Points of contact and contaminations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential contamination of a blanket that fell onto a dry floor mat, exploring concerns about dust, germs, and the necessity of washing the blanket again. Participants examine the types of germs that may be present in a typical bedroom environment and the effects of washing on fabric durability.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether only dust from the floor mat transfers to the blanket and if shaking the blanket could remove contaminants.
  • Another participant suggests that washing may not be necessary and recommends shaking the blanket outside or exposing it to sunlight.
  • Concerns are raised about the types of germs present on the floor, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and their sources, such as skin and respiratory emissions.
  • Participants discuss the impact of wearing outside shoes indoors on floor contamination.
  • There is speculation about the effects of washing on fabric thickness, with one participant suggesting that detergent may accelerate fabric wear.
  • A later reply emphasizes that mechanical abrasion is the primary cause of fabric thinning rather than detergent use.
  • Some participants express differing views on the necessity of concern regarding germs and contamination, with references to personal experiences and practices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of opinions regarding the necessity of washing the blanket again, with some advocating for caution and others suggesting it is unnecessary. There is no consensus on the types of germs present or the impact of washing on fabric durability.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions about the sources of germs and the conditions under which they survive, but these assumptions remain unresolved. The discussion includes references to personal hygiene practices and their implications for contamination.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals concerned about household hygiene, fabric care, and the implications of contamination from everyday activities.

jake jot
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My small blanket fell into the floor with a dry floor mat on it. I'd like to know what kind of contamination can occur here. That is, do only the dusts in the dry floor mat transfer to the blanket? Can the dusts be removed just by moving the blanket fast up and down? Or could there be bacterial contaminations right away? Can anyone show an engineering simulation of such material transfer of contamination? They say many surfaces have germs. What kinds of germs?

I'm deciding whether to wash it again but it takes time to wash it and is it not repeated washing can make the cotton thinner.
 
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jake jot said:
I'm deciding whether to wash it again
And you're asking people on the Internet? Why not just wash it for the sake of caution?
 
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anorlunda said:
And you're asking people on the Internet? Why not just wash it for the sake of caution?

I'll put it in washing machine again to rinse and dry (it takes time). This is for future reference in case similar scenario occurs in the future where a shirt, towel, etc. fall down in your bedroom. I want to know how dusts, germs got transferred between the materials.
 
There is really no need to wash it again.
If it is dry, take it outside and shake it a couple of times, or hang it in the wind.
For other things, a few hours of sunlight can also be a great clenser.
 
Baluncore said:
There is really no need to wash it again.
If it is dry, take it outside and shake it a couple of times, or hang it in the wind.
For other things, a few hours of sunlight can also be a great clenser.

In a normal bedroom. What kinds of germs are present in the floor at all times? Bacterial? Virus? Fungal? What do the germs eat? And isn't it there are also germs in the skin? How does this compared to the germs on the floor.
 
jake jot said:
In a normal bedroom. What kinds of germs are present in the floor at all times?
The germs come from you, from your skin and from what you breath out.
If the surface is dry then they will not grow or survive.
If you vacuum the floor and shake any rugs outside there will be no problem.

Do you have any pet animals such as a bird, a cat or a dog in the room?
 
Baluncore said:
Do you have any pet animals such as a bird, a cat or a dog in the room?
And do you wear your outside shoes inside your house? If you walk through the grass and dirt outside and then walk through your house with your shoes on, you floor is potentially contaminated with whatever was outside on the ground. If you would like to minimize the chance of carring stuff from outside your house to inside, make it a habit to leave your shoes in a confined area inside your front door. :smile:
 
berkeman said:
And do you wear your outside shoes inside your house? If you walk through the grass and dirt outside and then walk through your house with your shoes on, you floor is potentially contaminated with whatever was outside on the ground. If you would like to minimize the chance of carring stuff from outside your house to inside, make it a habit to leave your shoes in a confined area inside your front door. :smile:

There is no bird, no dog and no cat in the house but I used the same shoes outside and inside.

I just washed it using 1 rinse cycle and spin dry in the machine washing. I didn't put detergent. I wonder if the contaminant from falling into the floor mat has disappeared or still present.

In a fabric or cotton shirt or blanket, what caused the fabric to get thinner, is it not detergent?
 
jake jot said:
In a fabric or cotton shirt or blanket, what caused the fabric to get thinner, is it not detergent?
It doesn't get thinner. It just seems like that because of our growing pandemic bodies... :wink:
 
  • #10
berkeman said:
It doesn't get thinner. It just seems like that because of our growing pandemic bodies... :wink:

If you wear a shirt a hundred times or a thousand times. It becomes thinner. Maybe 0.01% of the cotton is lost every washing? In my washing machine, the normal cycle is 1 Wash, 2 Rinse, and 4 Spin Dry. It is in Wash cycle that you put detergent. I wonder if detergent can accelerate the thinner causing it to lose 0.05% instead of 0.01%? Any material physicist can elaborate on this?
 
  • #11
So you're saying that my joke was not funny. Okayy...
 
  • #12
berkeman said:
So you're saying that my joke was not funny. Okayy...
AWWWww.
 
  • #13
@jake jot what is your issue? Are you germaphobic or something? People don't normally worry about what you seem to be worrying about.
 
  • #14
phinds said:
Are you germaphobic or something? People don't normally worry about what you seem to be worrying about.
Well, to be fair that is one of the reasons we leave our shoes at the door of our house. Before I became a Medic I didn't even think about it, but once you start paying attention, you walk through all kinds of s*** in a normal day. If that gets transferred to your cutting boards in your kitchen or other places close to your GI tract, that can lead to some unpleasent episodes...
 
  • #15
berkeman said:
Well, to be fair that is one of the reasons we leave our shoes at the door of our house. Before I became a Medic I didn't even think about it, but once you start paying attention, you walk through all kinds of s*** in a normal day. If that gets transferred to your cutting boards in your kitchen or other places close to your GI tract, that can lead to some unpleasent episodes...
Well, based on that I should probably be dead several times over.
 
  • #16
No, you and I ate dirt as kids. We have little to worry about from dirty feet. Just trying to protect the next generation...
 
  • #17
berkeman said:
No, you and I ate dirt as kids. We have little to worry about from dirty feet. Just trying to protect the next generation...
Ah. Yeah, you're right about that. They are mostly overprotected.
 
  • #18
jake jot said:
In a fabric or cotton shirt or blanket, what caused the fabric to get thinner, is it not detergent?
It is almost all mechanical abrasion (rubbing on things, like your skin).

Maybe you have some old shirts that you have worn a lot. Look at the collar and the cuffs on long sleeves. You will see the collar worn thin at the fold where it rubs against your neck. The cuffs are worn thinner at the end, where they rub on your hand or arm, or on things you pick up.

The same with carpets (floor covering); they wear in the places they are used the most, like at a doorway, or where you walk around a corner and turn one foot a little bit.

Yes, washing does wear fabric a little bit, but not much. The water is a good lubricant.

Cheers,
Tom
 

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