So we should be washing our pants at 60 degrees.

[BenWillbondsPants]

This morning cleaning expert says our pants should be washed at 60 degrees. How does that work then? If you've to wash the rest of your gear (apart from towels etc which I wouldn't wash with ma pants anyway) at a lower temp, are we just supposed to save up 50 pairs of dirty pants until you have a full load of dirty knickers? It's all very confusing you know ...

When I got a few recurrent bouts of thrush, I started washing pants and socks on 60 and I didn't get it again...could have been coincidence though! I now always wash on 40 and have only had thrush once in that time and that was just after childbirth.

What stopped my recurrent thrush was not using bio detergent on my underwear.

Those of you who change your bras every day, how many do you own? I couldn't afford seven and they take days to dry, weather-dependent.

@ravenshope
I wash my bras in the machine and spin them ( I know some people say not to do this but mine seem to last ok)
Mine only take overnight to dry, I have them up on an airer at ceiling height which is faster than on the line outside.
I don't wash them every wear though (I'm not a sweaty person )

”Those of you who change your bras every day, how many do you own? I couldn't afford seven and they take days to dry, weather-dependent.”

Don’t know, probably about 15.
Accumulated over a long period. Because I don’t wear any of them very frequently they last years and years.

I wash them in the machine on a delicates cycle then hang them on a heated airer/radiator/non-heated airer.

Thanks Wonkylegs and flowery.
I have two.
I wash them in the machine with everything else (not both at same time).
I don't think I could do a delicates wash as my bra would be the only thing in it!

What stopped my recurrent thrush was not using bio detergent on my underwear

Snap, switching to non bio with sensitive fabric conditioner, also fixed DHs skin flare ups & helped DDs eczema a lot

I buy all pants,socks,towels etc 100% cotton.
All clothes are divided in to piles, coloured cottons, dark cottons, white cottons. These are washed at 60 degrees, whites at 90 degrees.
All the non cottons are divided similarly, coloured/dark/white, and washed at 30 degrees with similar colours.
My whites stay really white this way.
All the clothes washed on hot washes are perfect, it doesn't ruin them at all.
If a load had less than half, I'd have a poke about to fill it with something else. I have 3 DC so always something about to go in, plus bedding etc, towels, dishcloths.
I prefer ironed clothes too, so laundry is a big deal altogether here.

Funky fact! Most modern washing detergents, especially bio, are designed to clean really well at 30 degrees. And it saves 40% of your energy use Vs higher temperatures (and more for the madwomen washing everything at 60 and 90.

Unless you have an illness in the house or your toddler had a really big day with spaghetti Bolognese and a chocolate icecream, try 30 first and you'll help to save money and the planet!

I think the cotton wash at any temperature is good, as it seems to rinse more thoroughly. Detergent residues can be so irritating on delicate skin. Surcare is pretty good, but even a tiny amount with an extra rinse doesn't get it all out. I met a lady who suffered so badly from eczema/dermatitis that she bought an old fashioned Baby Burco to wash her clothes in!

I think the cotton wash at any temperature is good

I agree but hardly ever use it because it's such a long cycle on my machine. Bloody hours - I wouldn't have bought the machine if I'd realised (or paid more attention ....)..

BTW agree with Eleanor that hot water doesn't ruin clothing if it is sturdy. Hermko underwear is organic cotton, their care label recommends 90 for white, 60 for dark cotton (just checked lol)

Good grief, it takes about half a minute to hand wash a bra, roll it in a towel and it's practically dry already. So not a problem.

Of course it is up to the individual how they wash their own laundry. But if people were happy to mind their own business MN would be just tumbleweed ;-)

Ben I was horrified when I got a new machine, it's crazy, right? It must be a nightmare for families.

@SlocombePooter so not just mine then! It's ridiculous - absolutely no need for it, the amount of water that cycle must use is ludicrous.

Mine's a Zanussi, I think the posher brands are just as bad! I'd pay good money for one that did a good rinse first time.

Oh I agree with PPs about bio vs non bio.

For years I had thrush on and off. I used to wonder what was wrong with me. After a particularly bad reaction once I finally realised what the problem was, switched to non bio and no problems ever since.

@Stuckforthefourthtime

Funky fact!Most modern washing detergents, especially bio, are designed to clean really well at 30 degrees. And it saves40%of your energy use Vs higher temperatures (and more for the madwomen washing everything at 60 and 90

Agree. If you use biological powder at higher temperatures- the enzymes in it won't work anyway!!

Pants = trousers? Pants = underwear?

I wash sheets and towels at 60 deg
Normal everyday clothing at 40 deg
Delicates 30 deg

I have tried washing clothes at 30/40 and mud etc, food does not come off!
I have 3 kids that are outdoorsy and spill everything on themselves, their clothes need a hot wash.
One has bad eczema so I can only use Fairy powder, anything else kills him.

Pants is surely underwear here in the UK? I thought only Americans called trousers pants?

”Pants = trousers? Pants = underwear?”

Trousers = trousers. Pants = underwear.

Who is confused at pants?? Knickers, pants, whatever. Nobody in the UK calls trousers pants.

I don't think I have ever washed anything at 60.

Well, pants = underwear, obviously.

Even if you were confused by the difference between the American/British term, the context makes it clear I think.

Actually, sorry - that sounded really snippy, I didn't mean it to.