Washing machine temperature

juno

I don't think my washing machine has a 30 setting

Debran

In order to destroy dust mites your washing machine needs to reach a temperature of 60 degrees C and stay at that temperature for 20 minutes. No machine Which? tested was able to do this. The best result came from one Panasonic machine and that only held the water at the required temperature for three minutes.

One of the Hoover machines only reached 43 degrees then dropped to 40 degrees when on the 60 degree setting.:(

Even at a 60 degree C wash some viruses and bacterial spores remain resistant but modern detergents are good sanitising. If you are worried, just wash at the highest temperature recommended on the care label.

iammumtoone

Debran wrote: »

In order to destroy dust mites your washing machine needs to reach a temperature of 60 degrees C and stay at that temperature for 20 minutes. No machine Which? tested was able to do this. The best result came from one Panasonic machine and that only held the water at the required temperature for three minutes.
One of the Hoover machines only reached 43 degrees when on the 60 degree setting.:(

I did not know that, so my washing at 60 on quick washes isn't doing anything. I will have to re-think my washing habits. I have a Panasonic not that the three minutes makes much difference if 20 is required

boliston

Just checked my machine and it only does Cold/20/40/60/95ºc (no 30 degree option) - I tend to use 40 for clothes and 60 for towels

stator

I use 60 or 95. Colours run at 90 though.
Gotta kill off all those bugs.
In the grand scheme of things the amount of energy used by your washing machine heating water isn't that significant.
If you want to save the planet cycling instead of driving would make a bigger difference.

peachyprice

I can't see how 60c would kill these 'bugs', to sterilise you need at least 125c for 5mins, I can't see how anyone could imagine that could be achieved at 60c in a washing machine.

I do most of my washes at 40c, towels at 60c, 30 just doesn't get anything clean enough, despite all the TV ads.

EssexExile

Debran wrote: »

In order to destroy dust mites your washing machine needs to reach a temperature of 60 degrees C and stay at that temperature for 20 minutes. No machine Which? tested was able to do this. The best result came from one Panasonic machine and that only held the water at the required temperature for three minutes.

One of the Hoover machines only reached 43 degrees then dropped to 40 degrees when on the 60 degree setting.:(

Even at a 60 degree C wash some viruses and bacterial spores remain resistant but modern detergents are good sanitising. If you are worried, just wash at the highest temperature recommended on the care label.

Most of us didn't know that & wash at lower temperatures, but still we live.

marleyboy

EssexExile wrote: »

Most of us didn't know that & wash at lower temperatures, but still we live.

Most of us DID know that. However, likewise most of the great unwashed manage to live too. I do hope you at least use soap & water.

Ectophile

I wash most things at 30C. It seems to clean perfectly well, even on the "speed" wash.

Bedding goes in at 60C to kill off house dust mites. Towels could be 40C or 60C.

boliston

Ectophile wrote: »

I wash most things at 30C. It seems to clean perfectly well, even on the "speed" wash.

Bedding goes in at 60C to kill off house dust mites. Towels could be 40C or 60C.

A typical mattress and pillow probably contains 100 if not 1000 times the mite population of a typical sheet unless you have mite inhospitable mattress/pillow. I have a wool filled pillow - mites do not like wool and a latex filled mattress which mites also dislike