to half load or not to half load

[janek]

we have a zanussi-electrolux zdf 1632 w. according to the instructions a normal cotton wash uses 60l of water, with 3 rinses. a half load does 2 rinses.

i infer from this that the only difference between a full load and a half load is the number of rinses.

so given that we use ecover, no one is sensitive in any way and the youngest family member is 2.5 is there any reason why i shouldn't always press the half load button? wouldn't it save loads of water, at no cost to me?

opinions please .

tia

if you were going to do that then I wouldnt put a full load of clothes in as they will not get rinsed properly - you would therefore not be making a saving as you would have to do more loads of washing.

but isn't two rinses enough? especially as it's only ecover...

i wouldn't do it if there were less water in the wash or a shorter wash bit, but surely one little rinse wouldn't make a difference...

does it say how much water is used in the half load setting? There may be 2 rinses but each of them could use less water too which would mean a larger load would not rinse properly

My washer uses a lot less water on a half load and ive noticed if i put a full load in and i dd presses the button the clothes dont clean properly

i hadn't thought of that seona. no, it doesn't say how much water the half setting uses. just that it has one rinse fewer.

i'm experimenting at the moment. i realised after you responded that in asking this question i just want people to agree with me (). and actually i only think i'm saving 15 litres anyway, which is about a sink-ful of water. not really that much in the scheme of things.

perhaps i'll just give up on the water-saving attempts.

also interesting peachybums, i will observe my 'clean' washing with a critical eye.