Because I am ignorant. Why is a 4 hour Eco wash better than a 1 hr wash?

[Unreasonabubble]

I saw a thread tonight about washing machine times and it made me think. I normally do a 1 hour 40 degree wash for most of my washing. Should I be doing an Eco wash which takes 3 times longer? Does it save me money? Does it clean better? I like to wash and go if that makes sense. I do not understand why I would clog up the washing machine for hours and hours. I would not be able to get all my washing done in a day if that was the case.

Genuinely unaware here so would appreciate your guidance.

Do you not bugger up your drum by doing a full load at 60 minutes? My washer can't take a full load on quick washes.

I also don't understand all of these people who do all of their washing on one day. I have always put my machine on in the morning, gone about my day, come home and hung it up to dry. I tend to do one load every day. Saves loads of washing building up as well.

FWIW, I can do an eco wash in 2 hours.

@Flup

I have no idea but if my washing took 4 hours I'd only ever get one load done. Everything goes in on a 1 hour wash here.

This is my thinking, but then it depends on your machine. I am lumbered with what the property agent put on me, Bob basic, 6kg drum, no rinse, and no variable temperature. So I can't for example choose the quick cycle when it only lets me do a 30 degree wash. So I have to use mainly the Synthetic's one(40) or Cotton (40) already pre set. Both taking between 2.30 to 3 hrs, absolutely hate it! I have used a great machine in the past(Samsung) it measures the cotton washing and cuts the time dramatically. It has a daily basis wash too with all temps available, which takes about an hr or so. And quick wash again with variable temps. So because of so many other issues I have held off for now, but feeling forced in to having to buy my own at this rate, which I really don't want to do, as I live in a very unsettled state where it comes to renting these days especially!

@ReviewingTheSituation

Who says not to leave it unattended?

Leaving it unattended invalidates your house/contents insurance. The same goes for leaving the tumble dryer, dishwasher etc.

My eco mode takes well over three hours and the clothes come out less clean than on the hour wash.

We have a programme on our washer called 30 at 30 (mins/degrees) and tend to use that as we don’t have small kids (so no sick/mud/poo) but I’ve no idea if it’s cheaper

@ReviewingTheSituation

It's all to do with the way the water is heated, and how the water is used. Eco settings heat the water more slowly and use less water (reusing the same water several times in some cases). Your manual should show the water and power consumption on each cycle, but eco programmes will save you money on electricity and water.

I never understand why so many people want their washing done in an hour - just put it on and let it do it its thing, surely?

Because with a 1 hour wash, I can do 3+ loads in one day at the weekend so everything is clean and dry for Sunday evening. With a 3 hour cycle, I’ll do two max.

AGreenerShadeofKale "let's you off" lol! Sassy machine. A right B**ch (that would be Bosch)

The shop explained it like this

If you drove your car a 100 miles with your foot down you'd get there quick but use loads of fuel. If you drive carefully it'll take you longer but use less fuel.

Basically it relies on soaking to get things clean. If it was heavily soiled I'd do it on a non eco wash.

There's nothing in my house insurance saying I can't leave appliances unattended. I find that very hard to believe. Do they make you turn off your fridge (with it's continuously running motor) too??

Eco washes are for summer days only.
I couldn't get all my laundry done if it was on Eco.

What does 'unattended' mean? Do you have to sit with it in the same room? Just pop in to check on it every 10 mins? Can you be in another room in your house? The garden?

That insurance thing sounds like an urban myth to me.

I don't generally have it on when we are going out, but it will be on when I'm upstairs and can't hear it. That's unattended, isn't it?

Also i think it depends on your laundry style. If you're a weekend warrior who does it all on Sat/Sun, then it doesn't really work. If you just do a load a day then it probably makes no difference because how long the cycle takes doesn't really matter.

My Grundig is a pathological liar. It says 3 1/2 hours for a 60 degree eco wash, but it is closer to 4 1/2 hours. By the time you wait for that there is no time to hang it outside.

It even lies about the express wash. Says 1 hour 15, but usually 1 hr 45. Too annoying when you want to hang up a wash before you go out.

@SylvanasWindrunner

What does 'unattended' mean? Do you have to sit with it in the same room? Just pop in to check on it every 10 mins? Can you be in another room in your house? The garden?

That insurance thing sounds like an urban myth to me.

I don't generally have it on when we are going out, but it will be on when I'm upstairs and can't hear it. That's unattended, isn't it?

According to Compare the Market on their FAQs

I have 8 kids, including one in cloth nappies. Everything (except the nappies) gets done on a one hour cycle. No way I could keep up with the washing using the 4 hour eco cycle on our machine

Anyone else have a dishwasher with a 5 hour mode that is supposed to be a benefit? No way. Why do my dishes need to be wet for 5 hours????
Obvs we use the express mode and unload before bedtime.

My machine has a double eco programm, extending the time for a 60 degree wash from 1hr 40 to 2hr 20, single eco is 1hr 40 to 2hr. The timing depends on the temperature I want to use and the programm. The fast programms often don't support eco as it doesn't make sense. But these are designed for really small loads like the odd items which needs immediate washing to get a stain out.

In general I wash at 30 degrees, that's how I grew up with, the 40 is a bit "Why" for me. 60 is for underwear, bedlinen and towels.

For me, working from home means I have 2-3 load per day 3x a week instead of having it on all the time at the weekend. The only things on the weekend are DD's school uniform, shirts as a white wash and skirt and jumpers as dark. Before that I would wash one load in the evening, hanging it up overnight and then all weekend long with normal programms.

I also use the dryer less often, most things dry even on a colder day if it is sunny. It will change come October but so far I saved a lot with being able to put the clothes horse on the lawn.

That screenshot just says they might fail to pay if it was faulty and you knew it was and used it and it caused a fire (like those Whirlpool ones I guess a year or two ago). Nothing about them failing to pay in any other scenario.

The worst thing I did was (accidentally) buy an eco washing machine. All the short programs are 30 degrees and just don’t use enough water. The longer/hotter ones use more, but take hours. I miss my 1 hour 40/50 degree wash of olden days. Patiently waiting for the fecking thing to break so I can buy a new one.

@NigellaAwesome

My Grundig is a pathological liar. It says 3 1/2 hours for a 60 degree eco wash, but it is closer to 4 1/2 hours. By the time you wait for that there is no time to hang it outside.

It even lies about the express wash. Says 1 hour 15, but usually 1 hr 45. Too annoying when you want to hang up a wash before you go out.

I found that my Neff is able to change the timing depending on the washing powder/liquid used. If I use too much the rinse takes longer hence the overall timing increases.

I started reducing laundry liquid and it went back to the original timing and the items still come out clean smelling.

@FusionChefGeoff

My manual has a grid showing exactly how much electricity and water is used on each setting.

The eco setting saves A LOT of water and turning the temp down saves a lot of electricity.

DH puts ours on eco overnight then hangs out in the morning.

Aggghhhh, please dont leave your washing machine on overnight (fire hazard)

That screengrab doesn't say your insurance is invalidated!
I still say if you are too worried about leaving your WM on when you go out, then turn your fridge off too.

Blimey! Thank you for all your responses. Most I have ever had on a post

After reading them all, I think I will continue on my 1hr cycle as nothing I put in is filthy, just needs freshening up to be honest. And if I am ever worried (towels to be honest) then I will put them on a slightly higher longer wash.

@Unreasonabubble

Unlike to your name, this was a very reasonable question and thanks for posting. I just did everything on ‘easy care’ 40 for most things and 60 for towels, I’m now going to investigate my washing machine ‘knob’ (guffaw) more closely,