Washing clothes at low temperatures and killing germs

KxMx

I always use the 30 minute, 30c cycle. Non bio gel pods. 

Every few months I'll put in some bio powder and run the machine empty on a 90c wash, to clean everywhere throughly. 

oystercatcher

Putting things in the freezer does not kill germs, it just preserves them for later. Would you eat raw chicken out of the freezer ?  No!

A cold wash is fine for many things but sports wear, sweaty work wear , underwear, anything that someone ill/incontinent has touched ought to have germs killed. Soap just helps bring germs into solution in the water.....and MOST will be rinsed away , but not all, so then as soon as fabric becomes warm and damp again the bugs breed. 

I add a scoop of napisan to any yucky washing , no need to soak . 

fluffymuffy

I wash everything on the cold setting  (currently just above freezing outside ) and with cheapest detergent I can find. 

I have a heat-pump tumble dryer - which drys without heat - and everything goes in there.