30 minute wash cycle - yay or nay?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Very boring I know!

Our washing machine has a 30 minute option, at 30C. This is what I use for 90% of the washing. DH washes everything on the "normal" programmes which I think is a waste of time and energy. He thinks the "quick wash" options are for things that have barely been worn. I think it's for everything except towels and heavily soiled items.

Does anyone else use the 30 minute/quick wash programme as their default?

The water isn't heated for three hours though...

Just look at your manual. It should show exactly how much electricity each cycle uses. The eco (or just normal setting) always uses much less than a quick wash.

I got a new machine last week and read the manual.
Apparently using the short cycles actually uses more water and energy to run, and won't properly clean anything. It's also not supposed to be for full loads (I'm guessing this might be how I killed my last machine!)
Now I've started using a longer cycle but it's really driving me mad seeing how long it takes 🤣

It does make a difference how old your machine is too. Ours is a 23 year old Bosch, used to be my grandma’s from the days where energy saving wasn’t such a big deal. The standard 40C cycle is 45 minutes and everything comes out clean (and I have twin 5yo boys who are still learning to wipe their bums so I would notice if it didn’t do a good job, sorry!!) 60C is an hour. The 30 min 30C cycle is still a proper wash and clothes get clean but I wouldn’t trust undies or bedding etc in it.
I need a bigger machine but am really reluctant to lose these short cycle times!

Quick washes use more energy.
I stick to a 1hr shirts wash 99% of the time as it minimises creasing.
My eco wash is almost 4 hours. It's been used about twice during heatwaves when there's endless time to line dry.

Not necessarily. Depends on the quantity of agitation vs soaking and whether the machine tries to maintain the heat at 30 degrees throughout as opposed to putting it in at 30 and then leaving it.

I use our 30m wash for everything. Never an issue. Always clean and smell fresh. I couldn't bear waiting for the longer cycles 🫣

I'm with your husband on this, as I like to get at least two or three wears out of every item of clothing before washing (apart from underwear and socks), but if you're only wearing things once before washing (and harming the environment) then I suppose it's acceptable.

We use the 1 hour cycle because we don’t want the noise of the washer going for three fucking hours.

But if I had a utility room or wasn’t wfh I’d use a three hour cycle to end when I got back from work.

The water isn't heated for three hours though...

If it's not heated it would go cold. So if you are washing for three hours at 30C it's either not really washing the clothes at 30C, or it's using energy to heat the water for longer.

I've never done anything BUT a quick wash! Sheets, knickers, towels, clothes, the lot goes in on a 40 min wash at 40c, the other settings might as well not even exist 😅

but if you're only wearing things once before washing (and harming the environment) then I suppose it's acceptable.

I wash after wearing things two or three times for an hour at a time in the biggest load possible which is also acceptable, until Mumsnet tries to make you feel guilty about not doing your washing well enough or using the wrong cycle.

I do most things on 40 degree 45 minute wash, everything comes out nice and clean,

It heats the water up much more slowly which saves energy, it's not on 40 degrees (or whatever temp you're using) for the whole cycle. It doesn't need to be. There's also less water to heat.

30 mins is for a quick freshen up and usually only a small load. A proper load in the regular cycle is probably more efficient.

Every day's a school day on MN. I've used the 30° quick wash for everything for years. And I wondered why my dark washing always has soap residue on it. I also thought it was cheaper, which is why I used it. And I also thought it was for full loads.

I didn't get a manual with my machine so that's my excuse.

I use it for everything. We only wear everything once so it's not dirty really. Just needs a freshen

The eco cycles on new machines are almost universally less energy than the standard programmes. The water is a lower temperature but it soaks stuff for longer to make up for it. It will all be contained in your manual, which you can generally download or find online.

https://www.idealhome.co.uk/house-manual/cleaning/eco-mode-washing-machine-cut-energy

But as to the OP, the quick wash settings usually have a very low recommended load size so are meant for small loads, things you need to have clean to wear that day etc. In most cases, only the cotton setting on a washing machine allows for max load.

The eco programme doesn't use less water, as the machine calculates the right amount of water it needs for the load on every wash.

That's not right either I'm afraid. Maybe go and do some research?

My concession to the eco wash is using the 30C one hour wash and pressing the co button which makes it one hour ten minutes 🙂

I'm never going to wait 3.5 hours for my laundry or time it to come on in the night - meanwhile all the clothes are creased before it starts and I might have to actually do ironing as well. Whereas I never leave dirty or clean, wet laundry in the machine and always pull it straight as it comes out - anything to avoid the dreaded iron. As well as ironing being a total pain in the arse it can't be very eco friendly, heating an iron for hours.

Yep I take it straight out to avoid the iron too😂😂😂

If you only washed things when they needed it, not after a single wear, it would half your washing! If it's not dirty, then why are you washing it??

I use it for everything except towels, bedding and DH's work stuff.

Anyway, as I hung the washing out this morning it poured with rain and I put it in the dryer, so that would have negated any energy saving from doing the same thing three and a half hours later.

I think it's a hard thing to grasp as it seems counterintuitive that something that takes longer will both cost less and use less water, but the eco programmes have to adhere to legislation about how much energy and water they use. They use less energy because they don't keep the water as hot and rely on the clothes soaking instead. And it uses less water because it's not requiring as much water to clean the clothes as they are soaking for longer. And because there is less water, there is less energy being used to heat it.

I totally understand why people don't use the eco cycles, we don't always. But they do use less energy and water, that's just a fact. Personally I notice no difference in the clothes when they come out after an hour's cycle or a three-hour cycle, the only issue is scheduling, which isn't an issue for us either. It rarely matters if something takes an hour or three for us, so I generally try and use the eco cycles when possible.