Boring washing machine question

[OnlyToWin]

Obviously I am taking the opportunity on this drying day of dreams to wash all the towels. However, every time I wash towels the washing machine just becomes full of soap suds, they sometimes drip out of the machine and when the cycle has finished they remain all over the towels. Even when I add an extra drain and spin cycle they are still soaking wet, so hauling them to the line almost breaks my back and then they hang there dripping like I have just dunked them in a swimming pool. Wash cycle (if anyone is still reading this is 60 degrees 1600 rpm. I don’t have this problem with anything else I wash - just towels. What’s happening here?

Thanks in advance!

Have you overloaded the machine. I find it best to wash towels with other items.

How much powder/liquid are you using and are you overloading your machine with too many towels at a time? Can you reduce the spin cycle too as heavy towels may be too much for a 1600 spin? Think mine is either 1400 or even 1200 for a heavy load

Thanks for replies.

I washed bath sheets and a bath mat. The machine is pretty full though.
I just use one persil liquitab.

So would they be better on a lower spin?

How full is full? There needs to be space in the top for the towels to move about. If its overloaded the soap cant disperse through the wash. Put less in and try a slower spin

Try an extra rinse and spin cycle. Make sure to clean your machine out and get rid of all the soap left over in the pipes. 90 degree empty cycle once a month or so and that should help too.

Try the towels on a 90 wash with no added soap.
And no fabric softener.

I also put in 3/4 towels at once.

Thanks for the tips - there was not any space on top. I think I try to do as few wash loads as possible, so am a bit of an over filler. I will do that 90 degree wash. I don’t use softener.

You need to be able to fit your fist in on top of the load to make sure there is enough space for things to move about properly

There was definitely no room for that!

Too much weight for the machine to spin.
Put less in (and if they are dripping wet right now, put half of them back in and put on a spin cycle).

Thanks @KittenVsBox

If they are soapy too then maybe a rinse and spin would be better

But do the rinse and spin in batches, not all in together

Thanks @dementedpixie

They are also soapy as you are using them to wipe water that is probably still soapy from your bodies and hair.

sorry meant to add that that means you need very little added detergent. I use powder so that's easy just to add half or less but appreciate with tabs it will be more difficult.

The weight that a machine can handle is the wet weight of material, not dry.

If I'm doing towels I rarely fill more than 2/3 full as it won't spin and I get an error code.

A liquitab for washing should be fine then.

Generally, a 7kg standard size washing machine can do 2 bath sheets at a time (I’ve found). Sounds like you are overloading the machine.

I've a 10kg machine. I only ever put 2 bath sheets max in at a time as it will get completely unbalanced and not spin/only v low spin.

It will do 2 king size duvet covers and 4 pillow cases and a fitted ks sheet though

it's all down to weight/balance

oops, forgot to say it's also a 1600rpm spin, so v similar to yours.

also I use a 60 deg cotton wash for towels or bedding - 1 pod, 1 limescale tablet, comfort in drawer.

Towels are absorbant meaning they take in loads of water from the wash, become heavy and overload the machine - you need to either spread them between other washes, or wash less at a time.

If you can't fit your hand in the machine you're definitely overfilling it! Even for an ordinary wash. You need that space otherwise they might as well not be in a rotating drum, they won't have space to move around. You'll find things get cleaner if you don't overfill it, so you won't have to wash as often.

Using softener on towels makes them less absorbent when using them, so don't use it

I always, not matter what I've washed, put the machine on for an extra spin once the main washing has finished, it reduces drying time for both dryer and line drying.

I wouldn’t expect your machine to wash thoroughly or to spin if there’s no space in the drum. You are overloading the machine.

Thanks all - will take all the advice on board.