30 degree wash

laserboy_2

Having read this thread, I'm inspired...

Will start washing at 30C this weekend (have used 40C for everything with no probs until now). When I run out of fabric conditioner I may even give the white vinegar a bash.

LunarWind

I wash everything on 40 degrees on alternate washes with 30degree and this seems to work well. I gets my sons football whites cleanl, but I do use a stain remover first.

FlowerBob

Further to the keeping your whites white debate, if you can face it, using seperate 'whites' and 'coloured' detergents will keep whites brighter and stop colours from fading, at least a bit. The 'whites' stuff includes chemicals called 'optical brightners' which absorb uv light (invisible to the eye) and emit it as visible light, so the clothes do look brighter (Try Wikipedia if you want the full-on science) . But beware - If you use a lot of the stuff, and visit a nightclub which uses UV light for 'effect' you can find that your clothes 'glow' - really scary is when you've put in something dark and only the dust on it glows!! I use liquids (whatever is on offer usually) but do keep 2 in the cupboard. Like most people here I only use about 1/2 of the recommended dose. Must try the eco balls tho...

As you might be able to tell, I'm a chemist, but I consulted a biologist friend and she washes everything at 30 but puts sheets and towels through a 60 deg wash once every couple of months. It is true that if you wash bedclothes at 40 you don't kill any lice, you just clean them, but she rekons that we are all designed to live with them most of the time anyway and unless you get your pillows fumagated you're only putting lice-free covers back on lice-housing pillows. (sorry - not a pleasant image - just put myself off breakfast there...)
She did recommend putting everything through on a hot wash if you have a pet you suspect has fleas - at the same time as you treat the pet. If you do a machine maintenance wash at the highest temp she recommends you put dishcloths etc in that.

On a slightly different note, I heard that most washing machines will only take in hot water for a really hot wash (60 deg plus) and that even though mine is connected to a hot water intake, if I use it on 40 degrees it will take in only cold and heat it for itself - which seems stupid 'cause that uses electricity and the water is heated by our gas boiler. Does anyone know if that's true?

And my Mum was told by a washing machine engineer that because companies make most machines with a max spin of 1000 or 1200 revs, if you buy one with a higher speed (eg 1600) you're buying a much less common model, which is usually much less reliable. He recommended she stuck to a 'bog standard' machine - high volume means fewer breakdowns. Sounded plausable to me anyway.

Maz

I have to confess, I wash everything at 30 with either washing soda (and a few drops of lavendar oil) or soap flakes. Everything comes out lovely and clean! Soda is only about 50p a bag and lasts me for about a month. I never buy cleaning products, think they're a massive waste of money, so I make my own for pennies. They do the job just as well and they're eco friendly:D

sandieb

Maz - What quantity of washing soda do you use?

squirreltufty

I've been using white vinegar in my conditioner compartment for towels & teatowels as an experiment, and I've been pleased with the results. Is it safe to use for everything?

(and where can I buy washing soda? in fact what is washing soda?)

sandieb

I've just been reading this website - brilliant tips on borax, soda crystals etc

http://www.dri-pak.co.uk/cleaningtasks/laundry.html

And you can buy products from them too...

Freeness2006

Can someone tell me how I get the mouldy smell out of my washing machine? The washing comes out clean but the drum smells funny after I have emptied it.

Ta

saving-grace

FlowerBob wrote:

...


On a slightly different note, I heard that most washing machines will only take in hot water for a really hot wash (60 deg plus) and that even though mine is connected to a hot water intake, if I use it on 40 degrees it will take in only cold and heat it for itself - which seems stupid 'cause that uses electricity and the water is heated by our gas boiler. Does anyone know if that's true?

QUOTE]
I've been told this as well - if you have a hot and cold fill machine that is.
And in fact a lot of machines (particularly German ones) are just cold fill anyway.

morganlefay

I am sure - as someone said earlier - that we overwash our clothes, and I'm now using cooler washes with much less powder/liquid and they're fine EXCEPT for the fat splodges which I get on my t shirts when I'm cooking (and I have to confess to sometimes dropping food down them while eating - what a slob). I do wear a pinny for cooking but my t shirted front attracts fat spots like a magnet. I spray them with Shout, or Vanish, or squidge a bit of washing liquid on them and sometimes they disappear and sometimes they lurk and lurk for several washes. I've watched those ads for the bright pink drums of powder of which you add a bit to your wash and magically fat splodges vanish (I think that stuff is Vanish) but they don't in my house. Has anyone got a foolproof method which doesnt involve boil washes, or anything silly like that (since I have several problem t shirts to do every week and can't be boiling all the time ?)
You would REALLY make my day (what a sad woman) if you have any brilliant ideas about this.....she says hopefully