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Better laundry practices for better health
In the past 100 years, there have been huge advances in laundry practices. In 1910, a patent for the swinging, reversible washer was issued. This model evolved into the wringer washing machine that endured for years. In 1947, the first top-loading automatic washing machine was introduced. And, until the 1940s, soap was what went into these washers. Starting in 1940, laundry products converted from soap to detergents. Because the fat and oil supplies required for making soap were in short supply during WWI and WWII, detergents became better and more accessible. Another factor in their development was the military’s need for a cleaning agent that would work in mineral-rich seawater and cold water.
Today, more new developments, such as smaller volumes of water, lower wash temperatures, and less use of bleach, can allow bacteria to remain in laundered items after standard washing and rinsing. Based on the premise that we’re saving electricity, there has been a small movement toward returning to the age-old practice of line-drying. However, Nancy Bock, Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent Association, cautions that this may not be the wisest path to follow. Machine-drying after washing and rinsing will help reduce bacteria and viruses that haven’t been destroyed during the washing process.
For more information about the roles that personal hygiene, environmental hygiene and/or household cleaning have played in the fight against infectious diseases, check out Against Disease, a book recently published by The Soap and Detergent Association and available at www.againstdisease.com. It’s a particularly valuable resource for professionals and students in the medical, sanitation, education and public health fields.
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