Washing laundry in cold water - any tips/hints??

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

Due to the increase in energy prices, I've been reducing the temperature of laundry loads. I'm wondering if it's ok to do laundry on a cold wash? I've always read that towels and underwear should be washed at 60 degrees so as to kill bacteria but I'm curious about what other people do? If you do cold washes, is there any residual odour? Do things come out as clean as on a warmer wash? What detergent is suitable for a cold wash?

My machine has an "energy saver" cycle that washes in cold water but agitates the washing a bit more (or something) presumably to assist in the cleaning process.

Would be grateful for any input on this matter! Especially the detergent bit!

I use the Dettol laundry cleanser for everything at low temperature. It says it kills bacteria at 20 degrees so that might be an option. I don't know if it works or not but I assume it must as the claim is plastered all over the bottle!

Where I live people wash in cold only all the time. The bigger top loader machines are very popular but some don't heat the water.

Tbh I do find the obsession to wash everything at 60 degrees a bit odd. The only thing I can think is that our washing is hung out in try sun most of the time, so that could make a difference.

I used to use 40 degrees for most things, save for bedding and towels which were 60 degrees. A while ago I moved to 30 for clothes (save for bedding and towels). I now wash everything at 30 but put the Dettol laundry cleanser in that the pp mentioned for towels and bedding. I've not seen any difference that I can think of 🤷

I have always washed on 30, with about a quarter of the recommended detergent. Nothing smells, everything looks clean, and I haven’t caught any nasties. The exception would be if anyone had been physically ill (sweating in bedsheets with flu, vomit etc).

Water is a very effective solvent.

Thanks, all, I appreciate the replies. Will try a cold wash soon then, and will get some of that Dettol laundry cleanser. Guess the only way to find out is to try!

Cold is "healthier" than a 30 degree wash (and in some cases a 40 degree one)
There's a famous documentary from a few years ago showing how stuff going in a 30 degree wash comes out more minging with bacteria than when it went in. Warm+wet=bacteria heaven. The point of the show (it was a consumer affairs thing) was that we are being misled by detergent companies and washing machine manufacturers both.

@Thankyoupeter and @Logoplanter - do you use the Dettol laundry cleanser as well as the detergent?

@PAFMO - ooh, interesting...

Honestly, bacteria are everywhere - around and inside us. While there's a need for basic hygiene to prevent disease, laundry is not a killer. In the past, people wore the same clothes day after day and washed them in cold water - that's not why they died.

If you look at your machine's manual, you should be able to see how many kwh each programme uses, but also how much water - if you are on a water meter, that matters too. For me, the cheapest option is a 30 degree wash that takes just under a fortnight or a 50 minute 40 degree wash. Guess which I choose.

I do like to do hot washes for the health of my elderly washing machine. I've given up my regular 60 degree washes for the reasons you gave. But every few weeks, I'm putting whites through on a 90 degree wash. I use home made washing powder mixed with some non bio for most washes, and the same mixed with Ariel bio for whites - the home made is grated soap mixed with soda crystals. Soda crystals are something else I do to preserve my washing machine (we live in a hard water area), but they also give better results at lower temperatures. You don't need Dettol unless there's illness in the house. And, even then, you can use alternatives.

We grew up washing in cold and I have continued that in my adult years. My kids are now adults and wash in cold too. Infact most people do here. All clothing (yes, even underwear) is washed in cold. Hot water for towels and bedding and dogs bedding. I add white socks to the sheets and any plain white tee shirts. I believe you need to do a longer cycle with lower temp, I set mine to come on at night for a 2.5 hour wash. A good detergent helps too. I use Omo (Persil) or Tide.

I've always washed in cold. It's never been a problem. If you line dry anything the sun with help sterilise it, even if it's a cloudy day. The only things that get hot washed are sweaty and smelly clothes which I do at 70 degrees.

I wash everything at 40, including sheets, towels and underwear, but I might start washing everyday clothing in cold after reading some of the replies on this thread so far. Most clothes only need a freshen up after all.

What do people do with towels that makes them more bacteria laden than socks. Weird UK obsession with germs?
Cold wash, hang on the line, sun bleaches everything even in winter (when things may get blown into the neighbours garden, but hey, way to make new friends!).

I think the bacteria thing is todo with the towel being damp?

I wash everything in cold and on short cycles. No one is dropping dead here. I promise.

On the back of this thread I have just put a COLD wash on. If I wake up dead tomorrow, it’s all your fault just so you know. #Livinglifeontheedge 😱

@PinkSyCo

On the back of this thread I have just put a COLD wash on. If I wake up dead tomorrow, it’s all your fault just so you know. #Livinglifeontheedge 😱

I've always washed everything on cold (except when one of us has been ill or the off white sheets wash).
My reason being that I was forever shrinking stuff or Messing it up with the wrong temperature so it just seemed safer for the clothes . Never had any bother with it form the point of view of Getting things clean etc...

I’ve noticed that whenever I wash DH’s shirts on a cold or cooler wash, the armpits are still a bit smelly.. am I doing something wrong??

I wash almost everything on a 30 degree, 28 minute wash. I honestly can't tell the difference between that and a 60 degree, 2 h 20 wash.

we always wash everything altogether on 40, including towels, tea towels etc. Unless someone has an vomiting bug we are not infected and unwell. The reason we don’t have different temps for different items is honestly my OH wouldn’t bother so I’d have to constantly remind them and l have better things to do so I’ve let that one slide.

When I lived in NZ my machine only did cold washes, the cost of energy there had always been high I think, so it was normal. So I think you’ll be fine OP

@saturdaynightgin - Sainsbury’s sell some stuff called Halo which I use for my gym kit. It works at low temps and kills bacteria…
There’s probably other stuff too.

Well I have just put my cold washed clothes on the line and they all look clean, smell fresh and the sun is now busy killing off any deadly bacteria for me. 🌞

I wash everything on 30 and don’t bother with dettol. It’s also not warm or dry enough to dry outside most of the time. Everything is clean and fresh.