Can your dishwasher kill you?

[Jenise]

Following on the heals of Tim's discussion about problems he suspects with his dishwasher, this story from England's Daily Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... -bugs.html

This article reminds me of the "drive-by media" ...unclear facts and unconclusive with no suggestions on how to improve the situation. So now I'm going to watch for the new product to come out that will purport to eat the beasties.

I think that many times there are quite a few dishwashers who would like to kill their chefs!

[Jenise]

This article reminds me of the "drive-by media" ...unclear facts and unconclusive with no suggestions on how to improve the situation. So now I'm going to watch for the new product to come out that will purport to eat the beasties.

Oh I so disagree with you. It's a short, uncomprehensive article, sure, but this is just an internet newspaper and I don't perceive that items of minor journalism are irresponsible for not including suggestions for improvements. This was the Daily Telegraph, not Good Housekeeping. But that said, regular household bleach is the typical product suggested by appliance manufacturers for cleaning bacteria from the folds of rubber in refrigerator doors, and I would guess same would be suggested for dishwashers.

OK, I'm a wuss, but still found this incredibly non-scary

"189 dishwashers in 101 different homes around the world. "
wow, lots of double dishwasher homes! Lets see, by my rough calcs that means roughly 80% of the homes they surveyed had 2 dishwashers. Though I guess it could mean some had 3. Anyway, if accurate, not a very good sample of typical dishwasher use.

" They found 62 per cent of dishwashers contained fungi on the rubber band in the door. More than half of these included the black yeasts Exophiala dermatitidis and E. phaeomuriformis which are known to be dangerous to human health."

Ok, so more than 31 percent (maybe all those second dishwashers>) had those 2 fungi. With no indication as to amounts, or what is considered dangerous. And neither from quick googling seems to be considered a real threat to non-CF population.

Dr Polona Zalar of the University of Ljubljana, said that "the potential hazard they represent should not be overlooked".

Not to be parochial, but I'll start worrying re my dishwasher when someone from a university I've heard of says (a) we did a survey in these countries (X), (b) found this fungus which is cited here (Y) as dangerous to healthy humans, and (c) is published in a peer reviewed journal (Z) I've heard of.

[Jenise]

OK, I'm a wuss, but still found this incredibly non-scary

Ditto, didn't even think to look at my DW tonight for signs of black mold (I'm sure there's none there). But I thought Tim would find it interesting since he's thinking their machine might be causing his wife some illness.

this is just an internet newspaper .

Small correction, The Telegraph is not just an internet newspaper, it is a long established (150+ years) traditional broadsheet national newspaper.

I saw that small item in it and I thought about Tim's dishwasher sickness, but the papers are so full of scare stories I have given up reading them after the first sentence or so.

[Jenise]

this is just an internet newspaper .

Small correction, The Telegraph is not just an internet newspaper, it is a long established (150+ years) traditional broadsheet national newspaper.

Oh I know that. But typically not everything that appears in the print version makes it onto the internet version, or in the same entirety.

The Telegraph is fun to read and I don't dispute that. It is just that the dishwasher article left so much to the imagination for a serious subject. The writer did what so many TV news stories do these days...give you little sensational news then drop you off the cliff. I hate that. If you are going to report, then report. I guess it comes from my years working with the police dept. I had to be very precise and direct, giving all the facts and you'd better not leave anything out. I grew to love the results that type of writing brings. So I am a little intolerant!

I didn't notice any mold or anything but I suspect I might have to take some of the dishwasher apart to do a better inspection... needless to say I am not about to do that.

We are going to wash the inner part of the door this weekend. There are a lot of soap stains there perhaps due to when I was using too much soap. I haven't had time yet to do some google research on the detergent.

Tim