Time to turn up the heat on bugs lurking in your washing

u Your laundry could be making you ill, a hygiene expert has warned, as figures show four in 10 washes are being done on settings too cold to kill bacteria.

According to a survey by waste charity Wrap, the proportion of washes being done at 30°C has risen four fold from 12 per cent in 2012 to 38 per cent in 2016 following environmental campaigns by washing powder companies. But Lisa Ackerley, a hygiene expert, has warned that washes at 30°C are too cold to kill bacteria on fabrics. She said: “Underwear, bedsheets and tea towels should be washed at temperatures like 60 or 90°C. It’s especially important to take extra care with washing for vulnerable groups like babies, elderly people and those with chronic illnesses.”