What cycles do you find best to use on your washing machine?

[napkin]

I have been separating all my washing to cotton (1 line) synthetics (2 lines) delicate's (3 lines). Takes a long time to build a pile of washing up for each wash! I also separate into whites,lights,brights,darks. Doe's anyone else or do you just use one setting for all your washing? I also wash at 30 apart from towels and bedding.

[dexter73]

I do darks and lights on a 40, jumpers on 30 wool wash, bedding/towels 60 wash.

[ilovepowerhoop]

i dont split by fabrics just by colours (darks, whites and mixed colours) - tend to wash on a 40 cycle although may do some towels/bedding at 60.

[Locketjuice]

I put all in together on 40 and bedding 60 comes out fine :)

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

I've always done bedding on 60 as I read somewhere you need to kill the germs/bed bugs/whatever, but I've noticed some fitted sheets seem to have shrunk, and their labels say max 40, so I want to do them on a 40 from now on. Otherwise, I do the same as you.

[sazpops]

Towels on 60, bedding and colourfast or white cotton on 40 and the rest on 30. I do wash a lot by hand as I don't trust my delicates or wool cycle. I've also got a 'quick wash' programme which takes half an hour and which I use if I've just got a few bits and they're not too grubby. My machine has countless other buttons and I haven't got a clue what they're for!

[NorthernLurker]

I wash most things on 40 degree 'daily wash'. Big loads, or very dirty stuff on 40 for the longer wash. Delicates on 30 or even 20. I seperate only in to lights and darks. Towels etc I wash hotter - I have up to 95 on my machine.

[survivingwinter]

I separate into darks, mixed colours and whites/light colours all on 40°

Do your towels fade doing them on 60°? All my towels are quite strong colours...

[Dancergirl]

I do darks and lights on 30 and don't tumble dry! Keeps clothes looking new for much longer. Cotton bedding on 50, towels on 50 or 60 (towels are only thing I tumble dry). Knitwear on wool cycle with wool detergent.

[eatyourveg]

lights on 30 40 or 60 depending on how grubby they are - cotton or daily wash cycle with vanish powder thingy if on 60
woollens on 20 or 30 on wool cycle
darks on 30 or 40 on daily wash cycle
sports kit on 30 on sports cycle
towels go in with lights or darks
duvets etc 30 on big items cycle

we have 2 linen baskets one for lights one for darks to save sorting - I just need to sort woollens

[SilveryMoon]

I don't separate anything. It all gets chucked in together on a 40 degree quick wash. No problems with that.

[napkin]

Does anyone wash new items on their own for the first wash?

[napkin]

Do most of you use the cotton cycle no matter what the fabrics? Just wondering if this will be too harsh for all my clothes? survivingwinter my towels don't seem to fade at 60 but my bedding does!

[thenightsky]

Towels and bedding on 60

Whites on 50

Darks 40

Blacks or delicates or stuff worn just once - quick wash 30

[Pandsbear]

I have:
Whites
coloured (pinks/yellows/pale blues etc)
darks - all 40 or 30 depending on how dirty.

Towels 60.

Bedding 40.

Plus hand washing for some of my delicates.

I noticed that when my old Hotpoint died (was about 12 yrs old and had hot & cold water feed) and I had to get a new all-singing-all-washing machine the new machine destroyed the cotton fibres in clothes. T-shirts went scraggy and faded, children's clothing instantly aged in about 2 washes. My old machine used much more water and was more gentle on the clothes.

[SantasHairyBollock]

I just do nearly everything on a standard 40 wash. 60 wash for towels and sturdy whites or puked/shat on items. Handwash cycle once in a blue moon for delicates (usually dressing up clothes)

[SantasHairyBollock]

I do separate white/lights from darks and brights though. New brightly coloured stuff gets washed with DH's rags old dark stuff the first few times.

[napkin]

Pandsbear i thought i was going mad! This too is happening with me since getting a new machine and nobody seems to have the same problem. All my clothes are getting destroyed and looking old only after a couple of washes. What machine do you have at the moment and have you managed to resolve this problem? Would be so happy for any advice.

[cerealqueen]

Towels and bedlinen on 60
Other stuff sorted into darks and lights/colours (basically kids stuff) on 40

Napkin, try a gentler wash eg synthetics, for your cottons?

[napkin]

Thanks cerealqueen. I shall put them all on a synthectic and see if any better results.

[Pandsbear]

napkin I have a Bosch Classix of some sort. It has a boost option for extra water that I use all the time and don't spin at max spin. I think it is so noticeable because I hadn't had a new machine and wash technology had changed so much over the 12 or so years! Yes I also use the synthetics rather than the cotton wash.

[BrandyAlexander]

I am quite anal about this. I do by colours: whites, white with a bit of colour, sheets, 2 lots of towels (beige and coloured), pink/reds, blues, blacks and other colours (eg yellows/greens etc). Nothing is ever above 40 and the pink/reds are usually done at 30. I never use the cotton wash - usually delicates, wool or synthetics. I also put a scoop of vanish whites/colours/sensitive in each wash. I am also meticulous about checking each item before it goes in the tubmble and never put anything with sequins, motifs etc in the tumble even if it says you can. I started this regime a few years ago and found that it has really helped keep my clothes, so even the cheap jumpers from Primarks that I bought to lark about with the kids because I never thought would last, have kept really well.

[bigbadbarry]

Towels, bedding and DH's stinking football kit: 60 degree cotton
Things that just need freshening separated white/colour: "quick" (40 deg) wash
Normally used clothes separated whites/colours: 40 degree "minimum iron" cycle
Wools: wool cycle
swimsuits: rinse
occasional other delicate things: 30 or 40 degree "delicates"

[Ragwort]

Just separate into lights/darks either 30 or 40, don't really see any difference . Do have quite a useful wash for sports shoes.

[napkin]

Pandsbear is your stuff still coming out worn looking on the synthetic cycle? I had a bosch classic too and hated it so sent it back!

[higgle]

White cotton bedding 90 degrees + prewash
coloured bedding and towels 60 degrees
most of my clothes 30 deree miniwash