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

Ive tried the eco wash and it doesn’t use any less water that a standard 40/60 wash.

When we moved in to our house, we had no connection to the drainage in the utility, so used one of these tubs (holds 80kg of mineral supplement). Both eco and standard washes filled the tub. They say it uses “10L” of water but do you really know that?

I have a 59 min daily wash which is v effective and can do different temperatures and spin speeds.

Yabu I wash everything at 30mins 30 degrees then add an extra 17 minute fast spin.

@RtHonNicolaMurray

Waaaay too long for every cycle IMO. Unless your clothes are absolutely filthy, why would you need to wash them all on such a long wash? Most of my loads go on 30 to 45 degrees (for around 35 minutes.) Then a boil wash once a month, for the whites, and to kill off any bacteria.

there are either people not reading this thread properly or are trying to wind everyone up! Tens of posts about the science behind why you should use a longer cycle for eco reasons followed by one that states they was everything at 60 degrees for 30mins

@BarbaraofSeville I was agreeing with you

Little changes if we all do them, will make a difference. What a shame.

I use a 1 hour cycle for everything and it seems to do the job. 30 or 40 degrees depending on items.

@Autumnleaves4 I also have a Bosch and the timer is very easy to use once you get your head around it (it's built in on my machine). On mine you press the 'delay' button and for each press it adds an hours delay to the end time of the wash, so you have to work out what time you want to washing ready from when you're setting it and delay it by that number of hours (so if I'm setting it at 10.30pm and I want the wash ready at 7.30am I delay it by 9h). Then the machine works out when it needs to start your chosen cycle to end at the desired time. It's very handy, though can cause alarm if other family members are not aware that the washer will be randomly switching itself on when the wash controller is not at home...

I rarely use the quicker cycles because I don't believe they will get the clothes properly clean, I do tend to use the eco function and trust that the manufacturer is not lying about it being better for the environment, which means my most often used cycles last 2h15 or 4h35.

I rarely use the quicker cycles because I don't believe they will get the clothes properly clean, I do tend to use the eco function and trust that the manufacturer is not lying about it being better for the environment

Christ, do a bit of research on your own behalf.

I’m going to try an eco wash on some of DH’s grotty work shirts tomorrow and see how it does. I know the ‘speed’ 1 hr cycle gets them clean, so I’ll change to eco all round if they still come out sparkling.

The energy used depends on the motor speed, temperature setting and washing time, now do the math.

@halloweenie13 no they are not "beyond wrong"

onehome.org.uk/lifestyle/64-do-one-thing/296-understand-your-appliances-eco-settings-do-one-thing

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

I rarely use the quicker cycles because I don't believe they will get the clothes properly clean, I do tend to use the eco function and trust that the manufacturer is not lying about it being better for the environment

Christ, do a bit of research on your own behalf.

What?!? I researched before I chose the machine and got the one with the highest efficiency rating, that was recommended by Which and based on whose reviews I was happy that the eco settings would be decent. Why would I research any more than that? In any case, from the brief further reading I've done based on this thread I am still convinced that the eco settings are best and on my machine eco is an option that can be applied to every cycle. I use 30deg wash as standard and I notice if I do ever do a fast wash by necessity that my sweaty teen's clothes are not as clean as the long eco wash makes them. I don't need to research any more than that 🤷‍♀️

I heard that eco settings on washing machines and dishwashers aren’t even that eco?! Have just bought a w’air gadget having read about it in Metro and online to see if it helps me and my family do 1 or 2 less loads of washing each week. Who knows but surely every little helps. 😁

@MeanMrMustardSeed really didn't know that about shorter cycles. I must look ours up, same for the dishwasher. Rapid is only about 20 mins and does the job, eco is nearly 3 hours!

For clothes I was "normal" clothes at 30degrees for 1hr15 min
For farming clothes its usually 40degrees for 1hr 45min
For engine oil/ grease soaked overalls it is 60degrees for about 2hrs

My washing machine allows you to set temp and spin regardless of which program you put it on.
The shortest wash is 20 mins, the longest is 59 mins.
It's fabulous.

My hiencse machine ( I hate it) does a mixed load ( or wool) 40 in 59 mins or cotton 60 3 hrs.
I often use the synthetic wash at 60 an hr, tho sometimes I use eco bleach for bedding and wash at 40, with cat all kinds of dirt, 30 just isn’t enough, and I refuse to use petro chemical stuff

I'm currently in a rented flat and have a washer/dryer.

It's horrible, you have the choice of 15 mins or >2 hours!

I'm looking forward to a 30/45 min option again for clothes (mostly worn once) and maybe an hour for towels (washed twice a week).