To think towels need a hot wash?

[FirstOfHerName]

Recently I was staying with my parents on holiday and I noticed that my mum washes everything (including towels and bedding) on a cold half-hour wash. I told her that towels probably need a warm wash at the least and she got annoyed with me, saying that she used a special washing detergent formulated to work in cold water. They're her towels so I left it at that and said no more.

However, whenever she's stayed with me, she's told me it's grim that I wash towels and bathmats together. Well it would be if I did them on a cold wash, but I wash them (and bedding) at 90 and then tumble dry after, so don't see the problem with it. Any bathmat germs would be killed off at that temperature, I would've thought.

Who is more in the right here, her or me??

(someone telling me we're both disgusting in 3...2...1...)

I do my towels and bedding at 60 unless someone has had a stomach bug then they go in at 90. Clothes at 30 or 40 depending how dirty they are.

I don't always just use a towel once, it could be two or three times. Still doesn't need a boil wash though!

90 to clean the machine
40 for clothes with fab softener
50 for bedding with Dettol wash
50 for towels, bath mat, tea towels and oven gloves with Dettol wash

60 degrees here for towels

90 degrees to clean the machine

Some of my bedding is only suitable for a 40 degree wash. My towels get a 60 wash, their instructions say max 60. I hardly ever wash hotter than 60 and most of my washes are 30 or 40. Modern detergents reduce the need for hot washes. Towels get used for a week or so

I wash towels after one use, and bedding weekly. Everything is washed at 40, and I've never had any issues. If you read the washing instructions on the items labels, it is usually recommended they need a 40 wash. I wouldn't judge anyone for washing differently though, each to their own.

60 for towels, bedding and underwear, 30 for everything else.

40 for everything but bedding which goes in on a long 60 wash as it has been sweated/drooled on for a week.

I'd do them on 60. I only use 90 for dishcloths, dishtowels and anything I want to get really really white!

I do towels and bedding at 60c and wash my bathmats separately.

I am at people washing towels after one use. I thought my DM was the most house-proud woman in existence (she irons socks, underwear and DISHCLOTHS) but even she'll let a towel have a few uses before washing!

I wash towels and bedding at 60...

...and dog blankets, throws and cushion covers at 95!

I only use the 90 wash to clean the machine. Towels and sheets go in on 60.

I'd rather use hotter water and not rely on industrial strength detergent but then we're very sensitive to anything biological in our house - I'm sure if you're using antibacterial stuff then colder washes are fine too, but I understand that's pretty bad for the environment so we avoid.

I do always put the bathmat in separately, but I'm not really sure why as it's probably all hot enough not to worry. Unless someone has been ill/had an accident (in which case 60 or 90 degrees depending on severity and how grossed out I am), it all gets washed at 30 or 40 degrees.

Oh and hotter means 60 degrees for us - we wash at 90 if there's D&V going round.

I do towels and bedding weekly in separate washes due to space rather than concerns over hygiene. All at 40. I only use a 60 wash if someone's been ill/toddlers had a code brown accident.

Nothing looks smells dirty/we don't get ill any more frequently than 'average'. I'm not sure why people feel the need to do lots of hot washes- what does it achieve apart from a higher electric bill?

Why separate bath mats? What's on there that isn't on towels?

They need 60C to kill bacteria etc.

I've seen normal average washing liquid that says it works in cold temperatures. Also, doesn't washing above about 40 C defeat the object of biological washing detergent if that's what you use.

Another thing I've learnt on here is that some washes are long but your washing just sits doing not very much in the water for a long part of it, because then it doesn't use that much energy, whereas a quick wash does a lot more agitating and uses a lot more energy, by missing out all the sitting around bits.

So maybe not necessary to use a hot wash or a long wash. If your mum is happy that her towels are clean, they probably are. Like a pp says, I'm not exactly sure why towels are singled out for a hot wash, when underwear and tops are often not, despite being in contact with sweaty bits all day.

From the Persil Website:

The best temperature to wash towels and sheets
We spend a lot of time in contact with towels and sheets, so they tend to become heavily soiled quite quickly. Towels and sheets, along with any clothes that an ill person has been wearing, should really be washed at a fairly warm temperature to kill bacteria and potential mould. A good temperature for washing towels and sheets is 40 degrees, but a 60 degree wash will be better at killing germs. Be sure to change your sheets and towels once a week to keep things fresh.

My mum thinks I'm neurotic because I can't stand the smell of her towels , that she washes (or used to wash) on a 30 degree wash . I do her washing now and use white vinegar with a bio detergent and also a much higher temperature and a proper cotton wash. They smell lovely!

Oh no I wash my towels after 2 uses max and bed gets changed twice a week. Could probably do with changing it more but I can't be arsed.