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 only do 90 for a machine clean.
Towels always washed on 60 for 2 hours and always come out clean and fresh no matter how manky when I put them in.

My machine doesn’t even go to 90… max 60!! But it’s fairly new.

I do my towels and bedding at 60 probably every second wash.

All other washes at 30.

Occasionally an empty cycle at 60 with soda crystals in.

Reading this I am afraid I'll come across like a cleaning-freak but I wash on 90:

1. Underwear
2. Towels
3. Kitchen cloths all separately.

On 60:

1. Bedding
2. Toddler's white cottons

Everything else that has doesn't come in direct contact with plates or private parts is 40/30/eco

What’s wrong with coming in contact with plates? . I presume you’ve eaten the food off the plate?!

When drying them off I like to use close to sterile cloths. Weird, I know. But I get total ick from the idea that plates could be washed in anything other than really hot water and dried with 'sterile' cloth.

Yep, weird.

@Dita73

Towels on 90 Bedding on 60

Same here

I do everything on 30, including towels. 40 if I'm feeling particularly giddy that day.
There's no need to practically boil wash anything on 90. It'll shorten the life of the stuff you're washing.

I haven't used anything above 40 since my DD's stopped wearing cloth nappies

Never do a 90 wash, 60 about twice a week, rest 30 or 40

steppemum

“well, yes they will, as that is what the enzymes in washing powder do, they digest bacteria, along with all other organic matter.“

That’s really interesting. Most things I’ve read (not that I make a habit of reading about laundry ) have suggested that the water temperature is what matters rather than the detergent.
Off to google. Will be very cross if I discover I’ve been getting it wrong and wasting money for 40 years!

It's no wonder we have a climate crisis!

I think a 40 degree wash is fine even if they've sat in a washing machine for hours but I can't get arsed about a monthly 90 degree wash. I personally don't bother, but I have new towels and a new washing machine so it's not really needed.

My expensive state of the art LG goes to 60c,most of the laundry is done on cold.my towells are expensive Sanderson,some are embroidered,they say 40c they get 30c.

I do clothes at 30, sweaty gym gear at 30 with dettol laundry stuff, towels/cloths/kitchen towels at 60.
I'd only ever do a 90 wash if one of us has been really ill with a stomach bug or something then I'd do their towels / bedding at 90. So once in a blue moon.

Even soiled nappies only need 40° if you have a good wash routine. 60° max for certain times (e.g. d&v). 90° is a complete waste of energy and will reduce the lifespan of whatever it is you're washing.

What kind of underwear withstands a 90’ wash?

@Spermysextowel

What kind of underwear withstands a 90’ wash?

A spermy sex towel might!

I’ve never done a 90 degree wash. When we all had noro a few weeks ago I put all the bedding on a 60 degree wash. We have to use non bio due to allergies.

I wouldn't wash towels at 90, they go hard. 60 should be enough to kill the bacteria and get the smells out.

However you should be running a 90 maintenance wash (plus cleaning out tray and around seals) about once a month. I do mine with soda crystals in the drum and powder dispenser and vinegar in the fab con bit. Keeps the washing machine clean and gunk free. I can't imagine one wash a month a 90 costs very much.

Your flatmate is also (probably) wrong to put on a quick wash. That often uses more water and electric than the eco wash cycle even though the eco wash is usually significantly longer.

I don't understand why your flatmate needed to get involved with your friend's washing anyway- why did he put the wash on? Could you not have just loaded the machine and set the cycle yourself?

I wouldn't have put regular towels on at 90, especially someone else's- a 60 eco cycle wash should have been enough. It's inefficient for your flatmate to select the wrong cycle so you end up doing a second wash though. I do something similar to you- I don't do an empty maintenance clean, but I do a 90 wash of dishcloths/ teatowels/ aprons/ cleaning cloths etc roughly once a week.(I keep them separate to avoid the environmental impact of contact with bleach/cleaning products wrecking normal clothes).

LOL I wash all towels (kitchen and bath), bedding, plus my everyday cotton knickers at 90. Always have always will- makes me feel a bit sick to imagine using any of these things if they’d only been washed cold. I genuinely had no idea that other people didn’t!

Sheets and towels go on 90 here whenever there is a staph infection in the house, which is surprisingly regular with two children work bad eczema.

If you share the bills your flatmate absolutely does get a say when he sees you being wasteful.

@PinkSyCo did you miss the part about the flatmate being a high earner who 'works from home in IT, has an electric bike which he charges here and enjoys gaming so is often on his computer at night'?

I'm sure that, even with the extra few pennies run up by the ops unnecessarily extravagant laundry habits, he's getting value for money with their 50/50 split of the electricity bill.