I want a FACTUAL answer: warm or cold water for washing a dirty egg?

[Carolyn252]

Both schools of thought are equally represented on this site and on several other chicken-keeping sites. Both sides claim "scientific" basis for their belief. So what's the factual answer? I know that it's not necessary to wash the eggs, but if I had to for some reason, is it safest to use COOL or WARM water? Any claims provided or stated by your local government cooperative extension board or by your local veterinarian, or by some lab or ??????????? Don't want answers based on folklore and/or personal experience.
Thanks!

 

[Funky Feathers]

I say WARM! Warm water opens up the pores and lets the dirt/bacteria out. Cold draws it in. Just my experience. I was a Vet Tech for 10 years.

 

[gritsar]

Eggs that need to be washed should be washed in water at least 20 degrees warmer than the egg itself. This causes the egg to contract, pushing dirt up and out.
Washing in cool or cold water will cause the egg to expand, sucking the dirt and bacteria into the interior of the egg.
There's lots of university and other sites that explain this, here's one:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=798

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
Thanks for that link. Just what I wanted. Much obliged.

 

[jenjscott]

just remember, this is for eating, no guarantee what the hatch rate would be on these eggs.

 

[easttxchick]

For eating-as hot as I can stand for 30 seconds with a bit of washing soap.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I am confused! I was looking for a link on what to use goose eggs for. I don't remember the link but it said to use cold water to wash since the warm water would open pores and let the bacteria "in" the egg. Now correct me if I'm wrong but aren't goose and ducks eggs supposed to be 'waterproof'? Meaning since they are waterfowls and lay eggs near water Mother nature made them water proof? I use warm soapy water on duck eggs (They are always dirty) and rinse off chicken eggs unless muddy then warm water on those.
Not sure where you are going to get 'facts' as every University has their own testings on everything and different results.
It is one of those things that you have to pick that makes the most sense to you.

 

[Carolyn252]

Henry'schickens :

I am confused! I was looking for a link on what to use goose eggs for. I don't remember the link but it said to use cold water to wash since the warm water would open pores and let the bacteria "in" the egg. Now correct me if I'm wrong but aren't goose and ducks eggs supposed to be 'waterproof'? Meaning since they are waterfowls and lay eggs near water Mother nature made them water proof? I use warm soapy water on duck eggs (They are always dirty) and rinse off chicken eggs unless muddy then warm water on those.
Not sure where you are going to get 'facts' as every University has their own testings on everything and different results.
It is one of those things that you have to pick that makes the most sense to you.

Actual testing on the most basic level would simply be to wash some dirty eggs with cold water and some with warm water and some with hot water and then store the eggs in a warm place for a few days to allow any washing-introduced bacteria to grow inside the egg and then opening each egg and taking some yolk and some white from each egg and adding it to a sterile growing medium in a sterile glass dish and incubating it for a few days and then seeing which of them grew bacteria. If this experiment is done repeatedly, and the results are always the same, then the answer is a valid fact and not an opinion.​

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I don't wash, i use fine sand paper, but the egg washer i have says warm

 

[GraceAmiga]

If you soak an egg in cold food-colored water, and soak an egg in colored warm water, it will take on the color of the water faster from warm colored water.