All our clothes look shabby so quickly. Is it the washing machine?

[exhausted2011]

or the washing powder? I use Fairy.
Our clothes look so dull and grey. I do sort them by colour, but everything turns grotty really quickly.
I got two new packets of knickers, just patterned cotton ones from m&S and they look like i've had them for years.
I washed a nice new red and white top once, and it's gone all grubby.
help anyone?

what temp do you use?
is your w/machine clean inside (the drawers etc)?
do you overfill the machine?

usually 40degrees. I also have a major problem with getting ds's clothes clean. he gets filthy at nursery
I've cleaned all the drawers, I do fill it quite well, wouldn't say overfill.

are you in a hard or soft water area?
how old is your machine - do you think it rinses properly?

If you are using Fairy Non-Bio, I had exactly the same problem. Here's a few ideas.

1. Clean out all around the inner door if any mould is growing in there.
2. Run through a full ultra-hot wash.
3. When washing include some bicarb of soda - I find this does a better job than those oxy cleaners.

at 40% with non-bio powder, it just never cleans thoroughly (even though its environmentally sound) so every now and again I put stuff that can stand a hotter wash through on 50 & 60 and some whites on at 90 and that really cleans them up.

yy to the hard water area - I used to live in one and as well as having to always use water softener, I increased the amount of powder used by at least 1/2 a scoop.

My Mum has used fairly non bio for years, I have to be honest I?ve never liked it for coloured stuff, especially reds, blacks, pinks, I found it to fade the colours (love the smell of it on towels and bedding though). I must have been a real PITA but at about 15 I started doing my own washing and started using colour powder or liquid as you can get now. My clothes did keep their colour and stay looking new for longer (I was a fussy cow). They are all biological though, they don?t seem to be hash on the skin.

machine is about 4 years old
just recently fixed, so all cleaned out.
very hard water area
maybe will try a different powder

I would try the following :
Use Napisan in with the main wash.
Use bio for whites.
Use more powder.
Don't fill the machine so full.
Do an extra rinse.

Use a colour care detergent for your colours wash- contains no bleach which will fade clothes and contains enzymes which will help remove stains. Wash your whites using a bio detergent-I like Daz for white and when possible wash on 60. Definitely don't overfill your machine.

Put a couple of dessert spoons of soda crystals in every wash, it really helps. I'm in a hard water area I only use value washing powder and woolite and everythings bright and clean. I only use a 40 cycle too.

I had a similar problem. The cause was only discovered when I had a new machine fitted.

The pipework previously used to the hot and cold water supply was the 'Clamp' around the existing water pipe and when you tightened up it pushed a hole into the pipe. - Only it didnt quite get through. There was a pin prick size hole all those years and hardly any hot water getting to the machine.

We have now had proper spurs off the hot and cold supply and it sounds like Niagra Falls now. Clothes cleaner, running costs cheaper too.

So, how does your water sound? Is it a trickle or a gush?

The problem with the 40 degree cotton cycle is that it seems to make the colours fade -you will notice this especially on striped stuff. As already suggested here you can use washing detergent for colours OR you might try a 40/50 degree synthetic wash -but the problem is you will then have to put machine on again for a further spin as synthetic cycleof course is not such a goodspin. I do the latter as I do not have enough coloured washing to make buying another pack of w powderworthwhile

Definitely use biological powder for your whites.

Turn your clothe inside out so as not to fade the colour or bobble.

I like Aerial Colour. I tried their Actilift and it did the same as Fairy... clothes looking wash faded and shabby. Back Aerial colour for me. Oh, and I recently did a clean round the rubber bit and run through without clothes on95 deg - next lot of clothes came out zillions time fresher, and smelt wonderful!

Not a 40 deg. or 30 deg problem. I suggest:

Only use Non-bio, reg. bio or Napisan with whites.

For everything else, use a detergent without optical brighteners: Reg. colour detergent (which is a Bio) or Ecover. Also wash darks with darks & lights with lights or brights.

As well as the other suggestions, here are a few more.

Do you tumble dry your clothes? The dryer can really fade clothes quickly.

The other thing, is your machine heating up the water? Most new machines are cold water feed only. Does the door feel warm during the wash cycle?

I had the problems you describe with a new washing machine, just 6 months after I bought it. I tried different powders, liquids, you name it and nothing made a difference. Then one day I noticed that the cycle had finished quickly. I put the machine on a 90 degree empty wash and opened the door half way through and the water was freezing cold.

The thermostat had gone but the machine still worked.