Wash hands with cold water

[2Cent]

I thought this was normal, but apparently most people use warm water to wash their hands. It is such a waste since the heating system needs to fill the pipe with hot water just for a 10 second quick wash. So you waste some heating gas/electricity and the water that flows out before the hot water reaches.

[barbaz]

Our water heating system is turned off by default. It activates automatically on demand, but it takes a minute or two to heat up.

To save energy, we make sure to do all hot-water activities (mostly showering) in a row and leave the heater off for most of the day. The water that is consumed while heat builds up is used for watering plants.

[forummm]

Washing with warm water is better for cleaning off germs. That's why people say "wash thoroughly with soap and warm water". That said, I usually use the cold water in the summer (which isn't that cold) and the warm water in the winter (which isn't that warm). I don't let it run to get the temperature adjusted.

[elysianfields]

I thought this was normal, but apparently most people use warm water to wash their hands. It is such a waste since the heating system needs to fill the pipe with hot water just for a 10 second quick wash. So you waste some heating gas/electricity and the water that flows out before the hot water reaches.

That's why there are tankless / demand water heaters, as they are more efficient.

Why would you keep 200 liters of water hot in a water tank 24/7?  In case you want to take a shower at 3:00 am?

You may as well keep your car idling all day in case you want to jump in it and go somewhere.

For health and sanitation reasons, I always wash thoroughly with soap and warm water.

[limeandpepper]

CDC says either warm or cold water is fine for washing:
http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

Research also shows that cold water can be just as effective as warm water:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/12/131213-washing-hands-hot-water-wastes-energy-health/

So yes, go forth and wash with cold water!

[Rosy]

^^^ then why do doctors and nurses wash their hands? Necessary or not, I prefer to wash my hands with soap and warm water.
Can you imagine cleaning up your nether regions and then not washing your hands afterwards? ... and in the kitchen preparing food afterwards...

[limeandpepper]

^^^ then why do doctors and nurses wash their hands? Necessary or not, I prefer to wash my hands with soap and warm water.
Can you imagine cleaning up your nether regions and then not washing your hands afterwards? ... and in the kitchen preparing food afterwards...

I'm don't think anyone has said anything about not washing hands.

[sirdoug007]

This falls into the category of "things that will not save me even $1/month."  Most people don't bother to look at their bills in detail and do the math on actual savings, but for me (and my baseline relatively low usage with no lawn sprinklers, pool, etc.) water and natural gas are basically insignificant to my finances.

I have a traditional tanked natural gas fired water heater.  I only use gas for water heating and my clothes dryer.  Most months I use between 500 and 700 cubic feet of gas.  The rate for gas is $0.55318/100 cu. ft.  In addition to this there are $17.40 in mandatory customer charges.  So even if I could save 100 cu. ft. of gas (lower useage from 600 to 500 cu. ft), I'd save $0.55. 

I'll go ahead and use the hot water.

[BlueMR2]

For basic hand washing, I just use cold water.  By the time any warm water gets to the faucet, I'm already done washing.  I didn't know there was anyone that even turned on warm water for that purpose, seems pretty silly.  However, if my hands are really dirty (like after working on the car), I use warm water as it not just works better, but I'll actually be there long enough for the warm water to get to me.  :-)

[Rosy]

^^^ then why do doctors and nurses wash their hands? Necessary or not, I prefer to wash my hands with soap and warm water.
Can you imagine cleaning up your nether regions and then not washing your hands afterwards? ... and in the kitchen preparing food afterwards...

I'm don't think anyone has said anything about not washing hands.

@limeandpepper - to clarify, I read the OP stmt as simply washing hands in cold water - no mention of soap, he/she said that he/she thought that was normal. To me that is like not washing your hands at all. Just sayin'.

[limeandpepper]

@limeandpepper - to clarify, I read the OP stmt as simply washing hands in cold water - no mention of soap, he/she said that he/she thought that was normal. To me that is like not washing your hands at all. Just sayin'.

But the OP didn't say anything about saving money on soap. The key point is about temperature. I think you're being negative and assuming the worst, but that's fine.

[Dee18]

We only have cold water in the restrooms where I work.  It drives me crazy in the winter because I know people are not washing their hands long enough to really get them clean. 

[acroy]

Hey - this is the badassity forum. Let's hear about some!!

- I wash my hands with cold water. When I wash them. Most of the time I manage not to pee on myself ;)
- I shower in cold water
- I shave in cold water. With dish soap. And disposable razors - which I use for 4months each.

now, the 'cold' water here is 80 summer/60winter.... but still.... let's hear some badassity!!

FYI germaphobes: germ-kinnin action is determined by time, temp, and chemical action. Most antibacterials are pretty darn effective at both 60F and 110F. Not enough difference to worry about.

[bsmith]

I wash my hands with cold water. I don't use any special antibacterial soap or Clorox wipes or stuff like that to clean my hands or the kitchen or bathroom. I figure if something like that's going to make me sick, then maybe I need to get sick.

[Guses]

I thought this was normal, but apparently most people use warm water to wash their hands. It is such a waste since the heating system needs to fill the pipe with hot water just for a 10 second quick wash. So you waste some heating gas/electricity and the water that flows out before the hot water reaches.

That's why there are tankless / demand water heaters, as they are more efficient.

Why would you keep 200 liters of water hot in a water tank 24/7?  In case you want to take a shower at 3:00 am?

You may as well keep your car idling all day in case you want to jump in it and go somewhere.

For health and sanitation reasons, I always wash thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Regardless of wether you use a tank or a tankless, you still need to push all the stale water from your pipes and replace it with hot water before you get any in your shower/sink. Then, when you turn off the hot water at the sink/shower the hot water that fills your pipes stays there and becomes cold again. This happens regardless of the technology you use to heat the water (unless you have a heater right in your sink).

[I'm a red panda]

I didn't realize there were people who waited for the water to warm up every time they washed their hands.  I just wash my hands with whatever the temperature of water comes out when I turn the faucet on. (I also use soap, for those who assume that speaking of the water temperature used and nothing else might mean that soap isn't used...)

I do know I'm abnormal for catching the cold water in a bucket while waiting for my shower to warm up.  I use that to refill the tank after flushing the toilet in the morning.

To me, that isn't about money. It's about saving water.

[bsmith]

Science says cold or warm: http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

[Bearded Man]

I always wash my hands with cold water because hot water takes forever to come out of the pipe and I don't want to waste water or time waiting. It's not a big deal, 30 seconds of cold water then you're done.

[Gin1984]

CDC says either warm or cold water is fine for washing:
http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

Research also shows that cold water can be just as effective as warm water:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/12/131213-washing-hands-hot-water-wastes-energy-health/

So yes, go forth and wash with cold water!

My microbiology class had a wash with cold water alone, cold water with soap and warm water alone and warm water with soap.  And then we cultured them.  Cold water and soap and warm water alone were about equal in cultures.  Cold water alone was not different from control and warm water with soap was better but not by much.

[FLA]

Science says cold or warm: http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

how funny they said sing Happy Bday twice, that's what we tell new employees.  Now next time you pee, count the 20 secs of the person at the sink.  You will be repulsed.  As for scrubbing both sides, between fingers, under nails, really lathering up, just watch a few times. And ponder superbugs. My fav was my boss somehow thought she was alone in the BR, did not wash her hands at all and then picked her nose for way longer than 2 Happy Birthdays!  OMG, health professionals do that????

 

[G-dog]

I hope y'all are turning off the water while you lather and scrub your hands, then turn it back on to rinse.
More to conserve water, than to conserve money, but both should happen!

[I'm a red panda]

CDC says either warm or cold water is fine for washing:
http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html

Research also shows that cold water can be just as effective as warm water:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/12/131213-washing-hands-hot-water-wastes-energy-health/

So yes, go forth and wash with cold water!

My microbiology class had a wash with cold water alone, cold water with soap and warm water alone and warm water with soap.  And then we cultured them.  Cold water and soap and warm water alone were about equal in cultures.  Cold water alone was not different from control and warm water with soap was better but not by much.

Do you think the CDC came out with their recommendation without doing experimentation?  Likely on a random sample, not a convenience sample?

I hope y'all are turning off the water while you lather and scrub your hands, then turn it back on to rinse.
More to conserve water, than to conserve money, but both should happen!

I do.   I also turn the water off while my husband washes his hands and turn it back on for him- since he won't do that. He doesn't like to have to wipe the soap off the faucet handle.

[gt7152b]

I was washing with cold for awhile but I noticed that it takes much longer to rinse the soap off. I don't wait for the water to warm up but I usually set it to the warm setting and wash that way. Our sinks are close enough to the water heater that there isn't much delay. I like to set the sink to a small dribble to get my hands wet and leave it there while I soap up. Then I'll turn it up some to help rinse more effectively. Hardly ever turn the valve on all the way. I'd rather conserve water in general than the electricity required to heat up a small amount.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

Wait, some people are such pansies that they require their delicate appendages to be immersed in warm water to scrub the dirt off? I honestly had no idea that this was a thing. It would never have crossed my mind to wait for warm water when washing my hands. Mind = blown.

[fattest_foot]

I hope y'all are turning off the water while you lather and scrub your hands, then turn it back on to rinse.
More to conserve water, than to conserve money, but both should happen!

Wait, what? I thought the bulk of the actual cleaning that occurs is due to the running water? The soap actually plays a pretty minor role in cleaning your hands. Am I wrong here?

[G-dog]

I hope y'all are turning off the water while you lather and scrub your hands, then turn it back on to rinse.
More to conserve water, than to conserve money, but both should happen!

Wait, what? I thought the bulk of the actual cleaning that occurs is due to the running water? The soap actually plays a pretty minor role in cleaning your hands. Am I wrong here?

I would think that the volume of water during the rinse would be more than sufficient! Soap helps loosen everything, and has some antibiotic properties (not saying it kills all microbes).

[barbaz]

Washing with antibiotic soap only means you'll have more germs on your hands that are resistant to antibiotics. #nicejobbreakingithero

[G-dog]

I was thinking just regular soap - however that may be defined.

[elysianfields]

I thought this was normal, but apparently most people use warm water to wash their hands. It is such a waste since the heating system needs to fill the pipe with hot water just for a 10 second quick wash. So you waste some heating gas/electricity and the water that flows out before the hot water reaches.

That's why there are tankless / demand water heaters, as they are more efficient.

Why would you keep 200 liters of water hot in a water tank 24/7?  In case you want to take a shower at 3:00 am?

You may as well keep your car idling all day in case you want to jump in it and go somewhere.

For health and sanitation reasons, I always wash thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Regardless of wether you use a tank or a tankless, you still need to push all the stale water from your pipes and replace it with hot water before you get any in your shower/sink. Then, when you turn off the hot water at the sink/shower the hot water that fills your pipes stays there and becomes cold again. This happens regardless of the technology you use to heat the water (unless you have a heater right in your sink).

That's exactly why you put the tankless as close as you can to the place it's delivering hot water.  Bathrooms typically already have exhaust for humid air anyway, in case you need to exhaust combustion by-products.

[Guses]

I thought this was normal, but apparently most people use warm water to wash their hands. It is such a waste since the heating system needs to fill the pipe with hot water just for a 10 second quick wash. So you waste some heating gas/electricity and the water that flows out before the hot water reaches.

That's why there are tankless / demand water heaters, as they are more efficient.

Why would you keep 200 liters of water hot in a water tank 24/7?  In case you want to take a shower at 3:00 am?

You may as well keep your car idling all day in case you want to jump in it and go somewhere.

For health and sanitation reasons, I always wash thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Regardless of wether you use a tank or a tankless, you still need to push all the stale water from your pipes and replace it with hot water before you get any in your shower/sink. Then, when you turn off the hot water at the sink/shower the hot water that fills your pipes stays there and becomes cold again. This happens regardless of the technology you use to heat the water (unless you have a heater right in your sink).

That's exactly why you put the tankless as close as you can to the place it's delivering hot water.  Bathrooms typically already have exhaust for humid air anyway, in case you need to exhaust combustion by-products.

So, in a typical home, do you have only one fixture that offers hot water? Or do you have multiple tankless water heaters so that you can get hot water efficiently everywhere?

I am not sure wether buying, maintaining and operating several tankless water heaters is more efficient than a single hot water tank in terms of holistic efficiency...

Then again, I live in the place on earth with the largest renewable freshwater reserves. Perhaps we do not have the same conservation priorities.

[I'm a red panda]

Large homes often have multiple water heaters (whether tankless or otherwise).  But really, those are LARGE homes.

Typical homes have one water heater- so for tankless, you have to decide where it is most efficient. This can be difficult when there are different water needs spread throughout the house.

[bsmith]

My folks have an "insinkerator" in their kitchen. It produces instant almost-boiling hot water. Everyone who sees it puts their hand under it and turns it on to see if that's really possible.

[FLA]

as for turning off the water while you scrub, I do this in my own clean BR, not in a public BR.  I turn the faucet on with a paper towel, wash, turn it off with a paper towel, faucets are filthy

[Susurrus]

Okay, I have to admit I was shocked to see that so many of you actually wash your hands for two Happy Birthdays. I heard about that once or twice as a kid, but I don't think I've ever washed my hands that long, and I didn't know anyone actually did that. I give a vigorous scrub with soap (and whatever temperature water comes out of the tap), but definitely not for a full 20 seconds.

As a side note, I get sick maybe twice a year, and never for more than a day or two. This kind of reminds me of the whole germ issue, and I fully side with the camp that believes a few germs are good for you because they strengthen your immune system.