To think DH should know you don’t wash dirty bed linen at 30 degrees?

[BasinHaircut]

I know it’s not the end of the world but honestly, he is 38 and now it’s probably going to have to go on again. He has a sweaty head and pillowcases are unlikely to be clean after this wash. I already have to do our bedding in 2 loads as it’s so big and we don’t have a spare set so it all needs to be dry and back in the bed tonight.

I’m so irritated!

@User7538943

Doesn't washing all the while at 30 with liquid detergent make the machine innards all mouldy and smelly, I thought you were meant to sometimes do a wash at least at 60 with powder preferably to keep it fresh.

Ours doesn’t, we do always leave the door/drawer open so the machine isn’t wet when not in use.

We do a ‘service’ wash once every 2/3 months.

@conspicuouslyinconspicuous for what it's worth I think having the option to wash at higher temperatures is a good thing, but it does seem to be the case that manufacturers are phasing out the option to have shorter high temperature programs on their machines. All the ones I looked at (and the one I ended up with) seem to have steam functions that allegedly kill 99.9% of allergens if you then wash at 30.

I've also noticed the quality of fabrics and dyes used in modern clothing and bedding often don't hold up to regular washing at higher temperatures. Just seems like a false economy to me, for the energy saved by washing at lower temperatures you end up replacing items more frequently. Rather like when they reduced the permitted wattage on vaccuum cleaners a few years ago, now I spend at least double the amount of time trying to get rid of dust for probably just as much electricity consumption!

I couldn't get worked up about this.
I was everything on 30.

I really didn’t mean to start a washing thread grin, it was more about DH not knowing - but he should (and I think does) know - that that’s how we wash the sweaty man head off our pillowcases.

Atually, I don't wash at 30 as not all the stains come out, but with a 40 wash they come out just fine, though you may fine the sun gets rid of the last ones. However, the only 30 wash I have used is a short delicates wash so, after this thread, I may try a longer 30 wash.

If you are cross that your DH didn't know about washing bedsheets at 38, I feel that you are also old enough to know that you don't jettison all your old bedlinen just because you have bought one new set. You should always have at least one spare set!

I thought it had to be 60c to kill dust mites?

Is that a thing or have I made it up?

@CecilyP I used one set as dust sheets for decorating and the other I ended up accidentally tearing a big hole in when hanging over a door to finish drying off so there was actually little to be salvaged in the end!

I wash everything at 30 or 40nst most. My son boards at college, they wash everything at 60 and have absolutely destroyed most of his lovely clothes. They’re all washed out, t shirts out if shape etc.

The only thing I wash at 60 is towels and school shirts and only if they’re really dirty which they mostly aren’t.

Fair enough, Basin. I also bought new bedlinen last summer and am keeping one spare duvet cover, will get rid of my spare, spare when I can next do a car boot sale, and sold my very worn out spare, spare, spare for a ridiculous price on Ebay, as it had become a bit of a collectors item!

Op it has been washed, it will be fine. I think you're being pedantic here and at risk of putting your dh off doing laundry for life. Just tell him he temperature you prefer for next time and use the bedding; it will be fine!

Well, you won't die from washing being done at 30 degrees.

Do yourself a big favour and get a spare set. Life's too short to stress about getting it dry in time.

Oh and I'm with you on nice bedding, i have two high thread count cotton sets that i alternate.

I do my white bed linen at 60. And towels too.

It won't get clean properly at 30. That's cold. 40 as an absolute minimum. YANBU

Actually, i think it’s better at 30.

Bed dirt will be mainly biological, sweat, skin cells, blood, general bodily excretion.

So biological washing detergent, with enzymes specifically to break down bodily products, is going to be more effective than just water and soap, which is what non-bio is. Too much heat can set biological dirt if not broken down first.

Those enzymes are most effective at 30 ish degrees. 40 or higher just destroys them.

@WonkyCactus

I also wash everything at 30 degrees. It's fine. Maybe your DH is wondering why you don't know this?!

🤣🤣🤣🤣 maybe he is

I dont wash anything at 30°, mostly I wash everything at 40 or 50. Having said this the likelihood of DH putting a wash on is 0. So he never does it wrong!!

I didn't even realise washing clothes in warm water was a thing. I grew up in NZ where a sizeable chunk of the population only ever do COLD (not 30 degrees, COLD) water washes because electricity is so expensive. The detergent (Cold Power, Cold Water Surf etc) is so strong it could strip paint.

Is it sweaty man head that causes the pillowcases to go yellow or drool ?

That’s how we wash the sweaty man head off our pillowcases

This made me lol

Seriously though... 30 will be absolutely fine for tackling sweat and grime. He isn't lacking common sense or anything for not using the same washing machine temperature as you!

I think you're being a bit patronising and I don't get what you're worried about. It will be perfectly clean at 30 if you're using a decent detergent. You could give it a blast at a higher temp every so often if you do want to sterilise it for whatever reason, but there's really no need.

Not sure why you're asking us randomers rather than telling your DH how you'd prefer the washing to be done.

My washing machine has a bedding cycle. It's at 40 degrees I think. We don't seem to sleep in a filth pit so it's probably fine.

Shout out to all of the fellow sweaty man head sufferers.

How do they DO this? I have one of this breed too, in our previous house our bed didn't have a headboard and the wallpaper behind his pillow yellowed too. I was left wondering if it's some sort of miasma from sweaty man head, not just direct contact?!

I have often wondered if it would make a difference if he had his shower last thing at night, rather than first thing in the morning? I have greasy hair too, I have to wash it daily or it looks rank but I still don't get yellowed pillow cases!

On the other hand, our washing machine offers several programmes at 60 and 90 degrees, they are all long but you can select the shorten programme button and it reduces the length to something sensible. Win-win!

Oof, get yourself a second set woman - what if you're sick or something?

I wash everything at 30 degrees. Nothing less than 100 degrees would kill bacteria anyway. They recommend 60 degree washes for people with allergens as it kills dust mites which cause allergies. People without allergies don’t need to worry about them building up if they wash their sheets regularly.

My dh has a sweaty head.
Nothing gets that yellow tinge out.
I give him an old pillow case and a nice one.
He puts his head on the old one.

I never understood the importance of antimacassers until I married dh.

@Ohtheplacesyougo

Life must be dull.., just realised I’m reading a whole thread on temperature for washing bedding

Ha ha ha!! I have also just realised how over invested i am in this!!