AIBU to ask if anyone uses the eco washing cycle

[Giddykiddy]

DH just put on a small load of gently worn dark clothes that really only need a freshen up on the eco cycle which takes 3 hours. I would have washed on the 30 minute quick cycle at 30 or 40 degrees. Surely it can't be more economical to wash for 6 times longer and it must be hard in the clothes. i usually wash tumble gold and put away 4 loads of laundry in a day. Does anyone really use these mad eco cycles that take forever

Yes, we are advised not to use them when we are asleep.

Wouldn’t work for washing our children’s duvet less duvets. Have to get in straight from them leaving their beds to be out to dry all day long.

I’ve got a nine hour wash cycle on my new machine. Madness

No I don't use it. It is over three hours long.

Most lightly worn stuff gets done at 30 degrees on a 30 minute cycle.

Towels and underwear get longer at 40/60...but still I don't use any of the cycles which are anything more than 90 minutes long

My machine also has a 14 minute wash which is a godsend when I remember at 11pm that DC needs a clean school jumper for the next day!

I use it for bedding and towels, things that also want a high speed spin. I wfh so it’s fine if it takes all morning to wash and then quite a while to dry (heat pump dryer).

My Eco wash creases things too. Most stuff goes on a 40° shirt cycle in this house.

I use it all the time.

I always use it unless it's a rush job. Comes out fine. Haier brand.

I've unfortunately known 2 washing machines to set fire/start the process. Once in a house share (10 years or so ago) where the landlord was less than above board and all facilities were pretty fucked. Housemates clothes were in the machine, fully submerged in water while the fucker was on fire.

More recently, late last year I became aware of a 'gear grinding' smell in the house and found the machine spewing out smoke.

I would never have the machine on over night or while out now. I even don't go upstairs while it's on just in case. But I might have trust issues 😅

I use the eco setting on my dishwasher every night, I need to check my washing machine to see if it has one.
I do though use long washes nowadays because the powder/capsule does not fully dissolve in the 30 min washes.
ETA - WM doesn't have ECO button but the dryer has. I have never used that

Always. But it always goes on overnight so no time pressure

same with dishwasher

Always use Eco, l also turn the washing temperature down to 20c. I set both dishwasher and washing machine to come on overnight. It’s all done when I get up in the morning. Each wash costs between 5p and 6p a wash according to my Octopus app.

I don’t use the eco setting as I don’t have it on overnight and don’t have three hours to wait to put the next load in.
Most used: 15 minute cycle for teens once-worn items.
The Febreze, air and return to wardrobe cycle.
30 minute cycle for jeans and hoodies.
I too am a minger-tea towels in the same load with undies today(in a laundry bag, I’m not an animal).

I should have avoided this thread. I'm with your MIL @Giddykiddy and have been using the quick wash 30°C settings for a decade. A couple of loads go into the dryer together so its not on for 5 or 6 hours. All done in one day a week.

Not anymore! My cottons eco is 3hrs 25mins 😑

I don't have the time to wait that long for a load. I don't have it on while asleep or out of the house due to the fire risk (reinforced by the safety warnings in the manual).

I just think things only need soaking if there is some bad stain on the garment. I also don't think they smell as nice if soaked

My eco cycle is 20° for 1hr 36! My fastest cycle is 14mins at 30°.
my question though is how on earth are you doing 4 loads a day? Is that every day? If so, that’s probably a lot of unnecessary washing anyway.

I used to but the appliance engineer (when fixing an issue) told me it doesn't rinse the machine as well or has a lower temp & this was leading to a damp smell. I have up using it after that

Does your washing machine need attention, being wet and then rinsed with clean water and spin dry shouldnt make clothes smell.

It's brand new. Soaking is being described in the same way further up the thread - please stop singling me out 😳

we also have a brand new washer well
new this year. I find anything overly wet smells like fish tanks. I’m fully aware this is my nose that’s the issue but so I don’t soak soak things unless needed.

This doesn’t just stand for clothes either. If I walk by a glass of water that’s been sat for say an hour it smells like fish tank to me.

I have two modes of smelling wet. Nice wet and fish tank smell 😅

Hi 👋 me!!
Every single load is an eco wash 3 hours!
I put it on delay end and it's ready when I get up. If I'm doing 2 in the same day it goes on as soon as the 1st load is done which is 7am

Delay start/ delay end is the key!

I use it with the timer so it runs off the solar panels, starting at lunch time and then it's done when I get in from work. My machine tells my phone how much water and electricity it uses each time and it's definitely eco compared to the other settings. You just need more patience

When you say it runs off the solar panels - surely the energy from your panels is stored so you can use it anytime? Or if you have solar water heating, then your washer needs a hot water intake - a rare thing these days.

No, we don't have storage or heating, but I check the weather so I know when we'll be getting enough current to run the washer more or less for free. Extra electricity goes back to the net, but around us the net has capacity problems so they don't pay much anymore to encourage people to use the electricity instead.