Is quick washing bad for clothes?

My current washing machine, which is less than a year old, has a super-quick-wash cycle. I used it once just to see what it was like. It's something like 27 minutes long...
It was... fine... Okay I suppose if you're one of those folk who wears something once and then washes it, so really your clothes are only having a "freshen up" - but, and maybe I'm grungy - I prefer to wear something maybe 3 or 4 times before washing it, in which case, that 27 minute wash isn't really enough, meaning things have to be washed more often.

I now just use the standard cottons cycle. It comes in at something a bit mad like 2 hours 30, but you can reduce that to 1 hour 30, which I find absolutely fine MOST of the time.
But if something has got really bad, like with mud or something, I leave it to do the full 2 hour 30 cycle.

I live alone, and have a fairly substantial wardrobe, so do a clothes wash (either whites or colours) about every 2 weeks.

dekaspace wrote: »

So I wouldn't mind something to "freshen up" clothes i.e worn a t shirt for a hour or two one day and its smelly but not dirty to put it in wash to get it smelling nice.

Put it on a hanger on the washing line. Air it out.
Put it on a hanger in your bathroom, Steam (from shower/bath) it out.
Does it smell sweaty or deodoranty? If you have a tumble-drier, a quick few mins will freshen.

For washing machine - you can make do with FAR less than it says on the detergent pack, ditto with fab conditioner. Turn your clothes inside out, pick a low agitation wash and separate loads as appropriate (ie don't stuff a pair of jeans in with your t-shirts).

http://lifehacker.com/5493813/less-detergent-washes-as-well-saves-you-a-lot-of-money

You could give the item a quick hand wash, a good way to do it is while showering, two birds with a stone and not much extra use of water. I do this regularly when on holiday so I don't have to carry too many clothes when travelling.

Are you a man by any chance? My clothes are fine on a quick wash but my partner's shirts still smell under the armpits if I only do a quick wash.

I somehow end up washing a LOT of stuff - 6 adults in the house, one of whom trains or plays football about 5 nights a week, one who's training to run his 3rd marathon, one in a physical job where she's on her feet most of the day, and one who dances. It's a big machine (10.5 Kg) and very capable, but the quick washes just don't cut it unless it's a light load of stuff that has only been worn once, to do nothing much in. To be quite honest, the only 30℃ washes that are any good are the wool & silk/delicates cycles, which would never be a full load anyway.

The amount of detergent can be reduced quite a lot without the cleanliness varying or lingering smells being left behind. But the temperature can't be, in my experience, and heating the water is what takes the time & uses the energy. A vinegar rinse, by the way, is excellent for obliterating stale smells, but quick washes just don't do the job, for us.