….to wonder if 30 degrees is enough?

[Dora26]

In an effort to minimise energy bills DH is questioning everything- including the temperature I wash at - 40 degrees. Is 30 enough for eg towels and underwear? I suppose our clothes would be categorised as “lightly soiled “ - but still?

I've started doing that and not noticed any difference.

Yeah, I do everything at 30 but one wash a month at 90 to clean the machine as it can get a bit smelly if everything done at low temps

I use washing powder and find it leaves residue at 30 as though it hasn't fully dissolved.

This can exacerbate eczema in our family, so I wash at higher temps.

I only wash really grubby stuff at 40. 30 does for normal wear absolutely fine.

Mine's only got 40 and 20. I use 20 all the time but 40 for towels.

I’ve been washing everything (bar sheets and towels if anyone has been ill) at 30 for a while and not noticed any difference. I did previously generally wash at 40 though, if you regularly wash at 60 it might make a bigger difference.

30 degrees is fine.
No issue with soap powder residue here, although I do use a lot less than they suggest, after reading on here a washing machine engineer said they recommend far more in order to boost sales.

I do everything at 30 except bedding, towels and cleaning cloths which go on at 90.

Does it make a huge difference? I continue to wash sheets and towels at 60 but I don't change them every day or even every week. I also only put a wash on if the machine is full.

I prob do 1 60 wash per week in our family of 4 adults. Everything else on 40. No way am I going down to 30 or 20, sorry.

It’s not really good for your machine to always use low temps or short cycles.

Look to see if it has an eco setting, which will probably be a very long cycle but heats the water gradually and uses less energy.

We’’ve washed everything on 30 and a quick wash (30 mins) for years. We don’t even spin it if it’s warm enough to dry outside.

We don’t work down the mines so are clothes aren’t filthy, we shower everyday.

I’ll thrown in some soda crystals for anything needing a bit more.

I do bath towels, kitchen towels, bedding and DH’s overalls at 60, everything else gets done at 40. I wouldn’t feel comfortable at anything less really, unless it’s delicate.

I do normal clothes at 30 and don't use gel or those gel pouches as they absolutely ruined my last machine, it stunk ! Only use powder now.
Underwear and towels go on at 40 unless anything is particularly grubby then the occasional 60
Bedding always 60

You can get a washing liquid for cold water . Fairy and Ariel do them.

I wash most stuff on a 30° quick wash to save energy, but towels & bedding are either on a 60° allergy wash or a 95° wash.

I use non bio powder (the only one DD isn’t allergic to), so a weekly 95° is needed to ensure the machine doesn’t have build up (or get whiffy).

I wash whites and bedding at 20, everything else in cold. We’ve had no problems.

I only use 30 for delicates. It doesn’t get clothes quite clean enough and it’s not good for the life of the machine.

I've started using the eco setting over night on cold, and haven't noticed my clothes are any less clean. I still do towels and bedding on a higher temp, and add an antibacterial cleanser to it

I wash bedding towels and dish cloths on 60 and everything else on 40. I always thought you needed heat to kill bacteria??

I wash at 30 or 40, but I use dettol antibacterial laundry cleanser. I wouldn't wash at low temps without it.

You see, this is where I wonder what's best.

Is it best environmentally to wash on higher temps or wash on lower temps with a horrible additive that costs a lot to buy and involves some nasty chemical processes to manufacture and then goes into the water system.

Someone should tell us all!

Friend was told by repair man that washing at lower temperatures can clog machine.

@A580Hojas

Is it any worse than regular laundry detergent?

Teenage armpits at 30 just doesn't work. All my stuff is 30, theirs, 40.