Washing at 60 degrees

[mogs0]

What would happen if I put my coloured cotton clothes on at 60 degrees every now and again? Would they shrink?

I don't think so,whites don't,butthey may not be coloufast at this temperature.

Does that mean the colours might run?

They would probably fade.

Stuff only tends to run when it's new and washed at high temperatures for the first time.

I have to wash the childrens' clothes at 60 sometimes to get the stains out.

My tops get very sweaty and even after washing they still stink! I quite often put them through the wash twice. The last load has just come out still stinky so I'm trying to think of alternatives.

I very often wash coloureds at 60 and I always wash ds1,s work clothes at 60 as he,s a mechanic and its the only way to get them clean,the clothes dont look any different from those that are washed at 40 apart from the fact that they are cleaner.

I always do coloured cotton bedding and towels at 60 - it does make the colours fade over time but I was under the impression you needed to wash bedding and towels at 60 to kill dust-mites etc?

they will be fine

i wash my beddinga an towels at 60 and whatever other clothdes fit in the machine go in too

i use colour detergent and nothing has ever faded...

it wasnt that long ago that the campaign was turn down to 40, so then i guess most people must have washed at 60

your stuff really will be fine.... all of my stuff always has been

Thanks, I'll go and have a go!! The tops that were washed last night at 40 are still really whiffy!! Yuk!!

Have just found this thread via google - was about to start a new one with exactly the same question. I have also heard that 40 is not hot enough to get the bacteria out of sheets and towels. I have also noticed they still smell after a wash. I am now washing DS's clothes at 60 too as he is weaning and getting food on them and dribbling quite a lot from teething. I just want things to come out smelling clean! I reckon adult clothes should be OK at 40 apart from underwear unless they are especially dirty. DH's workout gear honks after a 40 wash so always goes in twice. What a waste!

i always wash towels and bedding at 60 but everything else at 40.

rather than washing particularly sweaty clothes twice try spraying with white vinegar and then washing on 40. kinder to your clothes and electricity bill!

Have you tried adding napisan to the wash as that kills the bacteria and therefore i would think the smell ? You can also soak things before you do the wash but that is extra hassle.

Ok, will try those suggestions, thanks.

I do towels at 60 and they are fine, but occassionally, things get mixed in with the towels and mostly come out fine. I think a high manmade content might not do well with a hot wash, but that's just my opinion.
If things are still quite smelly after a wash, it could be the machine being dirty? I try to do a 90 degree wash with soda crystals every other month, it does leave the machine much fresher smelling.
Napisan or Oxi - hygiene are both good for smellier clothing. I make my DP put his work out clothes in the bath before I wash them, half the time I think they aren't rinsed out properly. I suppose it better than him being a couch potato with fragrant clothing!

Coloured cotton will be absolutely fine at 60. Try using powder as well, makes washing less smelly.