Cold Washing your Laundry

belfastgirl23

We don't really have stained washing as such, tend to wear a lot of dark colours and the only real light stuff we have would be sheets, and they don't get stained. I wouldn't wash in cold water though if I wasn't ironing them, figure this will kill anything the cold water leaves behind I do find though that washing at higher temps once in a while is important for gym stuff to stop it smelling...

tesco bio does seem to dissolve fine as does bicarb

cady

Hi,

ive searched and cant find this anywhere but feel fre to move it if its in the wrong place,

Im trying to save as much energy as possible and make the washing as MS as poss. What is the cheapest way to run the washing machine am i right in thinking on a short wash cycle at 30 will this get it clean? i have things on the washer like extra rinse buttons and stain removal buttons will these use more energy ??? sorry if this seems like a silly question but i want to get the most out of my washer without it using too much energy.

Thanks

apinnyon

I try to sort my washing so really dirty things get washed together and 'cleanish' things get washed together. ie. no point running a hot wash because only one thing is dirty. I find 30 deg. gets most things clean but use 60 for teatowels and cloths. Half the amount of powder seems to work just as well and you won't need the extra rinse. I use half the amount of Ariel but found I had to use the full amount of cheaper powder to get things white. I went back to Ariel but haven't calculated which is more economical. I was also told that Ariel is the best powder for keeping the machine itself clean and efficient. Apparently liquids some powders cause bacteria build up (black slime and smells- yukk) in the machine, especially at low temperatures. If you do wash at low temps do a hot wash once a month to prevent this.

Also for max efficiency, follow the manufacturers guidline for washload. Overstuffing is not elec or cleaning friendly.

Pink.

Hi cady,

There was a recent thread on using the washing machine more efficiently so I'll add your thread to it.

This thread may help too:

30 degree wash

Pink

belfastgirl23

cady wrote: »

Hi,

ive searched and cant find this anywhere but feel fre to move it if its in the wrong place,

Im trying to save as much energy as possible and make the washing as MS as poss. What is the cheapest way to run the washing machine am i right in thinking on a short wash cycle at 30 will this get it clean? i have things on the washer like extra rinse buttons and stain removal buttons will these use more energy ??? sorry if this seems like a silly question but i want to get the most out of my washer without it using too much energy.

Thanks

Depends on how dirty your clothes are

I find that most of my clothes are fine at 30 although I don't wear much white or light colours. My biggest challenge is smelly gym stuff which def needs a 40 once in a while. And I've recently been washing bedclothes on cold since I iron them anyway. Why not play around and see what works for you??

[Deleted User]

I have been/am a cold water wash person however my dh has contracted a nasty bacterial skin infection. Washing below 55 will not get rid of it and although my washing looks clean, I am taking no chances and half of our washing is now being done at 60

Magentasue

I tested my washing machine on a 30deg and 95deg wash. I also clocked the 40deg quick wash. They cost 4p for 30deg; 23p for 95deg wash and 7p for the quick wash.

I wash everything on the 30deg wash apart from whites (hand towels, kitchen linen and white shirts) which go on a 95deg wash to keep them white and keep the machine clean.

kippers

Since reading this thread i've been washing at 30 degrees and everything has come out clean (though i do treat stains before i put them in the washing machine). The only thing i'm worried about is my dishcloths as i always put them staright in the wash and wash with my next load...i'll have to think about this more.

Ben84

I found a big difference in how clean and fresh things are between washing at 40 and washing at 30, so I've stuck with washing at 40.

I could try a more expensive powder, but the majority of the cost of washing is in the powder and not the electric. If washing at 40 with supermarket brand powder works fine it would be a false economy to save a few pence on electric and spend a lot more on powder just to wash at 30.

rchrisp

Slinky wrote: »

14 years ago I visited my friends in Australia. They use a powder called Cold Power and everything was washed in cold water http://www.girl.com.au/cold-power-cuddly-clothes.htm

Tried getting it in the UK, can't find it. I was talking about it to a bloke working in a supermarket who seemed to think I was mad wanting to wash stuff in cold water. I said they do it in Australia. He seemed to think they have a different sort of dirt!

Anyway, back to the subject, I've never washed bedding above 40 degrees and I'm in my 40s still here to tell the tale.

Anybody know if we can get Cold Power here?

nope. i grew up in Australia and my mum has only ever done cold washes. she never used cold power either.

because of this i always use non-bio, but unfortunately my machine doesn't go below 30c.