washing at 30 degrees

[bonzo77]

Anyone else do it? I've got into the habit, but I've also noticed that some stains (poo and tomato based sauces) don't always shift, even with vanish / shout. I'm using Surcare liquid. If I washed hotter would things be cleaner? And how hot? My mum swears she does everything at 90, apart from delicates. I keep re-washing things, so it'd probably be more economical / ecological to do it once but hotter. I always do towels and bedding at 60 with bio powder and they come out clean every time, though they tend not to have poo or sauce on them....

That's a personal choice but \link{http://modernsurvivalblog.com/health/do-you-need-hot-water-to-wash-your-hands-and-kill-germs/\you don't need to}

Washing detergents work by being slowly heated up. The hotter the cycle, the longer the heating stage and the more time the detergent has to work.

Washing at 30 creates a warm, damp atmosphere in the washing machine - perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mould which then ends up all over the clothes. This is especially important when washing clothes that have bodily fluids on them.

Washing powder contains oxygen-based bleaching agents. Liquids don't.

Washing at 30 with liquid has NO anti-bacterial agent.

The myth regarding bio detergent irritating eczema sufferers is just that. What effects eczema is excessive perfumes and poor rinsing. So Bold and Surf are a no no. Nowhere in the world other than the UK sell non-bio detergents and the only reason for this myth is an old housewife freak-out in the 1960's when "automatic" detergents first hit the stores and Mum's were terrified of enzymes eating their children's skin. The backlash of this caused non-bio to be returned to the shelves and advertised as "sensitive". The fact of the matter is, because non-bio doesn't contain enzymes, it includes MORE chemicals to compensate for this.

Powders dissolve better in water, whereas liquid (being thicker than water) has a habit of glooping up in the machine, around the heat element and the outer tub.

For all these reasons, I never wash below 40 and I always use a bio powder and the extra rinse function on the washing machine. I use very little amounts of fabric softener as these contain heavy perfumes which cause skin irritations. For anything with bodily fluids on it, for hygiene reasons, these get at least a 60 wash. If your washer has a 75 or 80 degree cycle, these would be best for that kind of stain.

Disclaimer: I'm a terrible housewife and know nothing about washing machines.

But, I do all our washing on 60 as washing at 30/40 just came out of the machine smelling horrible. This was in a new washing machine too. My DH is a particularly sweaty fellow and 60 degrees seems to really clean his clothes.

That link is quite reassuring, TheOneWith. I always feel a bit panicky if I have had to wash my hands in cold or tepid water.

It is, isn't it, CremeEggThief?

I prefer to wash my hands in warmish water but if it's running cold initially I don't wait for it to warm up before I start.

Don't think I do it for 20 seconds though! & I don't scrub either

I always aim for 30 seconds and scrub thoroughly, but it doesn't do my hand eczema any favours!

An excellent post rabbit123. That merely confirms why DD's eczema disappeared when I started using bio powder.

Thank you for clarifying it all.

I don't think colour detergent (colour bio) has oxygen-based bleaching agents in it. Or any bleaching agents. Just saying.

Thanks all. Surcare is non bio, liquid. It's the only thing that doesn't make me itch. The towels done at 60 get bio powder, or sometimes just soda crystals to device the machine.

I guess I need to use bio and 40 if things have marks in them. The vanish block is not removing old stains that well, but the vanish gold gel was on offer at waitrose and combined with sunshine did get rid of some very old tomato stains.

Hygiene is not really the concern, more the aesthetics . We rarely get bugs (maybe more by luck than judgement), and no one is extra vulnerable here.

So what fabrics can be washed hotter than the label? Apart from delicates (synthetic things, wool, silk, hand wash only for example) can things that are labelled 30 be done at 40?

Not device. service

I wash at 40 mainly, 60 for bedding and towels, occasionally 30 for more delicate barely dirty things. But 30 doesn't shift stains imo.

IMO sweaty men do well to wear white cotton Tees as vests, they absorb sweat and the cotton can be hot-washed in powder. It will not smell as bad as sweaty synthetics.

They will shrink a bit so are best bought a size up.

You're right lljkk. Colour bio, never has oxygen bleaching agents in it, nor did it have optical brighteners in it,, until recently.

For some reason, when Ariel launched their new pods, they have put optical brightening agents in the colour version as well as standard green bio.

So it makes me wonder, as NO liquid detergents contain oxygen bleach agents (they can't actually manufacture it into liquid - it doesn't stay stable) what's the difference between Ariel normal green bio pods, and Ariel colour pods?

I no longer use Ariel now anyway, for other reasons, but still, they're essentially selling the same product under 2 different versions. Unless with the introduction of pods, they can get oxygen bleach in liquids, although the ingredients do not say so.

Also these new Persil pods, which have a liquid and powder in the pod, this could be the first liquid type detergent with oxygen bleach in it? (I haven't, nor will I be buying them so I haven't seen the ingredients, although I may read the box next time I am at the store)

Most of my laundry is done at 30 or 40.
If your laundry is still dirty/ stained it is probably not the temperature but there may be a number of other reasons.

1. Bio better than non-bio for shifting stains.
2. Over loading the machine it should have about 1/3rd of space in it so water and items can easily move about.
3. Poo (I used to use washable nappies) and many food stains will still be evident when the item comes out of the machine but will disappear within perhaps 30 mins if you put on washing line in the sunlight - you do not need to completely line dry the items.

But I should add that I did washable nappies at 60 - as widely recommended to kill bacteria.

1. Correct treatment - eg soaking in cold water first for blood.

Personally I use the Vanish block that looks like a bar of soap on particularly grubby bit of laundry. Washing up liquid can be good on greasy stuff.
As far as I know NOthing will move a banana stain.

Well, I did a very "challenging" load today: light coloureds with chocolate, poo, felt tip and a mystery stain on a handed down yellow baby vest which failed to come out with vanish bar at 30 with surcare. I used bio powder, vanish gel and 40 degrees. All gone! Apart from some of the chocolate which was improved after drying on the line in the sun.

I wash on cold now for most washes. Whites get 20c but I'm going to try them on cold too.

No one in this house is immuno suppressed so I'm not bothered about bacteria.

We are all covered in bacteria anyway.

How do you get the washing powder to dissolve in cold water?

I don't know, I suppose it's the agitation in the drum.

Cold water is useless at actually getting anything clean, so I don't know why you would bother.

When staying with my MIL she absolutely insists on everything being washed in cold water, and it ruined half of the babies clothes. They all came out grey-ish with vomit and poo stains that now won't come out

My friend washes all,at 20 and 30 and non bio and then complains here stuff looks grubby I think 40 is ok for some stuff but 60 gets it really clean and white

All my clothes come out clean. I don even use proper washing detergent on colours.

I make laundry gloop instead. Bio powder is for the white bedding and towels.

I do have a top of the range bosch logixx washing machine though so that helps.

I use Persil bio on 30 degrees, occasionally 40 if things are really dirty. I add Vanish powder if there are stains and hang things out to dry. Our washing looks fine. The machine doesn't smell, either. It is ten years' old.

I wash everything on a cold wash. No heating at all.

I always dry outside. UV light kills germs and takes out any remaining stains. I rarely do a hot wash.

My washing machine smells very fresh.

"My friend washes all,at 20 and 30 and non bio"

Unless she does the occasional service wash her machine must be stinky and mouldy.