to use the 30 degree super express wash for nearly everything?

[everythingsgoingsouth]

my clothes aren't dirty, just worn once, or PJs 2-3 times.
towels and bedding I'd still wash at 60, normal wash.

does the 30 express wash really...wash?

BluePitchFork my super mega quick wash is a 2kg wash and takes 14 minutes. The standard quick wash at 25-40 minutes, depending on the temperature you choose) is good for the whole 8kg load.

I love my washing machine:o

I do most things on the 40-minue 30 degree cycle. The majority of stuff just needs a freshen up. I only use about half the amount of washing detergent too because otherwise it doesn't rinse fully.

Bedding, towels or anything with visible grime I'll do at 40-60 on a medium length cycle (up to 2 hours) and stinky gym gear I'll either do on a quick cycle with some Zoflora bunged in, or in with the towels and bedding.

As long as it looks and smells fine I don't care that it's not bacteria-free.

It depends...

Firstly, thirty wash with biological powder is ok for some stuff. A t shirt you've worn once for example.
However... It doesn't kill any bacteria or fungi and it doesn't keep your machine clean. Fats and oils can build up along with a biofilm on the interior and that can lead to your washer smelling funny.
Why would you want to kill bacteria? Or fungi? Well things like knickers for example and thrush. One of the quickest ways to reinfect yourself with thrush or bv is to wash your pants in a thirty wash. Nuke the fuckers in a seventy wash and you're grand.
Ditto bath towels. Our get washed at 70-90 (70 I we've used them, 90 if guests)
The low temp powders are ok, but they don't really break down biological matter like fats/sweat as well. The cycles that are quick often use more water too.
Tailor your wash to what's in it, do a very hot wash once a week to clean the machine.

My machine has a 15 minute cycle (not used it, doubt I would unless it was something that was clean but smelt stale from storage), a 30 minute cold wash (used it once on a playmat I was giving away), a 60 minute fast wash that goes up to 60 degrees and a 60 minute anti-stain wash that goes up to 40 degrees.

I use the two 60 minute washes regularly - yes, it only takes about half the capacity, but my washing line can only take half my machine capacity, as can my airer - this way I can have, say, a small load of whites on the line and a small load of darks inside rather than a huge load of darks on the line and inside and having to wait for them to dry before I can wash some urgently needed white cleaning cloths.

I obsess over optimising my laundry.

As observed elsewhere on the thread - I thought the quick washes used much more water - hence I only use them if in a desperate hurry. I may wrong though.

I only use my quick wash for sports kit and even then I have to put it on a full wash now and again or my husbands gym kit starts to reek.

I'm sure my washing machine manual also says that the quick washes are only for small loads of 2-3kg so wouldn't be any good for a full load of washing. It also said that all the quick wash button does is skip rinses which I prefer not to do because I don't want detergent residue on my clothes. Full cycle it is then. Mine takes about 2.5hrs on eco mode. Less water means more rinse time and more washing time. How this doesn't use more electricity I don't know but my manual says it doesn't.

I wish it were more transparent - how much water each cycle uses. It should be written clearly in the instructions or on a fold-downable flap - litres and energy used.

I use a drop of zoflora to my towel and bedding washes. Towels on 50/60.
Bedding on 40.
I add it to tea towels too. I wash those on 30, otherwise they become revolting.

the manual for my mashine has a table at the back about water and elec use.

I wash the following:
My clothes and DH normal clothes 30 degree 30 mins
DH work clothes 40 degree 30 mins
Bedding and towels 60 degree 59 mins
I do use the 20 degree 14 min wash to freshen up the odd things too.

I always fill my drum, use cheap aldi bio gel and a scoop of vanish. Never have an issue with the cleanliness of clothes and DH's sweaty pit area smells clean and fresh.

I can't be bothered with waiting longer than an hour for a wash to complete.

My wash system (I live alone):

Mixed coloured clothes, not v dirty as I shower twice a day: 30 degree 1 hour wash with bio detergent
Black work clothes or the occasional white wash: 30 degree 1 hour 20 minute gentle, low spin cycle with non-bio powder (I find this keeps the blacks black)
Towels, bedding, tea towels, reusable sanitary pads (not all together!): 60 degree 2 hour 40 min wash, or longer Eco wash, with bio powder
Unwired bras: 30 degree 15 minute v gentle cycle

My mother, who is a terrible cheapskate, uses her 15 minutes 30 degrees cycle for literally everything, including towels and bedding. It's why towels, in particular, always reek in her house though neither she nor my father seem to notice. Am going to take my own next time I visit! Mind you, last time they visited me for 4 days and neither had a shower or bath, or as far as I could tell, did so much as wash their faces the whole time. They both stink as well.

I have been washing everything on a 40 degree quick wash but this thread makes me want to wash everything at 60 degrees with bio detergent, extra bleach, napalm and on an extra long extra water cycle.

#fucktheplanet

wow, thanks for all the opinions.....
never knew about the usage of water increasing with a quick wash-that's put me off for a start!
think I'll carry on with what I do now..
everything on 40, 58 minutes except for towels and bedding at 60.
those who wash undies at 60, is that not too harsh? I do those at 40 too.

My quick wash cycle runs at 60 degrees (don't have a 30) I use it for everything except whites. Whites go in at 90c with a capful of bleach.
I know it's damaging to material but Dh is a chef and goes bananas if I wash his whites at anything less than 90...

I usually wash undies at 40 and put them in the dryer.
Always a 90 wash once a week to stop fat/biofilm buildup. Towels at 70-90 depending.
Baby bibs/ flannels get vanish pre treated and on a long 40 wash.

One wear clothes that can be worn again like jeans go on the chair til next time.

Just wondering...I have an ancient washing machine. It has 40,50,60,90 degrees wash. And silk/curtain wash and wool. What temperature would silk or wool be? I'm trying to wash something at 30 but can't seem to find the right programme. Would silk or wool do? Thank you!

I do a few of these every week and do the socks and other minging things in hotter washes, with whites the hottest.
The quickest is 14 mins, but I do about 2 on 38 mins.
Machine never smells but trick is to try to do the hottest wash last.

Yes silk/ wool or delicate, but you get much shorter spin usually 600, so everything comes out dripping, or almost.
Another trick: teach everyone who is old enough how to do it.

I told my kids when they were little it was a really grown up thing to do and a very responsible job. They couldn't do it for years yet.
They couldn't wait, the same as ironing.

My machine has a quick wash too. It's really only for 1.5 kg of laundry max. Things don't get rinsed properly (compared to normal wash) so unless I use minimal detergent (literally a tiny bit) clothes smell and feel 'soapy'. I only use the quick wash for freshening up clothes that aren't dirty, or for washing newly bought clothes before wearing.

Ecloths and tea towels on 90 degree once per week.
Towels and bedding on 60
'White' school Polos and shirts 60
All other t shirts sports kit etc on 40 quick wash
Delicates and freshen up or tiny load 30 degree quick wash.

Love the 'speed perfect' option for all of these. My standard 40 degree wash is more than 2 hours without it. Madness.

Nope. 40° wash for most things, I don't think 30 cuts the mustard really. 60° for towels and sheets.

We started to use the 40 degree wash for all clothing loads a few months ago. The quickest cycle on our machine is just over 90 minutes.

Bedding and towels get done at 60 and the wash starts at about 2.5 hours, but once the machine has weighed the load this often drops to below 2 hours. The kids' bedding is done at 40, but with a scoop of Napisan in it.

It's seems strange to think that the longer the cycle the less water / power is used. Our machine uses so little water that you can open the door once it's filled with water if you've forgotten something. I love that feature (though only add stuff if it's been going for less than 5 minutes).

Can I ask a question I wash all clothes at 40 and bedding and towels at 60. My DH t shirts I also wash at 40 and the BO smell doesn't come out should I wash these at 60? Will they not shrink?