Bacteria: is the dishwasher dangerous for health?

Posted by Shivani Sikri on February 4th, 2021

6 out of 10 dishwashers are thought to be infected with fungi that can cause lung infections and skin problems. Our advice to get rid of it.

According to a study that has just been published by the journal Medical Mycology , about 62% of dishwashers are colonized by microscopic fungi which delight in the hot and humid atmosphere of this closed place. The same mushrooms that you sometimes find in the joints of insufficiently ventilated bathrooms!

To take their study a little further, researchers at the University of Adana, Turkey, scrutinized dishwashers in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Australia. and America. They discovered that, whatever the country and the ambient humidity level, the rubber that seals the dishwasher door is a real breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, especially the varieties Exophilia , Rhodotorula and Candida parapsilosis. . They also found that washing salts help the proliferation of certain varieties of fungi that thrive in alkaline media.

Mushrooms: people at risk

However, these microscopic fungi release spores into the air that can be inhaled and cause lung infections that are difficult to treat. The people most at risk are:

- Adults and children taking antibiotics

- People with an immune deficiency (i.e. whose immune defense system is weakened)

- People who are particularly sensitive to yeast infections

- People with diabetes, who can develop skin infections.

Mushrooms: how to get rid of them
To prevent these microscopic fungi from growing in your dishwasher, clean it regularly with vinegar and baking soda - suggests dietician in delhi. This big cleaning should be done at least once a month.

Here's how to do it:

First, remove all storage and let it soak in soapy water.

Thoroughly clean all interior surfaces of the dishwasher and the rubber seal with a sponge and a mixture of 200 ml of hot water and 200 ml of white vinegar.

Put the storage back in place, place a glass filled with vinegar on the top of the dishwasher and run a washing program with very hot water.

Sprinkle the bottom of the dishwasher with a tablespoon of baking soda and run a new hot water wash.

To be absolutely sure that the fungus won't proliferate anytime soon, finish by cleaning the surfaces by hand with a sponge and bleach.