To use a 1h 39m cycle for all my washes?

[RtHonNicolaMurray]

I read a Reddit thread last night on this topic and the vast majority of commenters were using a 30 - 45 minute cycle for all their clothes. Some people even using a 14 minute cycle which I find really surprising - I can’t imagine my clothes would be clean after such a short wash!

I use a standard 1:39 cycle (Miele’s “Minimum Iron”) @ 30 or 40 degrees, or a 2:30 cottons cycle @ 60 for bed linens. Am I absolutely overdoing it?!
For context we’re a household of two adults, one (very small, non-shedding) dog and two short-haired cats. Fiancé works outdoors and does lots of DIY and we both exercise a lot, so lots of sweaty gym clothes to wash. I am by no stretch of the imagination a clean freak, so very surprised that I’m the outlier.

YABU - 30 minutes is plenty to get your clothes clean
YANBU - Hour and a half is pretty standard

YANBU, I am the same except the cycle I use is 1hr 37. I use it for everything because I am a bit of a dumbass when it comes to all the settings on a washing machine.

Our "standard" wash is 1h45. I only use the 30 minute wash if I'm extremely pressed for time, and never on a full load. I can't imagine clothes are thoroughly clean in half an hour.

I use our standards wash generally, which is 2 hours.

I use 1 hr 15m on a standard but if I'm in a rush and it's only a small load, I use 26 mins - both of these cycles require a 12 min spin afterward.

Nope I'm the same. 1hr 34mins for most stuff, longer/hotter cycle for bed linen, towels etc. A 30 min express cycle used occasionally for things needed quickly that aren't very dirty.

I do a 40 degree wash that takes 48 minutes. Clothes always clean after it.

Of course it depends a n how dirty the clothes are, but think about how long it would take you to handwash them. Would it really take you more than 30 minutes?

Mines like 2hrs or something. The eco wash is rubbish. But I only wash on 30 and don't add any of this bleach/vinegar or anything that people seem to.

I do a 45 minute wash which is fine for most day-to-day wear. I use a longer wash for sports gear and anything really muddy, I used longer washes when my family were younger as they got a lot more grubby.

i have a 50 min cycle on my wash, not actually sure what cycle it is but it does the job.

I once tried a few things on a 14 min quick wash but found a few hairs still on the clothes so i haven't used that one again.

YANBU. We use the standard 40 C cycle and it takes nearly 3 hours for a full load but the machine weighs the load and shortens it if not full. We just work round it, eg wash in the evening so its ready to hang out the next day.

The shorter cycles are only good for small loads, clothes that are not actually dirty, or they use a lot more energy due to heating faster and/or more agitation.

I use the 50 minute cycle for clothes and 1.30 for towels.

There is something wrong with our washing machine and it only completes a full cycle of the 15 min wash, and of the longer cycles and it just stops before the spin cycle. It's been a couple of weeks now, and I haven't noticed our clothes are any less clean, so I am a convert to the shorter washes!

We do a 44 minute wash at 40 degrees, followed by an extra 7 minute 'drain and spin' as we don't have a dryer so all washing either goes on the line or has to be lugged to the laundrette (which is luckily only a 2 minute walk!) We do use a longer, hotter wash for bed linen and towels, but everything comes out clean and smelling lovely on a 44 minute wash, so I wouldn't want to waste the extra water or electricity on a longer, hotter wash.

It's probably unreasonable in that a lot of the short programs on a washer also have lower weight limit and people don't realise, as no one reads what the manual says or reads it and forgets. So theoretically the clothes aren't getting a decent wash as the machine is overloaded, plus the shorter washes use more power - or so my machine tells me (Siemens).

I always did 1hr and half wash and longer for my towels. Recently I have had to use the quick 15 minute wash because I’ve had a bit of a backlog. I have found they do come out clean, but are left soapier (but also fresher smelling) after the quick wash. I think if your skin was particularly sensitive the quick wash wouldn’t be a good option.

1h36 is the standard eco wash on my machine. The cottons setting takes nearly 3 hours.

1.15 is my standard wash

@BetsyBigNose, are you aware that the shorter washes often use more electricity than the longer ones?

Not the same but an illustration as to how it probably works, we've just got a new dishwasher. The Eco cycle takes 4.5 hours (I know!) and uses 0.7 kWh and 9.5 litres of water. The express setting does the washing up in an hour, but uses 1.3 kWh so nearly twice as much, and 10.5 litres of water.

We're got a Miele washing machine too and we always use the same cycle you're using. Anything less and I'd worry things weren't getting clean.

My standard wash is 1hr55 but then I always put eco timer on and it makes it 1hr9

Everything goes on the 45 minute 40 degree wash, including sheets and towels although for small loads I might use the 30 minute cycle at 30 degrees.

My quickest is 1.39. It does have a 30 min cycle but it’s only 30 degrees and doesn’t spin it enough, so I only use it on the 11pm, Mum I haven’t got any PE socks occasions. I can’t imagine that a 14 minute wash cleans anything at all.

I made the mistake of using the eco wash once, took all day.

I use a 40 cottons short wash with extra water (dd has bad excema and have to ensure clothes are well rinsed). Miele - 1.29

I use the long eco wash for really dirty bed linen and towels which takes almost 3 hours but apparently uses less water and electricity than the shorter wash.

I only ever wear clothes once so a 48 minute on 40 degrees is more than enough.
Towels and bedding washed on 60 degrees for 59 minutes is enough here.