Cold wash, washing powder?

diystarter7

We use decent branded washing powders and softners. We change our towels daily but we noted washing at 40c the towels start to smell musty but at 60c they are fresh. We also dry our clothing in a drier comes out softer

At 20C, the washing powder will not did the business IMO and you need hot water to aid the process.

GaleSF63

YoungBlueEyes said:

Interesting.... Is there evidence that heat is truly unnecessary, and it's the chemicals that do the work?
Or is it more of a cultural difference?  

I think a great deal of the work is done by the agitation of the machine, whether hot or cold water, and whatever the detergent (or lack of).

MalMonroe

If your washing isn't really dirty (most people's isn't) then cold water and a liquid detergent should be fine. I have started using smol non-bio and so far, love it. (Best non-bio laundry capsules, according to Good Housekeeping. The only time I used my washer every day was when my daughter was small. 

I'm not being rude but is that washing machine you're considering a little large? I mean, if you have a big family, then it will be great as the capacity is 10kg. Ours is also a Hotpoint but it's 7kg capacity and also does a quick wash and half-wash cycles and it's fine for two of us. 

There's no build up of liquid in our washer. I don't run it at 90 degrees at all, with or without a load of washing, because that's the longest wash and I think it's just wasteful. The worst thing is the build up of conditioner but maybe I use a tad too much. Must watch that.  

I agree with Grumpysally about using a tumble dryer. I try not to use mine much. Uses a lot of electricity and takes absolutely ages, even when washing's spun well. I do use it to finish things off as it tends to get rid of creases and freshens things up and gives them a nice softness.

anon_ymous

MalMonroe said:

If your washing isn't really dirty (most people's isn't) then cold water and a liquid detergent should be fine. I have started using smol non-bio and so far, love it. (Best non-bio laundry capsules, according to Good Housekeeping. The only time I used my washer every day was when my daughter was small. 

I'm not being rude but is that washing machine you're considering a little large? I mean, if you have a big family, then it will be great as the capacity is 10kg. Ours is also a Hotpoint but it's 7kg capacity and also does a quick wash and half-wash cycles and it's fine for two of us. 

There's no build up of liquid in our washer. I don't run it at 90 degrees at all, with or without a load of washing, because that's the longest wash and I think it's just wasteful. The worst thing is the build up of conditioner but maybe I use a tad too much. Must watch that.  

I agree with Grumpysally about using a tumble dryer. I try not to use mine much. Uses a lot of electricity and takes absolutely ages, even when washing's spun well. I do use it to finish things off as it tends to get rid of creases and freshens things up and gives them a nice softness.

I'm with you that it is indeed a bit large. 8kg would be sufficient but I couldn't see Hotpoint activecare having a smaller washing machine, with similar efficiency, at a roughly similar price point. The A rated stuff can be quite pricey for minimal energy efficiency savings 

Heat pump tumble dryers are pretty decent in terms of power consumption I guess but still, it adds up

Also FWIW, regarding the time it takes, I'll put the washing machine on when I'm wfh. That means I can just transfer the washing into a tumble dryer on a cold day, and it'll be done by the time I finish work, so the time doesn't bother me

diystarter7

MalMonroe said:

If your washing isn't really dirty (most people's isn't) then cold water and a liquid detergent should be fine. I have started using smol non-bio and so far, love it. (Best non-bio laundry capsules, according to Good Housekeeping. The only time I used my washer every day was when my daughter was small. 

I'm not being rude but is that washing machine you're considering a little large? I mean, if you have a big family, then it will be great as the capacity is 10kg. Ours is also a Hotpoint but it's 7kg capacity and also does a quick wash and half-wash cycles and it's fine for two of us. 

There's no build up of liquid in our washer. I don't run it at 90 degrees at all, with or without a load of washing, because that's the longest wash and I think it's just wasteful. The worst thing is the build up of conditioner but maybe I use a tad too much. Must watch that.  

I agree with Grumpysally about using a tumble dryer. I try not to use mine much. Uses a lot of electricity and takes absolutely ages, even when washing's spun well. I do use it to finish things off as it tends to get rid of creases and freshens things up and gives them a nice softness.

In bold. I completely disagree by the example in my previous post IE we have washed our towels in 40C water and after a while when we kept doing this the towels smelt. The towels look clean when they go into the machine and we only use for one day eash, one towel per person, one for the kitchen and one for the bathrooms/etc. Putting them in a 60C does the trick. We use Persil Non bio and an softener and always fully dry in drier even in the summer so its not a case of smell by storing damp.


Years ago we could not work out why my sisters towels smelt funny she has an immaculate house and not a mark, pet, smoke, food smells anyhwere -  when we noted the smell in our twoels having changed the washing machine and it happens grudally the 60C worked we told her about our finding but not mention her towels - the next time we went their, fresh smelling towels.

-taff

Well, you have the option of buying washing powder and making it up with hot water to dissolve and then water down. Hey presto, washing liquid....

anon_ymous

-taff said:

Well, you have the option of buying washing powder and making it up with hot water to dissolve and then water down. Hey presto, washing liquid....

Lol. Not a thick gel however 

-taff

I think you've been swayed by advertising here. Clothes washing liquid is just soap and water [ maybe with a bit of perfume here and there or other additives], no matter how thick or how thin. Make your own up and pour it in the washing machine if you do a simple wash, it'll be cheaper, cleaner for your machine.

anon_ymous

-taff said:

I think you've been swayed by advertising here. Clothes washing liquid is just soap and water [ maybe with a bit of perfume here and there or other additives], no matter how thick or how thin. Make your own up and pour it in the washing machine if you do a simple wash, it'll be cheaper, cleaner for your machine.

Sure

I was more getting at that with hot water, it'd pretty much instantly go down the pipe instead of the water taking it as and when needed 

PipneyJane

waqasahmed said:

-taff said:

I think you've been swayed by advertising here. Clothes washing liquid is just soap and water [ maybe with a bit of perfume here and there or other additives], no matter how thick or how thin. Make your own up and pour it in the washing machine if you do a simple wash, it'll be cheaper, cleaner for your machine.

Sure

I was more getting at that with hot water, it'd pretty much instantly go down the pipe instead of the water taking it as and when needed 

No it won't.  It'll drain into the drum with the rest of the water you use to wash your clothes.   Next time you use a powder, check out the drawer just after starting the machine.  All the soap is being washed down into the drum.  (My machine's drawer has two soap slots, but only one is ever used.  The other slot gets used if the machine is on the 90C cycle.)

Incidentally, I disagree with people saying not to buy a 10kg machine.  A larger machine will mean that you only have to do one towel wash, instead of two - or more - in order to get a family's towels washed.  Ditto for bedding.  

- Pip