Chains of bacteria growing when sweaty top was soaking in water?? Now with photo *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[glazeover]

One of DH’s work tops was a bit whiffy so I gave it a soak in the bath. All that was in the bath was the top, warm water, and a good slug of disinfectant, the pine one you get for 39p in the supermarket.

A few hours later I looked in the bath and it seemed like some long, thin white strands/chains (of what I do not know) had been formed in the water. It was horrifying but also intriguing.

I wish I had taken a photo but does anyone know what it could have been? Some bacteria growing??

It must be the disinfectant!

Here is a diagram

If it was the disinfectant, how does it make these white ‘chains’ of ‘stuff’ and what are they?!

I imagine it to be like dirt scum, so it’s all the dirt (skin cells, whatever else) that’s built up on the shirt and now have left the shirt and floated to the top of the water.

I like the way you've helpfully labeled the taps on your diagram, op:)

Bacteria are only very rarely visible to the eye, so I’d say it probably wasn’t.

It sounds horrible, I'd consider using a higher temp wash cycle in future

This is magnificent.

Lol at this thread and that diagram Op you made me smile even with a migraine starting!

Doubt very much its bacteria, will just be dirt and soap scum.

@barbrahunter

I like the way you've helpfully labeled the taps on your diagram, op:)

I did actually draw the mixer tap but it looked like something very rude so I erased the mixer tap then thought I’d better write Hot and Cold so people could work out what they were

Just came to say I enjoyed the diagram!

You can get antibacterial laundry stuff that you put in with your normal washing detergent. I use it for my running kit because you have to wash it at a low temperature, which doesn’t necessarily get all the smelliness out.

Have you ingredient list from the disinfectant bottle? That might help if any chemist type people read the thread.

I’m in no way a scientist, but I’d be wondering (in clueless manner) about detergents, surfactants, fats etc.

Personally i would only use the dettol type (amber, cloudy on dilution) disinfectant for this type of use. I think of the green pine stuff as being unsuitable for dilution. I don’t know if there is a reason for that or maybe it’s a weird superstition of mine.

Do another experiment. Fill bath, add slug of disinfectant but no t shirt.
If chains form it proves it is the disinfectant not the t shirt.
(requires second explanatory diagram)

Stagnant warm dirty water in loft header tanks sometimes grows stringy gel. I understand it to be bacterial slime.

I love this thread!

OMG that is a superb diagram! Can’t help with the bacteria 🧫 🦠 though

That diagram is ace!

It’s not bacteria, to grow colonies that you can see like that would take at least several days. And it would stink! It will be some kind of aggregation of the detergent molecules, they will be surfactants, so they will have one part that loves water and one part that hates it. Normally this means they make something called micelles, small globe which are too small too see, but I guess they’ve clumped together into a bigger structure over time. Nice bit of physical chemistry!

I have a distressing issue with your diagram. Your taps are on the wrong way. Hot tap always on the left! Cold on the right!

misses point of thread

@Malin52 my taps on my bath are that way round

@Malin52

I have a distressing issue with your diagram. Your taps are on the wrong way. Hot tap always on the left! Cold on the right!

misses point of thread

I have just checked and you are right.

However in our last house, they were as in the diagram!

@Flamingolingo

It’s not bacteria, to grow colonies that you can see like that would take at least several days. And it would stink! It will be some kind of aggregation of the detergent molecules, they will be surfactants, so they will have one part that loves water and one part that hates it. Normally this means they make something called micelles, small globe which are too small too see, but I guess they’ve clumped together into a bigger structure over time. Nice bit of physical chemistry!

I knew we’d have a winner

Bacteria like to move around so unlikely they would form long chains and even less likely that they would be visible to the naked eye.
Soaking in disinfectant sounds grim, for the smell next time he uses the top and the effect of it on his skin. Just pour a little of your normal washing liquid (biological is best) onto the smelly bits of the shirt and rub in then wash normally....

I would have thought it was soap scum too except these things were in perfect chains/webs of white stringy stuff. It managed to be simultaneously marvellously fascinating yet mildly disgusting.