Washing at 30 - getting things clean and fresh?!

[frogonalog2]

Couldn't find a recent thread on this topic and products come and go so starting a new one...

Tried washing at 30C a year or so ago. Clothes didn't seem clean or fresh to me (and I don't have hugely high standards!) so I gave up. Recently a couple of friends/family members have mentioned washing at 30C so I thought perhaps I should try again.

Is everyone doing it? If so, how do you get things clean and fresh? Is there anything you don't wash at 30C? Do you pre-soak? Use a specific washing powder or liquid? Or stain remover?

I'm already separating out v. sweaty sports kit and doing that on a separate wash. We do have a baby and toddler and I try and spot treat stains on their clothes with a spray before putting it in the machine.

I use a basic laundry liquid from the zero waste shop - might be Ecover or a cheaper alternative. Do I need to switch to something more "hardcore?" for 30?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Any other moneysaving laundry tips welcome :)

I've not found 30 to be a problem, but we used to use Ecover when I was younger and we stopped because it didn't make things clean and fresh so maybe it's that? I always use a scoop of Vanish or the Tesco equivalent if there are any stains etc.

I have started washing almost everything on cold. I use Ariel all in one pods and they are pretty good. I add a scoop of whitening oxi for the whites/bedding. Anything actually dirty I add colour oxi and do a pre wash, still wash in cold. I've not had any issues with things not being clean or fresh. (We aren't a sporty family though so I'm not reading anything particularly sweaty)

I wash on cold with Lidl or Aldi powder, no fabric softener. quick wash -and spot stains with a tiny bit of wu liquid. Everything always comes out ok

Washing powder washes things better than liquids - about the only useful thing I got from my business degree as classmates worked for Unilever and p&p.

basically liquid is better for a quick refresh with a nicer strength , powder for a thorough wash.

also stick a spoonful of soda crystals maybe?

to have a reset, wash with soda crystals and an empty drum with high temp - 60 should be fine.

Are you able to dry in an airy place? Outside in breezy sunshine or hot sun is the gold standard, but obvs not always possible!

I wash on 30 and my clothes are clean and fresh. I buy supermarket's own colour detergent. I do have a really good washing machine though - a Bosch. I've found I can cram in loads of clothes, wash on 30 and everything comes out clean. However with my parents and my in-laws machines clothes don't seem to get so clean at 30. I do think the washing machine you have makes a big difference.

Whites quick wash at 40c with oxygen bleach and non bio cheap powder. OH mucky bugger I Spot clean with washing up liquid let that work into his tops then everything quick wash. 11kg drum so plenty of room for agitation.

I wash all of my own clothes on a 30 degree delicates wash and sometimes would need to pre treat a stain. I find the normal 30 degree wash fine for most other things although I do tea towels and whites on 60. I never overload the drum. I use Persil delicates liquid for my stuff and powder for everything else, colour for coloureds and non bio for whites. I found the pods left residue at low temperatures and anyway powder comes in cardboard boxes.

Thanks everyone for quick replies! I do have powder at home (for cloth nappies) so I'm just going to switch everything over to that and try again on cool.

Washing machine is fairy new and every other month I do a v. hot wash with either soda crystals or a washing machine cleaner (if I see one on offer, I realise soda crystals are probably just as good!). I always line dry outside where possible, that really does make a difference with stains on nappies etc.

Anyone got a preference of bio vs non-bio powder (supermarket own brand)? I read somewhere else that bio shouldn't really have the bad rep it does in terms of allergies etc. I've always used non-bio but just got some bio to try for holiday handwashing so I can give that a go too.

I find Ecover fine at 30 as long as things aren’t very dirty

The thing that is key is leaving plenty of space in the drum. I think that’s true generally but especially on lower temps where you are really depending on everything circulating a lot

Yep I just use ecover non bio

But if stuff is a bit grotty I go up to 40, or I have a 35 sports wear wash on my machine which is also good

I wash on 30 generally but find the machine gets a bit stinky if i dont do hot washes too - so always do towels on 60 and anything stink on 40. 30 is relatively warm eeally.

I make washing powder - I wouldn't if I didn't have a food processor. It's essentially half and half grated soap and soda crystals whizzed together. I add some box washing powder for the brighteners and a bit of scent. I make a big batch and store it in some old Tupperware type cereal containers and use a scoop in each wash, straight on top of the clothes in the drum. It lasts months and months. For whites, I add a scoop of Ariel. No fabric conditioner or vinegar any more.

I've found, at lower temps especially, powder is much better than anything else and soda crystals makes all the difference - we live in a very hard water area.

I wash all clothing on cold. My machine does cold, 20 deg, 30 deg, 40 deg, 50 deg, 60 deg, 75 deg and 90 deg.

Towels and sheets go on 60, as do a white wash.

If there is flu or gastro in the house I will do a 40/deg clothes wash and 90 for linens.

I use Aldi powder. Add Napisan to linen and whites.
Line dry everything.

No stains, everything comes out fresh and clean and smelling great.

What temperature is a cold wash?

I put everything on a 45 min 30 wash
things I do…
throw a pod in, soda crystals in drawer and grapefruit oil in fabric dispenser, sometimes swap for dettol if I think needed for towelling items
I also pause the machine when it’s in the first part of cycle so that it soaks for 15 minutes…I sort next load/put clean stuff in baskets etc during the wait…I think this part helps
if anything had sick on it etc I would blast it at 60

we all have towelling robes and towels only for hands
most stuff air dries either outside or in passageway

My husband is obsessed with washing (he WFH) and is adamant that nothing gets cleaned unless it is in for at least an hour or on higher than 40. It drives me mad! I always do a 40 min wash at 30 and things come out clean and fresh!

I won't wash below 40. Mainly because I don't want to

40 for every day clothes
60 for towels and bedding

Also depends how you dry.
cold washing works better if you can line dry things in sunlight afterwards to fade any residual stains . Also for freshness .
Aldi washing powder is formulated to be effective at 30, iirc.

Instead of using fabric softener, I use a antibac/antifungal rinse in the fabric softener dispenser. I started using it when my sporty kids got athlete's foot from the changerooms and we were struggling to get rid of it. It was really effective and I've kept using it - with a really cheap laundry liquid - and I'm not going to stop now! It makes everything come out really fresh.

Anything that has been in contact with sweaty feet, pits or genitals goes in at 40, the rest at 30. Use cheap non-bio powder for everything. Never had any problems with freshness

I use a 40 half hour wash which uses 35 litres water and 1/3kwh of electricity. 60 deg uses more water, but more than double the electricity. I think most of my washing is going to be the quick wash now I'm at the mercy of the energy companies - I had fixed, but got moved when company went under.

40⁰ for everything here. I use Tesco or Aldi bio powder.

Love the idea of grapefruit/other oils and/or antibac/antifungal rinse as additions when needed. Have never used scented products or softener but sometimes I would like things to smell delicious. And I think antibac/antifungal may help with some of the worst-smelling sports gear in our house. @StillHereChoosing what product do you use please? Thanks!

I've done 2 cold washes (not sure what temp that is, but <20) with powder and they've come out great so far. Fingers crossed it continues. Only issue is that I think if I was to separate out things like pants to do at 40C this would add another wash to our weekly routine and that probably negates the energy saved by dropping the temp down. Although maybe I could switch from a lights and a darks wash to a cold and a hot wash (and just hope colours don't bleed...).

Hi OP this is the one I buy but I'm not sure if you get this brand in the UK? Canesten laundry rinse www.canesten.co.nz/discover-canesten-products/canesten-hygiene-laundry-rinse-lemon

But if not I imagine there would be an equivalent rinse with a different brand name

In my experience ecover washes horribly at any temperature.

I use non bio because DH and I both seem to react to bio. This has supposedly been debunked as a thing but we’ve seen clear evidence of it for us.