Laundry temperature

Mine does the same - thinks about it for a minute and then does its magic. I don't like to argue, I try and keep on its good side!

Gonegirl, is that what it is doing!I had wondered.

Good link SirChengin.

Alexa ours is an "intelligent" washing machine and it definitely takes a minute or two at the start of each wash, tumbling the clothes around, to work out how much water is needed.

Scrupulously

Wellbeck's and Bradford Lass's especially interesting as they introduce ideas of household and personal hygiene .

I don't trust 'disinfectants' except for their pleasing smells.
I do put dish towels in the machine and boil or at least scald them after the wash, before drying.
My personal wash cloths are machine washed and dried after each use, i prefer old thin wash cloths anyway.

Does anyone know if a machine that is supposed to weigh each load and adds water accordingly scrululously does so , or does it just guess half load or full load?

This has been an interesting thread for me. For the last two years DH's failing health meant our washing load increased dramatically. Now I am on my own I have been making an effort to economise on electricity. I do all my washing at 30 deg with a 1000 spin unless DGS is having sleepovers and I need to up to a 40 deg occasionally. I have never used a tumble drier - we live quite high up and there is always a good wind blowing.

"Towels and bedding at 60, clothes mostly at 40 and some times 30.
I also use quick washes 14 and 30 mins when clothes not really dirty."

I do likewise, Buffybee.
I also do a dummy run at 60 short wash with washing soda followed by another with bleach approximately three monthly.

Or use a liquid laundry detergent

Vonners It's certainly worth experimenting.
I think our powders are formulated for cold, so yours might not dissolve well, as the plumber said.

The answer is to put your powder into a bowl of hot water first and let it dissolve properly, then bung it in the machine with the clothes.

I'd be interested to know if you get good results - it would save the UK (and you) an absolute fortune in power and energy if it does.

Thank you for the link SirChenjin

These paragraphs struck me:

“When we tested the 30°C cotton program, we found that running costs are reduced by about 46% compared with the 40°C program.”
And
“The 60°C program generally delivers slightly better cleaning than the 40°C program, especially when it comes to greasy stains, and is ideal for bedding and towels. But it will cost you – running costs increase by more than half if you wash at 60°C as opposed to 40°C.”

I shall continue to wash nearly everything at 30 deg.

There’s some good info here about washing temperatures and when to do cooler/hotter washes www.which.co.uk/reviews/washing-machines/article/washing-machine-temperature-guide

I always do sheets/towels/tea towles/dishcloths on 95, everything else at 40

If NZ can cold wash then surely we can - I'm going to give it a go.
I've been washing at 40 with liquid detergent as a plumber told me the tablets and powder do not dissolve properly at low temps and causes a buildup of undissolved stuff which can block drains.
Recently bought a bottle of Waitrose Mini laundry cleanser. It was the consistency of water, not like most detergents. I read the instructions to see how much to use and discovered it was to ADD to wash after detergent to kill germs. Agree with MOnica about the absurdity of this.

30 short wash for colours and delicates. 40 for bedding and towels with the addition of a couple of spoonfuls of Napisan.
Very rarely use 60, nothing is that dirty.

Everything at 30 and we're not dead yet!
Like others above, I use white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner but I don't find the vinegar works well. Perhaps it would in conjunction with a tumble dryer but I hang my washing out when the weather is good, or in front of the fire when it's not. How much vinegar do you use? I've been putting in half a medium sized drinking glass per load.

30 for delicates and jeans so they don't lose their colour; 40 for everything else and 60 for towels (though sometimes do them at 40).

Towels, bedding, underwear , any clothing that goes next to the skin at 60 degrees. Anything else can be done at 40; I am another one who doesn't believe that germs are killed at lower temps, unless of course I put in tons of disinfectant.

I am with Monica on this one.
I do all sheets and towels on 60 and clothes 40. But if it is barely worn a quick wash will suffice.
I cannot see the point of putting extra chemicals in.

Everything on 40 with the exception of jumpers and cardigans.

Whites, including dish cloths, at 60, with an occasional 90 degree wash to keep them white. Everything else at 40. I've tried 30, but it didn't seem to do the job properly.

I don't treat tea towels differently to anything else. We only use them occasionally, when something's come out of the dishwasher not entirely dry and we need it quickly. I don't see how drying a clean dish can cause problems.

I have noticed that my AC use one towel in the kitchen for drying their hands and dishes then replace it at the end of each day. We have a hand towel and a tea towel and wash them after a few days.

Everything at 60. Never at lower temperatures. 30 degrees does not kill off health threatening bacteria.

Now Dettol( and, no doubt other companies) are selling liquids to put in 30 degree washes to ensure all bacteria etc are killed. I cannot think of anything more ridiculous than reducing the temperataure of the washing water to a level where it can no longer satisfactorally wash clothes and then add more chemicals to make it do the job properly.

How much energy is embedded in making these additives and the bottles they come in and transporting them to warehouses and stores, when you can just turn the temperature up and get them properly and safely clean in one go without the use of chemical products that may well damage clothing and cause adverse skin reactions?

That’s a very good point midgey

A whole new industry has grown to combat the effects of cooler washes. It wasn’t there before and I wonder which has the greater benefit for the eco system? More plastic bottles, more liquids etc etc.