Cold Washing your Laundry

seasalt_2

I check everything before I wash it, especially if it has come from DS or DD's bedroom floors. If it's not dirty, I just give it back!

mommygoose

seasalt wrote: »

I check everything before I wash it, especially if it has come from DS or DD's bedroom floors. If it's not dirty, I just give it back!

I should really start doing that! I bet my no2 DS wouldn't notice at all :T

Pink.

Hi PinkPeach,

I do have a cold option on my washing machine, but must admit that I've never even thought of trying it as I have two boys who manage to put something grubby/muddy into the wash every day.

The pros and cons of washing in cold water was discussed in this earlier thread:

Cold Washing your Laundry

I'll merge your thread with that one later to keep the replies together.

Pink

Edit This thread may be of interest too: 30 degree wash

starchild1972

I out some of the hard JML dryer balls in my washing machine. As long as it's nothing delicate it works like an old fashioned washing dolly.

babyshoes

At Uni all the washing machines in the laundry room were cold wash only, so unless you boiled your kettle a few times and added it to the wash (rather a hassle to get enough hot water to make a difference in those large industrial top loader machines) you washed in cold water.

For most stuff it was ok, but I found I had a problem with the underarms after a while - they just wouldn't come properly clean - though they smelled ok when dry they would start to smell sweaty as soon as the warmth from your body got to them. A good scrub with soap followed by a soak in boiling water usually helped, but they wouldn't have gotten so bad if I could have washed them in warm water more frequently. If you don't get too smelly or dirty, then I reckon cold is fine most of the time, but I prefer to use a 40 degree wash for tops and undies, and hotter for stuff which is really dirty like pet blankets.

mommygoose

I made some gloop a while back, must find it out. Forgot all about it

zarazara

I think its a good idea to use COLD as the default wash. use liquid soap [HM GLOOP?] or disolve powder first in a little hot water. add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar too. then ,once a month do a HOT wash 60 c say,bedding ,this kills dust mites and washes the machine. should save loads . for stains I rub on soap first onto the stain.
I am going to use this method,starting today,will try it for 1 month and see how it goes.

icedgin

I was reading about ozone cleaning in cold water, there is a method of using "ozone" to cleanse and disinfect soiled sheets in hospitals abroad, further research states that there are home based washers available. ozone works best with cold water, job done. However a hospital in the UK started to using this method with great results, and where told to stop using it by NICE because they are not boiling the sheets so it didnt comform to their standards......

star_trek_fan

Interesting thread.

Everything gets washed at 40 deg, with Mr T's value powder and all bunged in together. It all seems to come out clean.

Every few months, I do a 95 deg wash to clean the machine, but the machine really stinks afterwards for several days. Any idea why?

OrkneyStar

star_trek_fan wrote: »

Interesting thread.

Everything gets washed at 40 deg, with Mr T's value powder and all bunged in together. It all seems to come out clean.

Every few months, I do a 95 deg wash to clean the machine, but the machine really stinks afterwards for several days. Any idea why?

Does the really hot water do something to the rubber seals or something ?
I wash normal loads at 30 or 40, varying cycle length (as long as I have time for tbh), sheets etc normally 60, rarely some things at 90.
I used to routinely do the real nappies at 60.