to think 4 hours is too long for a 40 degree wash?

[TheExMotherInLaw]

DH is currently performing open back surgery on my washing machine, but has warned me it may be terminal, and to look for another. Having a look at some of the washers, they seem to list 195, 240 minutes for a 40 degree wash. WTF! When did it start taking that long to run a load?

[Sorka]

Yep. I can't believe how long it takes.

[SmallGreenBouncyBall]

sorka 4 hours for wash&dry and folding and putting away?

[HungryHorace]

Your machine is taking the piss out of you, Sorka!

[Sorka]

My washer-dryer just took 4 hours to do a load on 'quick wash'

[thecapitalsunited]

I can only imagine cold fill only washing machines came in when people starting getting combi boilers. You won't have a tank of hot water to draw on so it doesn't really matter which machine does the water heating.

Plus it means that bio detergents will be more effective - anything over about 50 kills the cleaning enzymes but with cold fill only they get a chance to work while the machine heats the water.

[Kennington]

I have a hot point which does any temp for 15 mins or 30 mins
Only for a half load and lightly soiled but this is great for delicates and stuff I only wear once
Means the machine is on almost everyday but always on top of things
4 hours is too long for even heavily soiled stuff

[slightlyglitterbrained]

It is a big deal to organise yourself around laundry when the intersection of all the other things you have to organise yourself around starts confining your life in annoying ways. A four hour wash would do that.

[SmallGreenBouncyBall]

you just organise youself around it. no big deal.

[Coffeemachine]

guess this are the eco cycles. ours takes 3.5 hours for 40 degree in eco. I use it a lot but there are normal and super fast settings as well if I need to get it done quickly.

[OzzieFem]

SmallGreen and Oldraver. Even before we went to solar power with electrical backup for winter (rarely used), we just ran the hot water system. Must be extremely frustrating in UK winters on laundry day, especially when you have the drying problem as well.

[Oldraver]

Ozzie yes, its fuckign irritating. And I'm sure its why the inlets above the soap drawer get black mould so quickly...I never had that on hot and cold fills

[SmallGreenBouncyBall]

ozzie
yes, that's the european way. it's more efficient to take cold water from the mains and heat it up slowly in the mashine, than to get warm water from the heating system (unless you have solar heated water).

[OzzieFem]

Um. So do you have to put cold water in UK washing machines and then heat the water if you want a hot wash? Seriously?

[GwenethPaltrowIamnot]

I have had most makes but my new one is the cheapest and best I think
It's a Blomburg 8kg machine . Quick wash 14 minutes , lots of different programmes . I usually use the 39 minute cycle
Everything comes out clean

[tobysmum77]

Washing machines programming is like a dark art.

[tobysmum77]

But with the samsung you could have the same amount of rinsing as with a longer wash and it would still be done in 1hr25 on a daily wash. As I said upthread I always add one extra, its just instinct. It washes really well also.

[thecapitalsunited]

The problem with quick washes is that they almost always skip rinses so you can end up with a build up of detergent in your clothes. I suspect they contribute to gunky pipes too.

[dementedma]

I do loads on the 30 minute quick wash. Seems clean enough to me...

[thecapitalsunited]

Yes water pressure does play a part. The machine will assume that at worst it will take say 10 mins to fill the machine but it might only take 2 mins. Your machine has to fill about 5 times between the wash and rinse cycles so that is potentially a lot of time saved. But it all depends on how the washing machine is programmed, it might very well be programmed to increase the estimate if it senses your water pressure is bad. Who knows. Washing machines programming is like a dark art.

[tobysmum77]

I always assumed that the exact time was to do with water pressure? But I'm probably wrong

[HungryHorace]

Ours weighs the washing so that is possible. Before kids I could never imagine that I'd have enough washing lying around to overfill an 11kg machine!

[BertieBotts]

Oh I liked the Samsung tune when we played with it in the shop! :) My AEG plays an increasingly more irritated sounding beep. It was half the price though.

I've just looked in the manual for mine and it says that it adjusts the time 15 minutes into the cycle.

[tattychicken]

Maybe I'm overloading it ? Other posters have said their machine weighs the washing and varies the cycle accordingly. Worth a try I suppose.

[HungryHorace]

Hmmm. Mine definitely takes nearer 1hr 34 than 2 hours. Clearly it's an awkward bugger!

And 4 kids?! I have 2 and struggle to keep on top of the washing. It must be non-stop for you!

[MrsJayy]

Mine weighs the washing so if i have a bulky load it can take 3 hours but i put it on a quick wash mostly so an hour 30 at most