A scintillating question about germs and washing your hands

[waltzingparrot]

So , after I've washed my hands for 20 seconds using hot water and soap, where are the germs?

Have I washed them down the sink, are they clinging on to the sides of my sink or have I wiped them all over my towel and they'll carrying on breeding there. Where are they now?

You've rinsed them down the drain if you've done it right. If you were less than thorough with the wash then they're on the towel.

I imagine they have been washed away with the water.

If you're wearing rings or a watch or nail varnish there will be loads of germs still lurking on them though

On the tap?

They’re dead no?

The soap ruptures them:

Typically viruses are more resistant to disinfectants than bacteria, but coronavirus is an enveloped virus, so it has an outer membrane formed of oil and fat.

All enveloped viruses are very susceptible to soaps and detergents, which explode the outer membranes, rendering them ineffective.

This thread is already hilarious..
OP your spelling is really good for a 6-year-old.

I thought it was water that ruptured them and the water temperature makes no difference (apart from user comfort).

But then again, I thought that was only bacteria so those pesky little viruses are probably behind you and ready to jump out at the first opportunity!

It's the soap that ruptures them not the water

@DjMomo

From The Naked Scientist....
...soap isn't actually very toxic for bacteria. The reason that washing your hands with soap and water works so well to decontaminate them is actually the physical decontamination. When you rub your hands together, the soap helps to prise away various oils and other layers from the skin that the bacteria are clinging to and it therefore detaches the bacteria. It's not actually being necessarily antibacterial. Now some soaps will kill bacteria. The majority don't because the bacteria have got quite a tough cell wall around them, so they're resistant, but it's the physical washing that gets rid of them.

@FuzzyPuffling is right, water temp is of no issue other than comfort With respect to microorganism killing.

However warm water is better at dissolving fats and oils, but soap breaks up the bacteria and viruses so they are dead. Their little components will be washed down the drain

Well I can't get my rings off easily, so I'll just have to try and slide some soap under them and that should burst all the germs open in situ.

It also depends what they are. Some bacteria and viruses can survive for quite a while on surfaces; others need a 'host' and will die quite quickly.

Thanks for the info about water temp, by the way. Our work loos have non-mixing taps and if you run the hot tap for the recommended 20 seconds it is scalding hot, so I have to wash my hands with cold water.

This reminds of when I was in the Girl Guides many years ago practicing for my first aid badge. We were on the subject of burns and scalds. The instructor said that a burn should be covered with a non-lint dressing, sterile if possible,a pillow case that had been ironed was ideal. She then asked us how did ironing make the pillow case sterile? One of my bright spark patrol mates piped up 'Because it flattens the germs'. In all seriousness,she thought that this was the right answer.

@EstebanTheMagnificent you don’t leave the tap running for 20 seconds! Just briefly wet your hands, turn the tap off, then spend 20 seconds rubbing the soap into them, and then put the tap back on (and I also wash the tap handle at this point) and rinse.

@feesh that would be the ideal but the taps are both old and stiff, and of a style which is very difficult to operate with soapy hands. Leaving it running is the path of least resistance.

Good question, I have learned something new today.
I just thought I was washing them off my hands, I didn't realise I was actually rupturing the germs!

Wow, spelling guru on here! Not sure where OPs spelling is of a 6 year old!

Idroppedthescrewinthetuna
OP sounds like a 6-year-old with her daft questions, hence I said compared to her age her spelling is quite good. Comprende?

Er, this is "Chat" when questions can be about anything and everything and we all should be civil to each other!

It wasn't a daft question at all. No need for sarcastic comments @DjMomo

Gosh. I wonder what it’s like to know absolutely everything and to have entirely run out of curiosity.

I like the science. Thanks for thread, OP.

@DjMomo I think it’s a valid question. Don’t be horrible about it.