in my bedroom, where I confined myself
c) If you have more than one toilet, limit sick people to one, and well people to another
d) Wash my hands thoroughly every 10 minutes or so, and especially before handling any shared items/appliances, etc.

It is spread via hand to mouth contact, and through microparticals of vomit/diarrhea. So close the bathroom door too.

HTH

[lljkk]

I wash everything at 30 normally, but different rules for anything that has had close contact with person ill with vomitting bugs. I'm pretty good at containing bugs, actually.

[homeaway]

I would do a wash at either 60 or 90 even with the napisan but definitely not at 30.

[BadPoet]

Thanks everyone, I am convinced that I will continue to wash on a hot wash, just a pain there isn't a quicker one. My old machine had one.

I never wash at 30 - doesn't seem effective to me and I would rather wash hotter once than wash again which surely wastes as much energy.

I remain bug free thankfully despite being the holder of heads and mopper of brows!

[InNeedOfBrandy]

napisan actually kills noro virus. Looks like a cheap box in the supermarket but it is the only washing powder to do so.

[BadPoet]

I shall invest in some! thanks InNeedOfBrandy and homeaway too.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I only know because of my sick phobia and having to read all these types of threads

[dikkertjedap]

this is a NHS document setting out the cleaning procedures including laundry

[mummysmellsofsick]

I washed everything over 60, steam cleaned and bleached everything else in sight and we still gave it to parents, inlaws all 6 families in the nct group including babies, our cleaner, her family.... Bloody virus is impossible to kill I spent 2 whole days cleaning

[BadPoet]

Sorry, hadn't seen these replies - mummy smells, I am sorry, that sounds tough! It is rife in our area anyway but I don't think we have passed it on. We are clear now, thanks for that doc dikkerkjedap, v thorough!