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?

I do my kitchen cloths once a month on a 90 degree wash. The manufacturer recommends a boil wash once a month.

@Embroidery

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

Why do towels need to be sterile?

I wash everything at 30, one for coloured one for whites, only two of us so one wash of each a week then a seperate wash for when I get round to changing the beds (slattern)

I do a 90 wash with all my cleaning cloths and tea towels.
Towels are washed at 60 most other stuff 20 or 30.

Oh and 60 for the bed stuff

What is anyone using towels for that they need a 90 degree wash?

After shower/handwash - towel is picking up clean water, possibly some soap. After bath perhaps towel is picking up slightly grubby soapy water, after swim/rain towel is picking up clean water - after drying dog then perhaps there can be anything there :)

But in the vast majority of cases it's hard to justify anything more than 40c surely? It's how/where the towel is dried after washing that has most impact on any odour...

I've never washed anything at 90. I don't see a need.

Your friend putting on a wash in your house is pretty strange though. Who does that?

90 is overkill unless you have bed bugs or thread worms etc in the house.

If there’d been a toileting accident I’d do it at 90 as well, but otherwise 60 is fine for sheets, towels and shirts. 40 is fine for other things unless heavily stained.

I do a 90 wash as needed, but it’s rare.

They need sterilising.

Why?

My machine has names for all the cycles; the 'bed and bath' one is 60 degrees, and it's the hottest cycle for washing actual laundry. There's a 90 degree one for washing the machine but I wouldn't do that to laundry!

When using the washing machine was causing tension with my housemate I started a paper record of using it - priced at 50p a wash. So if they used the washer once a week and I used it three times theirs would cost 50p and mine £1.50. When the bill came we paid for however many uses towards it. I just didn’t want the aggro over a small amount of money and it was still much cheaper than the laundrette round the corner.

Your housemate may think you use the washing machine too much and you could do similar. Maybe a 90 degree wash would be £1?

I think I got into the habit because I'd read that a hot wash every month is good for the machine, and I wouldn't wash my clothes at 90. I save up my towels and wash them once a fortnight, so if it coincides with when I want to do a hot wash I'll wash them hot. Like I said, it's either my towels, or the kitchen towels and cleaning cloths. I've had them for eight years so it doesn't seem to have done them too much harm.

My friends towels are out and still smell. Flatmate had conceded I might have been right in this case that a 40 daily wash wouldn't cut it.

I'll rewash them with vinegar, then I might try just doing a hot wash every two or three months or when he's out .

Thank goodness Mumsneters don't live in Japan or many other parts of the world that only have cold washing machines. Hot washes are unnecessary and bad for the environment and your electricity bill.

[quote BarbaraofSeville]@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.[/quote]
? no I do shorter cycles to avoid using more electricity?

YANBU. There's no need to do routine washing at 90 (or even 60 really), but you're right that a hot wash every month or so helps keep the machine itself clean, and I think it's justified for anything particularly nasty.

On the Ask Me Anything board a person who developed laundry detergents said this

You need to wash towels sheets and anything else in contact with bodily fluids such as underwear or soiled baby items at 60 degrees or tumble dry them to kill bacteria. Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven

I don't wash at 90, ever. I use Dettol laundry and tumble dry stuff so everything nasty gets killed off.

I never wash at 90, but I think 60 is probably needed for damp mildewy towels. I only ever wash at 40 but I'd make an exception for these.

You need to wash towels sheets and anything else in contact with bodily fluids such as underwear or soiled baby items at 60 degrees or tumble dry them to kill bacteria. Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven

Do as you wish but I've managed perfectly well for almost 40 years on 40 degree washes.

I have never used the 90 wahs on my machine.

Bio powder and 60 is more than enough.

So you are both BU. You to wash things on 90, him ot wash these damp towles on 40.

?no I do shorter cycles to avoid using more electricity?*

this is a common misconception.

The most energy efficient cycle is the very long one. The reason is that it relies on the washing soaking for a long time to get it clean.
Modern machines often have 2 or even 3 hour cycles and that gives them their high energy efficiency rating. These long cycles also use very little energy to heat the water and often use less water too.

The short cycle uses agitation to clean the washing, that agitation is very costly in terms of electricity.

It is counter intuitive, but the long cycle is more efficient.

@JeremiahStanding

On the Ask Me Anything board a person who developed laundry detergents said this

You need to wash towels sheets and anything else in contact with bodily fluids such as underwear or soiled baby items at 60 degrees or tumble dry them to kill bacteria. Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven

I don't wash at 90, ever. I use Dettol laundry and tumble dry stuff so everything nasty gets killed off.

Makes me wonder if it's actually more hygeinic to either go hot or cold and avoid the 30 and 40 washes. Our machine has both a 20 C and a cold temperature option. I should try using them.

I've never washed anything on 90! A standard 40 deg wash would be fine, just not the short/half load one.

Jeremiahstanding, so this 'bacteria', whst happens if I get some on me? Do i get ill? So one can get ill from laundry?

What temperature is everyone washing face masks?

ducks and runs away

@EvilPea

What temperature is everyone washing face masks?

ducks and runs away

40. I read the research and found no discernible difference in a domestic machine with laundry cleanser. I used disposable at work, being NHS.