hot vs. cold

Cold water is just as e ective at reducing bacteria as washing your hands in hot water—yet another wives’ tale busted. When researchers from Rutgers University decided to take on this myth, they conducted a study on 21 participants over a six-month period. During the study, the subjects’ hands were exposed to harmless bacteria and then washed 20 times each with water at around 60°F, 79°F and 100°F. They also experimented with the amount of soap used—either 0.5, 1 or 2 milliliters. When the experiment was through, it was reported that no matter the amount of soap or the water temperature, the amount of bacteria removed when washing was the same.