Sustainable Food Systems

Understanding the microbial composition in washing machines and on used textiles is crucial for preventing unpleasant odors. To delve deeper into this topic, Dr. Marc-Kevin Zinn conducted a comprehensive study involving 359 households, examining their washing habits, detergent choices, and experiences with laundry malodors.

Key highlights of the study include:

Sampling from detergent drawers and rubber seals of 48 washing machines.

Analyzing towels used in different household areas for bacterial counts and metagenomic composition.

Discovering that washing machines harbor soil bacteria like rhizobia in households without malodor issues.

The findings revealed that rhizobia bacteria can reduce malodor by over 50% in laboratory models, suggesting that altering the microbial environment in washing machines could be a sustainable solution for odor prevention.

Curious to learn more? Watch the detailed video on this study and discover how you can keep your laundry smelling fresh: