What washer setting?

[pineapple22]

Really random and stupid question but I'm wondering what washing machine setting I should be using!

My clothes recently have started coming out very dull and sometimes shrinking. I've tried switching powders/tabs and trying bio/non-bio and colour catchers and I don't use fabric conditioner any more etc so I'm thinking maybe it's my washer setting.

My washer has a big circle around the Cotton setting on the dial so I just used to put everything on that. The only problem is because it's a huge drum it's a 3 hour wash! So then I started sticking everything on the 1 hour quick wash. I've had no problems with anything coming out dirty or smelling but now things have started fading and I'm wondering if this is a bit harsh on the clothes maybe? I thought the quick wash would also be more eco but I've since heard that the longer wash is as it uses less water and heats slower.

Which is the best for me to use please? What do you use? This is one of the million times in my life I wish I had a mum or female in my family to ask because it looks like I wasn't born with any natural housewife instincts lol

My manual tells me how much electricity and water is used on each setting. The quick 40 wash uses least.

I used to wash everything on that apart from whites on 60 cotton. Now I do most loads on 60 cotton because I was starting to get black mould on the door seals. More hot washes have cured that, but as you say they take a long time. I think I got better results at low temps when I lived in a soft water area, Now the water is so hard, I need soda crystals and hot water for everything.

I use home made powder (grated soap, soda crystals, borax and Ariel) for most loads, but I use neat Ariel with soda crystals for whites.

OP you mentioned using a cotton setting but what temperature is that set to?

Mine has an hour setting which is labelled as intensive and is a 60 fast spin so I use that but reduce the temp to 40 for most washes ( except towels etc) and I’ve never had an issue . I use bio liquid , fabric softener ( where appropriate ) , dettol laundry cleanser and put some washing soda in every wash ( except the dogs who uses fairy non bio and no fabric softener) and that seems to get everything clean including the machine .

I put mine on Mixed, 40c for clothes which takes 1 hour, and 60c on bedding which takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. I just put pods inside the drum and a capful of fabric softener in the drawer.

I wash dark colours inside out to prevent fading.
Short wash for dark, longer wash for light colours, 4 degrees. Towels and bedding 60 degrees.

That would be 40 degrees

Have you got an instruction manual for guidance?

My machine is old but I use a 40 degree cotton setting for clothing.

Thanks for replies!

Sorry I should've said I can choose the temp on my cotton setting so I have it on 30 unless it's towels and bedding and then it's 60.

I did look at the manual but it says the cotton setting is for cotton and the quickwash is for a quick wash. Not very helpful to be honest, I could've gathered that myself lol!

So what would people use on my washer? Would you put everything but the filthy stuff and bedding on the 60 min 30/40 wash and sack off the 3 hour cotton one? Or is that likely to be more gentle and eco even though it's taking forever?

I wouldn't use a three hour wash at all.
Use the quick wash.
I would use a synthetics/delicates wash for anything liable to shrink.
There are usually loads of settings to choose from, don't think you have to stick at the cotton setting.