Machine Washing

flutterbyuk25

I'm another who doesn't wear much white for fear of spillage! I have a few white tops which I chuck in with other stuff as if i waited for a full load they wouldn't be washed for a year!! :rotfl: I can live with not quite white stuff though so I'm happy with that

x

edinburgher

I think I own 3 pieces of white clothing, so manage to avoid that one!

Our washing is mostly 30 degree quick wash for colours, 60 degrees for towels (reduced time cycle) and 40 degrees (reduced time cycle) for stinky stuff/gym/hiking gear.

Tend to use 50% of the 'recommended' washing tablets and fabric softener, everything is air dried or line dried (have never owned a tumble drier, dislike them!)

We spend very little on washing (maybe 10-15p a wash not including power)?

calleyw

Raksha wrote: »

NEVER get rid of - 700rpm is quite enough, shake everything before you hang it on the line,

I try and only wash when it is good weather. So I put my machine on 500 spin. Let it spin for a couple of mins max so that water is drained from the drum and then pop the stuff on the line.

Yes it is wetter but with the nice weather it will not take long to dry and saves the wear and tear on your machine.

It will all change when the autumn and winter returns. But during the spring and summer it saves a little electric.

Yours

Calley

kathie1101

I pretty much do as Rainy-Days does for sorting my washing, and the only problem I have getting clean is my eldests white sport socks. The rest of our white socks come out clean, but his will not come clean no matter what I do with them, have had them soaking before wash in napisan or biotex but it makes no difference. I have actually considered boiling them on the stove but unsure on doing this as some are not pure white (red or black stripes on them). I actually feel quite ashamed putting them out on the line. So if anyone has any fantastic tips for getting socks white again that refuse to be clean, I would love to hear them.

The only other thing I sometimes struggle with is what wash pile to put the bright clothing into. The reds I always put in with darks if they are new and I'm unsure about them. But it's the bright blues etc (not pale) do you stick them all in with your dark washes or do you wash them separately? I am convinced that when I put them in with the darks they end up looking faded and dull, but there often isn't enough of them to warrant a separate wash just for them:undecided

VJsmum

I am not sure i have anything delicate enough to be "delicates":rotfl:

And rather than run a half load, i would always shove a towel in to fill it up, never had a problem so far

goobergirl

Raksha wrote: »

Oh yes, I forgot to relay this hint:

Forget the high spin speeds, all they do is iron the creases in that you will NEVER get rid of - 700rpm is quite enough, shake everything before you hang it on the line, pull it into shape if necessary. when it's dry, fold it all and put it away, and you may never have to iron ever again!

This is my bug bear of line drying and did not know this tip! Thank you!:T

kathie1101

VJsmum wrote: »

I am not sure i have anything delicate enough to be "delicates":rotfl:

Yep have to agree, I don't think I have ever used a delicate wash in my life lol

chocolate_buttons_2

Rainy-Days wrote: »

If you know something that bleeds in the wash fast set it. Boil a kettle and disolve in a bowl five tablespoons of salt - ordinary cheap salt. Then add cold water so your bowl is 3/4 full and the temperature of the water is cool. Add the clothing and then give it a really good squeeze through, leave in the water for 15 minutes stiring it around every now and again, then rinse off. It may bleed a little after the first normal wash but the worst has been stopped in it's tracks!

That's a fabulous tip, thank you!

Especially as DD has to have red sports socks for school. Which they wear for about 2 milliseconds in the year but are compulsory and the school charge £9 a pair for :eek:

And she invariably shoves them in the basket with her white blouses...

[Deleted User]

I only use a 30 minute wash for my bits, but there is only me to wash things for and as I don't seem to get that mucky (I have a set of old clothes that I keep just for house cleaning,old clapped out tee shirt and a past their best pair of joggers)If I'm doing housework I stick these on and when I'm done, shower, and get changed into what i will wear to go out in.The 'housework clothes get done about twice a week or sometimes less depending on how much housework I am actually doing.When spring cleaning or 'bottoming out' as my old Mum would say then I am in them until finished then they go straight into the wash.But normal everyday clothes only need a short washI change my sheets twice a week in the hot weather as I love fresh sheets straight off the line if dry back on the bed (I did them this morning.) My duvet in the summer rarely gets used much as I don't feel the cold much and my DD changes it for me at the weekends as I have a problem with my right arm and cannot use it very well.Now and again I will do a boil wash for my four grandsons tee shirts and school shirts for my DD as I have a lovely long washing line and as there is 5 children in the house I can do a long line for her and get it dry and back to her house in a day easily.I have four bath sheets that get done if possible on nice blowy days and they are white and fill the machine up.Normally I suppose I do around two sometimes three loads a week but if the weather is bad then I will delay it for several days until I can line dry them I have never owned nor wanted a tumble dryer I can manage quite easily with just my long line i agree about the spinning though as a little extra water in the washing will pull the creases out when on the line by the weight of it

suzybloo

JackieO -I would love to see all these white shirts blowing on a proper washing line - sad eh?????????? :rotfl:Bit like seeing a line of white terry nappy squares years ago.