To think one 90 degree washes a month is fine?

[LauraAshleyDuvetCover]

I usually do one full wash on 90 degrees every month. Sometimes it's my towels, flannels, bath mat etc, other times it's the kitchen towels, cleaning cloths etc.

This morning, a friend whose washing machine has broken (filled with water) dropped off the towels that were in there when it broke. My flatmate said he hoped I wasn't going to wash them on 90 because it's inefficient and unnecessary. I said I was because it's better for the machine ("bollocks") because it dissolves any powder or conditioner left in the pipes ("it'll dissolve anyway") and kills any bacteria ("the powder will do that"). I said I was, because they've been left damp and smell a bit grim.

I've just been into the kitchen and he's put them on a daily quick wash at 40, and I've no idea what detergent he's used (I was going to put vinegar in because they smell musty and damp).

AIBU to think he's being an arse making his point, and doing the odd wash at 90 (especially to help a friend) really isn't a huge issue?

But (I'm aware I'm starting to sound petty now!) since covid he works from home in IT, has an electric bike which he charges here and enjoys gaming so is often on his computer at night. He's not exactly sitting in candlelight cooking on a camping stove to avoid using electricity.

Oh well. I'll see how they smell when they're dry. And maybe I'll switch to a 60 once a month instead.

There’s no need for 90, a wash on 60 will do what you need.

@LauraAshleyDuvetCover

They're not his towels — they're my friends. I offered to wash them for her after her machine broke.

A basic wash at 30 is quite enough for friends' laundry.

I (twice) got laundry-lumbered by two different friends ; take my advice and just give them a bog basic family wash cycle. Once they'd played the pity card both of them started to get more demanding.

The final straw was "I need it all washed and dried in time for the match tonight; it's the kit for his entire (adult) ice-hockey team" .

Towels on 90
Bedding on 60

You really need to put your foot down and re-wash then at 90 degrees and tell him you've done it and not to touch your washing.

@2bazookas did you wash the entire team's kit?

I agree with your flatmate ie it is totally unnecessary and wasteful to run the washing machine at 90 degrees.

Why do you need the water to be nearly boiling? Ridiculous!

I would definitely wash them at 90. They need sterilising.

I've used a 90 wash once, for bedding that was soiled after DH was violently ill everywhere.

Everything else gets washed at 60 as our machine doesn't rinse properly at lower temperature cycles, so you end up having to put on a separate rinse cycle (40 mins) anyway. However we use the eco setting which takes longer but apparently uses less water and power. Plus I don't wash clothes unless they are actually dirty or smelly.

Yabu. 90 degrees is almost a boil wash. 60 is more than hot enough.

Unless you've got an aseptic operating theatre in your home its total unnecessary, you do not need to be attempting to heat sterilise your bedding and towels.

Detergent will do a good job removing dirt & bacteria at 40 degrees. in fact those high temperatures will simply kill the enzymes in the detergent and reduce its stain removal capability.

I never wash at 90⁰C. There's an eco drum clean that does a 70⁰C empty wash and then I'll do the odd wash at 60⁰C. Most stuff is washed at 40⁰C and smelly gym gear gets fabulosa laundry sanitiser chucked in too

You dont need to kill bacteria. You can wash it away but more importantly, you don't actually need your laundry sterilised unless maybe you are immunocompromised.

environmentally we will all pay eventually of course.

lecture over. I do short washes at 40 as it's it's mechanical motion which takes the electricity as well as the temp.

then every now and then like twice a year, when this low temp wash hasnt worked i do a 60.

Don't worry, the Hotpoint man is coming out on Wednesday to her! It's just the one load of towels that were in the machine when it broke. We have a garden and washing line, and the forecast is good, and I'm wfh today and tomorrow so I thought it would be easy.

I would definitely not be washing sports kits for a whole team! My DM had to do the bibs for DB's Team and that was bad enough.

Also such a hot wash is bad for the fibre in the towels. Can't believe people are actually washing stuff regularly at 90!!

Detergent will do a good job removing dirt & bacteria at 40 degrees. in fact those high temperatures will simply kill the enzymes in the detergent and reduce its stain removal capability.

I use non-bio (sensitive skin) so not quite the same issue with enzymes being denatured.

I understand that 40 for most things is fine (I pretty much always wash on the 40 eco cycle, except my odd 90), but towels that have been left damp and smell mildewy? If it isn't good enough then I would think I'm using more energy by re-washing. I might be wrong though — I don't know the difference in use between two 40 washes and a 90 washes.

@DeepaBeesKit

I was similarly outraged at the 90 degrees part -

I don’t really have an opinion on the towels, but came here to say that reading comprehension on this thread is hilarious.

“So your BIL’s washing machine broke and his ex put it in the machine at your best friend’s, but then her flatmate’s MIL changed the temperature and it’s all because his DDog left them in a broken washing machine to soak? LTB.”

It’s weird of him to take over but it’s really not necessary to wash anything at 90. I’ve literally never washed anything above 60 (which I don’t do actual washing on, just the occasional de-scaling cycle). I don’t even know if my machine goes up that high!

I can set cottons to that, or the "Baby Care" option is automatically 90.

@Stovetopespresso I do short washes at 40 as it's it's mechanical motion which takes the electricity as well as the temp

So you deliberately use the more energy intensive cycles? Why?

OP, your flatmates is a bonkers hypocrite, as are most of the performance environmentalists.

For the odd cycle it really doesn't matter what setting it's on, and it's good for the machine to give it a hot maintenance wash every once in a while. Constantly using the eco cycles leaves them clogged up with all sorts of shite.

@EatYourVegetables

I don’t really have an opinion on the towels, but came here to say that reading comprehension on this thread is hilarious.

“So your BIL’s washing machine broke and his ex put it in the machine at your best friend’s, but then her flatmate’s MIL changed the temperature and it’s all because his DDog left them in a broken washing machine to soak? LTB.”

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm more confused about why he is interfering in a favour you were doing for a friend. Why did he take it upon himself to load and start the washing machine and did you have words with him about that? I would wash the towels again.

I don't wash anything at 90 degrees. I use 60 for some items but most thing are washed at 40. My machine has a 95 degrees cycle which I run with a machine cleaner and empty machine every now and again.

60 is plenty hot enough to kill bacteria, plus you're using detergent. I don't think its necessary.
However at least its only once a month, some people on here seem to wash their towels on 90 twice a week

Even washable nappies don't have to be washed at 90 and they literally have faeces on. I don't see what sort or bedding could be dirtier than that and require a 90 degree wash