Need some help and advice on washing please.

[napkin]

I have recently been having a lot of problems with my washing, it has got me so down! My old washing machine broke down in May. Since then i have purchased a Zanussi, indesit, samsung, bosch, beko and now hotpoint washing machine. Managed to get most returned but two! Each one has left my clothes badly bobbled/pilled and is making new clothes look old after one wash. I have tried all sorts of settings on each one. Different detergents. I use comfort- the original blue one but dilute it. I mainly have found Persil non bio powder tablets to work best and prefer to use non bio as one of my sons has slight eczema and don't like too strong of a smell either. Liquids i find rinse away better but leave some stuff more worn looking like more heavy items. I mainly use the extra rinse cycle as most modern machines don't rinse well. I am wondering if this could maybe be something to do with the low water usage in new machines meaning more friction on clothes. Has this been happening to anyone else? Has anyone got any advice? It would be much appreciated as i have thrown so many items away and am scared of washing anything else and ruining it.

Sorry - just seen earlier question about soap nuts. There shouldn't be any need to use fabric con, as a lot of what it does is about dissolving laundry detergent residue left on clothes fibres. But I condition anyway, using white vinegar in the washing machine fabric conditioner compartment.

I had this problem until I started using more gentle cycles and a gentler spin, I have a Bosch. I used to have an AEG (bought 13 years ago) and I loved it. I would recommend AEG above all others.

HiccupHaddockHorrendous what machine do you have? Do you put everything on a 40 cotton wash or use separate cycles at 40? I looked at AEG permaquandry but i think all the old machines washed a lot better than these new eco machines. Doe's anyone wash new items of clothing separately?

Thank you everyone for your help and advice.

AEG are fab.

Do you have a new AEG machine stargirl1701?

AEG used to be an upmarket German maker, but went bust. The brand-name (and others) was bought by Electrolux, in the same way that Indesit bought the Cannon, Hotpoint, Arisoton, (and many other) brand names.

A lot of brands are actually made by a small number of big companies.

Older machines used to use much more water, and washed at higher temperatures.

Never had any problems with older machines.

I have an indesit. Not sure of the model number but it has a 9kg drum and cost around £350. I'm not quite sure why we got such a big size and probably wouldn't choose one as big again because it takes ages to get enough colours or whites/towels/bedding to fill it.

I live in a rented house and the machine that was here up until last year was also an indesit and had been here for approx 17years.

I'm not sure which 40 cycle I use...I don't think I knew there was more than one choice ...I'll go and have a look

My AEG is probably 6 or 7 years old.

I think it is the last 5 years that washing machines have become worse.

Does anyone separate their clothes by material? I hate large drums too, even with 5 of us i find it hard to fill.