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When buying a dishwasher, consumers expect to make their life easier and more enjoyable. But under certain circumstances, this device can become a source of serious problems. The debate about whether the dishwasher is harmful does not subside. Let’s try to figure out what the origins of the danger are and how to avoid it.
Dishwasher harm to human health
Dishwashers (PMM), saving us from the routine duty of washing dishes, it turns out, are not as simple as they seem. This useful technique, if used incorrectly, can be harmful to health.
When using PMM, there are moments that do not depend on the user – they must either be taken for granted, or refuse to use dishwashers. Learn about the factors that make a dishwasher unsafe.
Poor rinsing
Dishwasher manufacturers are promoting a number of key benefits that they think consumers won’t be able to resist. Among these advantages is multiple water savings.
Water in dishwashers is saved due to two factors:
- Efficient use of water due to high pressure, use of specially designed sprinklers, etc.
- Small consumption of water when rinsing. The duration of the rinse is several times shorter than the main cycle.
In PMM, special detergents are used – more aggressive against microorganisms. They are also more toxic to humans. Short rinsing cannot provide complete washing off of toxic detergent compositions.
Saving water on rinses can be costly. Even hand washing products are recommended to be used with gloves on. You can imagine how aggressive the compositions for cars are.
How to get out of the situation? There are several options:
- After washing, rinse the dishes under running water. Minus – a waste of time and high water costs. But health is more valuable.
- Buy only the most proven and safe products. Read the composition, ask the manufacturer, reviews, expert opinion.
- If you have few dishes, and you are categorically against “chemistry”, it is better to completely abandon the PMM and wash the dishes with what you think is safe.
Harm from toxic compounds used in PMM is a separate problem, we will consider this point separately.
Toxic effect
Any household chemicals contain surfactants – surfactants. They make the surface of the dishes perfectly clean, but at the same time they are fixed on it in such a way that it is impossible to remove them with a simple rinse.
Remove surfactant can:
- rinsing with a mixture based on chromium;
- flame annealing.
In automatic washing, not only aggressive detergents are used, but even more toxic rinse aids. They help wash off the previous composition, give the dishes a shine and speed up drying.
Rinse aid, washing off some toxins, leaves other, no less harmful substances on the surface of the dishes.
Washing dishes in PMM is especially dangerous for children and allergy sufferers. In homes where dishes are washed in dishwashers, among children:
- bronchial asthma is more common by 6%;
- the incidence of atopic dermatitis is higher by 15%;
- increased levels of seasonal allergies.
To minimize damage from detergents, use phosphate-free products. Today, 3 in 1 tablets are especially popular. They are convenient – in addition to the main product, they contain rinse aid and salt. Many manufacturers also produce tablets in soluble packaging so that they do not have to come into contact with the components of the product.
Phosphates soften the water and improve the quality of washing. They are dangerous for the human body, and for the entire environment as a whole.
When buying tablets or any other form of detergent, read the composition – it should not contain phosphates. An example of such phosphate-free tablets is Bioretto. They contain no phosphate, no chlorine, no fragrances.
Mold reproduction
This problem occurs because of the user himself. Violation of the rules for operating the dishwasher leads to the appearance of mold, fungus, black yeast in it.
The problem of microorganisms concerns not only PMM. If you do not take care of household appliances, do not clean them and do not disinfect them, then harmful bacteria will multiply in them. At risk are multicookers, coffee makers, microwave ovens, refrigerators, etc.
The heat and moisture that reign in the dishwasher is an ideal environment for the development of fungi and bacteria. Studies have shown that the rubber seal between the body and the door is a haven and breeding ground for black yeast, fungi and bacteria.
Unfortunately, none of the traditional and user-friendly disinfection methods can cope with the microbes found on the seal. They cannot be destroyed either by steam, or boiling water, or alkalis, or household chemicals.
Samples taken from plates washed in different machines showed that there were fungus spores on their surface. Many fungi are pathogenic and can cause serious harm to a person.
Black yeast provokes:
- pulmonary diseases;
- subcutaneous abscesses;
- inflammatory processes in the brain.
All of the above diseases, if left untreated, lead to death.
How to avoid danger? It is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the device from the very beginning of operation. After each wash, dry all surfaces that absorb moisture.
The benefits and harms of PMM – which is stronger?
Today, many people cook so little and eat so little at home that the problem of clean plates is not as acute as it used to be. The presence of hot water allows you to quickly and efficiently wash dirty dishes. It is still not recommended to save it. Even for a half load, the required number of plates is not always collected.
The benefits of PMM in a small family are so small that it makes no sense to risk your health. And taking care of the machine itself is much more tiring than washing dishes. The real benefits of automatic washing are palpable in catering, but there are serious hygiene requirements – the presence of mold or fungi is unacceptable there. Employees are responsible for the cleanliness of the apparatus, and hygiene is controlled by the norms of SNiP.
Therefore, before buying a dishwasher, you should balance the benefits and risks. If you wash a mountain of dishes every day, you need such a machine, if – 3-4 dishes, you can do without it. But if you already have a dishwasher, be prepared to keep it clean. Wash, wipe, clean, using special products.