30 degree wash

wisewoman

chaletmaid wrote:

My daughter lives in Australia and out there all their washing powders/liquids are cold water only ! I often wonder why they can't bring out some over here,we could all save a bomb !I see the new box of Ariel tabs that I have just bought is marked 'turn to 30 C' tosave 20% energy

Might the water temperature, prior to heating, be higher in Australia than in the UK?

sunflowermum_2

juliaw wrote:

The problem with washing on low temperatures is that the detergent clogs up the washing machine and pipes and then you have to pay a repair man to clear them.

The repair man who came to fix my pals machine recommended doing a monthly wash on hottest temp,with nothing in machine,to rinse out residues.Also said liquids very bad!

KatrinaC_2

Suzy_M wrote:

Also consider some of those "unmentionable stains". These are by nature likely to spread stomach upsets, particularly with kids, and reinfect with some unpleasant "personal" infections (know what I mean ladies). If using water alone the minimum temperature to kill off the majority of organisms is 72C and to kill off all is 121C so low temperature washes using balls or whatever won't be any good unless unless some sort of sterilizer is incorporated in the wash.

If you are really worried about bugs and nasties remaining on your clothes, try ironing them. Your iron will get the fibres in your clothes much higher than the water in your washer ever will.

And on a completely different note, the best liquid washing detergent I've found is the Adritt colour liquid sold at Lidl - it gets my six year old's mucky clothing clean at 30 degrees, even if I only add half the correct dose. I moved to it after I found that powders, tablets and squashy gel things don't dissolve properly at 30 and I'm not planning on going back to any of them.

Kat

tawnyowls

juliaw wrote:

The problem with washing on low temperatures is that the detergent clogs up the washing machine and pipes and then you have to pay a repair man to clear them.

I've never found that, and one of my WMs (now owned by SIL) is 8 years old & still going strong. I reckon my lack of problems is down to using far less detergent than manufacturers recommend (usually liquid) and using a washing ball, so the detergent gets properly dissolved before it goes out the waste pipe, and the path between powder tray and drum never gets any in it - stops mould growth as well. In addition, the machine does get a biweekly 90 deg wash, but with the teatowels/dishcloths in it and a cupful of vinegar.

KatrinaC wrote:

And on a completely different note, the best liquid washing detergent I've found is the Adritt colour liquid sold at Lidl - it gets my six year old's mucky clothing clean at 30 degrees, even if I only add half the correct dose.

I've been very impressed with the Adritt dishwasher tablets, so will be trying this after my present bottle of liquid is finished. The liquid does work out more expensive per wash, but probably worth it if it prevents the problems described above.

loopy_lou_6

wigginsmum wrote:

I do most of my washing on 30 degrees and it's fine, even mucky allotment clothes. Whites I occasionally do at 90 degrees if they're very grubby and grey. I just use bog-standard bio washing powder.

I heard once that washing whites at hot temps to keep them white is a fallacy as the original material is not actually white to begin with it is dyed that colour so by washing it on hot temps you are fading the dye and your whites will go grey. Much the same as your blacks will fade over time. I have always stuck to this and my whites stay white. Hope this helps someone.

Natty68

I did a 40 deg wash yesterday on my darks and was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately I have to use two tablets as we live in a velry very hard water area and I did use fabric conditioner. But I was surprised at how soft the washing came out.

I will still wash my teatowels, towels, face flannels, underwear (except bras) and bedding at 95 deg. But anything else will get washed at 40 deg, stuff really doesnt get that dirty here and I do tend to wear my jeans and skirts at least twice before washing them.

What I would like to know is if you don't use fabric conditioner how on earth do you get everything soft, I tried it once and it came out all icky, stiff and scratchy..ugh!!

KatrinaC_2

Natty68 wrote:

What I would like to know is if you don't use fabric conditioner how on earth do you get everything soft, I tried it once and it came out all icky, stiff and scratchy..ugh!!

The legendary white vinegar!!!! :j

Seriously, I was sceptical too until it was reccomended so many times on here that I had to try it.

About a tablespoonfull per wash works fine for me in a very hard water area and there is no resiual smell (honest!).

Kat

katherinemackenzie

When I first moved here I was amazed to find that my washing machine physically required me to wash with hot water - it wouldn't work at all unless connected. Back home in Australia I never even had the hot water connected to the washing machine. Now I realise oz is a tad warmer than the UK, but tap water is much cooler than 30 degrees. I've never had a problem with routine washing with cold water, no matter what the detergent was, although powder does dissolve better in warm water - one reason I use liquid.

POSSETTE

ooohh...i sling everything in together,never bothered separating anything, sling washer on at 40 and let it get on with it...never had a problem!!..may turn down temp to 30 and try it tho...and if less spinning causes less ironing..then great..my mum wont have to do as much while she doggy sits for me...!! Im too good to my mum!!:T :rolleyes:

newleaf

I wash everything at 40 using the '3 powder mix' - equal parts posh/cheap/soda. I only use 5oml measure for a full load, put straight in the drum with the laundry. I haven't used fabric conditioner since May, but I do now put about 15mls white vinegar in the softener compartment for each load.
My washer is a Zanussi, well over 10 years old, probably nearer 12, is used for 6 loads per week, and has never had a fault.
Oh, and I've never had lice or any other unpleasant infestation