Washing all clothes on cold?

[asblackasyoursoul]

Hi all, this may be a stupid question but me and my partner are having a debate over what temperature to do the washing at.

Like everyone else, we’re trying to save money on energy so partner thinks it’s totally fine to wash all laundry on a cold wash. I’m a bit dubious about this and think they should probably go on a hot wash.

So what do you all think? Is a cold wash just as efficient? Partners argument is that it makes no difference as to kill bacteria it would have to be a boil wash. Really not sure 🤔

It used to be that washing detergents were optimised for warmer washes but apparently now they are starting to formulate them to work at lower temperatures too. May be worth inspecting packets the next time you stock up.

I would imagine if most people wash cold in Australia that most washing products are optimised for cold there too.

Another one in Australia and cold wash for everything except tea towels and dishcloths that go on 60 and give the machine its hygiene cycle at the same time.

I've got a machine that does 15 and I've been washing it at that since as long as I can remember. Never had any issues.

I am in Japan and we wash everything on coldcompletely cold, not 20 degrees basically. If you really want hot, you fill the bathtub and pump the water into the washing machine with a hose; our washing machines literally don't have a hot water fitting!

It is completely fine. I wash all the towels like this, I even washed all my cloth nappies on this when my two kids were in nappies. Everything always smelled fresh and clean, and my cloth nappies were still so fresh after two years that I ended up giving them away to someone.

That said, if you are not sure, there is nothing to stop you using hot water for one or two types of washing only, and using cold for the rest.

Modern washing machine functions and modern soap powders get everything out, basically. Also, few people nowadays work sweaty jobs in filthy environments, plus there isn't the heavy air pollution that made everything grimy in the days of coal fires. Most modern laundry is fine with cold. Like I say, using hot or warm for a few particular types of wash is always an option.

(I'm highly amused at people separating out underwear to put into special hot washes. Literally can't even imagine having the time for this kind of thing? Everything gets flung in the same wash here. We are all very rarely ill)

? If they're washed properly and frequently, they still need to dry!

@Maireas , FistFullOfRegrets dries them on the washing line.
Where I live, they'll dry on the line most of the year, although in the mid-November to end of January, you'll need a crisp sunny day.

@Maireas

Did you even read the post I quoted??

This is exactly what I do..,its been fine.

Also don't wash clothes after just one wear ( unless it gets v dirty)

When energy costs massively increased I started washing everything at 20 degrees - Aldi washing powder which recommends this - but using a laundry disinfectant such as Dettol at the same time. I also started using the eco programme too.

My washing all comes out clean and fresh. Will only use hotter washes now for something like sickness accidents.

This has inspired me to try a cool.wash on a dirty load. Can but try I guess

I think you'd still need to do the occasional hot wash to prevent the build up of soap scum/bacteria in your washing machine.

Everything on 40 here, apparently 30 is fine too