Experts say it is not recommended to wash clothes at 40 degrees or lower. Why? Because when clothes are washed at low temperatures, stubborn stains cannot be eliminated and bacteria are not destroyed.
Clothes may harbor many kinds of bacteria, even when we assume that they are not too dirty.
Research has shown that nearly 1 million bacteria may live in a single garment, some completely harmless; however, there are a few that can pose danger to health.
One of the most resistant bacteria is Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria are not destroyed at 40 degrees, and may cause lung and urinary infections. To get rid of these and similarly harmful bacteria, clothes have to be washed at higher temperatures.
Studies have also shown that if you clothes are washed at low temperatures, only 6% of viruses are killed.
On the other hand, if clothes are washed at a minimum of 60 degrees, 100% of common bacteria are killed.