My washing isn't clean

[Sewingfanatic]

To try and keep the electric bill down I've set my washing machine to 30 degrees. Even with a washing powder that claims to work at 20 degrees my washing isn't coming clean - drip marks etc are lighter but still very visible after things have been through the machine.

What do you do to get your washing clean at low temperatures? Can you recommend a good washing powder?

what kind of drips?
use a stain remover before putting it in the machine maybe? Or make a paste of the washing powder and rub it on any marks owing it in.
what sort of cycle are you using? A quick wash uses more power as it agitates the wash more whereas in a full wash the clothes sit in the water longer, that may help too.

In this weather, hanging cloths in the sun helps with lots of stains. You also usually need a longer cycle, probably one of the eco settings, which are long but with lots of soaking. Mine never seems clean after a the quick wash.

Do you air dry outside? Sunlight bleaches out stains on white or light fabrics.

I use Persil liquid, and wash dark clothes which aren’t soiled on cold and everything comes out great; 30C for everything else. Everything is spotless.

Are you overloading the machine? That can make it less efficient at cleaning.

Heavy stains - I hand wash the stains in the sink first & give them a good scrub & a soak. For really stubborn grease marks I put a blob of detergent on the stain and work it in, then I pour boiling water from the kettle on it. Not sure you will find that recommended on any care label though.

Otherwise I use persil or bold liquid, (depending on what is on "special offer" I'm not loyal) laundry disinfectant liquid especially for sweaty stuff, and do all washes at 30. Usually on a short wash. Don't overpack the machine. DH shoves too much in and it's noticeably less clean.

By drips I mean things like tea - I dripped a lot down me last week when I'd been to the dentist and my lip was still a bit numb. And things like splashes of tomato when DH has been cooking sauce for pasta - he's a messy cook and he won't wear an apron.

I think I am guilty of putting too much in the machine at once to save money. A false economy, I think.

Give the machine an empty quick hot run with some dettol n bleach in the drum..
Wipe the rubber seals with Milton sterilisation liquid
Remove and scrub the powder/liquid inlet..
Clean the filter at the bottom of the machine..
I do all this once a month and my machine is over 10 years old and still works as new..

Things like tea and pasta sauce stains I treat with a spray stain remover before washing, sometimes, if really bad, I will leave in soak with some bio liquid before washing. The sooner the stain is dealt with the better as it seems to ‘set’.

Wash at 40, don't overfill the machine, use the longest wash (that is generally the most eco friendly).

I'd try not overfilling and the long wash at 30 first, but if that doesn't work try going back to 40.

I also tend to use a stain remover spray like Vanish (or own brand equivalent) on anything like tomato sauce, and hang in sunlight to dry as this helps fade organic stains.

Good point about cleaning the machine regularly- they get really clogged up with low temperature washes and liquid detergents. I use a mixture of things to clean. I've been putting Calgon in with washes more frequently & sometimes run it empty on a hot wash with either vinegar and bicarbonate of soda or an actual washing machine cleaner/de-scaler. You have to wipe around door / rims / seals manually.

long evo cycle with buo powder does the trick here.

once a month or so a hot wash (60 or hotter) full of towels.

I add a prewash cycle if the clothes are properly grubby. Mostly because I'm too lazy to pre-treat stains, but also I figure the extra water and products for soaking/pre-treating is more than the machine would use for the pre-wash cycle, and it's only a few extra mins of running the machine so I don't think it really costs more overall. I get an own brand stain removing powder for the prewash and regular cheap liquid for the main wash. Seems to work well

Pre treat stains with stain remover or washing up liquid before washing. I rarely use 30⁰C and mostly wash at 40⁰C

I find a dab of Fairy liquid works well on almost any stain