Doing Laundry with cold water.

I generally wash at 30 with whatever detergent is cheapest. I pop a capful of zoflora in the fabric conditioner dispenser if we've had a cold or anything similar. I'm sure my Mum used to wash things in a cool wash (apart from hankies) and she lived a long and healthy life and I survived too so the dreaded bacteria don't bother me too much.
Clothes are dried on the airer by the bifold doors which get any sunshine around or they go outside. Never noticed any nasty smells.

I don’t think the bacteria is a problem unless someone is incontinent or you are going to eat your washing! We are surrounded by and indeed inhabited by millions of viruses and bacteria.
What I don’t like is the stale smell of towels if not washed on a hot wash, and I absolutely hate artificial chemical smells in laundry additives, they can’t be great for lungs and air quality.

Hot water is brilliant for killing bacteria. It's also brilliant for killing bed bugs. I read some while ago about a big increase in bed bug problems because bedding wasn't being washed in water hot enough to kill any eggs or insects.

It seems to be less in the news nowadays so perhaps the message got through.

Also (cynic speaking here), clothing manufacturers advise cold washes as the lazy option because if anything "goes wrong" (e.g. loss of dye or shrinkage), they are covered if someone has used a hot, or even warm, wash.

Possibly the clothing manufacturers in question also know bugger all about fabrics.

For example washing machines nowadays seem to think wool has to be spun gently. Nope. It has to be washed gently but it can be spun on your fastest setting.

I use good old fashioned washing soda to remove odours and a 15 minute wash for lightly worn, non dirty items at 30 degrees, with a fast spin after. We live in a soft water area so little detergent is needed.

There's a big difference in how detergents (mostly bio these days) work at 30 deg compared with cold water. In northern climates in winter, cold water may be as low as 5 deg (mine was 8 deg yesterday). At that temp, the enzymes in detergents won't work as intended. In warmer climates, 'cold' water may be 20 deg or higher, which is perhaps ok for washing.

If my daughter visits she takes messed up bibs from granddaughter home with her. Any little stain can be rubbed out with a little soda. I haven’t got the patience for hot washes I use 15 min express wash.

Washing laundry under 60degs. I add a laundry detergent to kill bacteria.

Towels and bed linen washed at 60degs to kill bacteria.

A sunny day and fresh air also kills bacteria. Ideal conditions to hang laundry outside whenever weather permits.

I wash at 30c with eco washing liquid. My laundry always comes out clean and fresh.

I had a friend who only used low temp washes in her new washing. Within months the smell was awful. The plumber said it was caused by the low temp enabling bacteria or whatever to build up in the hoses.

I never have a problem with towels smelling 'off' despite the 20 degree wash. Perhaps the vinegar rinse helps - or the fast and thorough drying by dehumidifier?

Still, I do use antibacterial laundry cleanser when my son visits - for his washing, as it's necessary (stagnant gym bag contents and smelly socks). I dry his things outside, too.

Wash at 30 degrees always unless there are grease or stubborn stains. It only takes 15 mins, whereas 40 degrees takes an hour and 37 mins in my machine, saving energy and time. We used to say that the other way around.

I am another one that uses a laundry egg and a 30 degree wash apart from towels and bedding. Always line dry if possible.
If there are any marks I pre-treat before they go in the machine or have found some soda crystals in the drawer where the powder normally goes works as well as softening the water.

GardenofEngland , I've never had a problem with smells. I don't use fabric conditioner - as it coats fibres, and the machine, with a greasy residue. Vinegar gets things lovely and soft.

I can't understand why they are making all these detergents for cooler washes etc. For as long as I can remember washing machines were always hot and cold fill? I know especially in the summer water had to be heated but in the winter it was usually the back boiler behind the fire?

The majority of homes have hot water? With the advance of technology why can't someone invent something that allows you to use your own hot water but knows how much cold to add for the correct temperature? Then the machine wouldn't be wasting energy heating the water at all?

I have only had a smelly result with clothes my OH forgot to bring home from the boat. I bought a laundry antibacterial thing after advice from a fellow gransnetter and it worked beautifully.

Niucla97. I assume it is many years since you bought a washing machine. They are, as far as I am aware, all cold fill with the exception of Ebac a relatively unknown brand.
I remember the old days when machines had a hot and cold fill, far preferable in my view.

I use some soda powder with a little gel on 20 degree wash with most things apart from towels and tea towels which are on 60 degree wash.

Niucla97

I can't understand why they are making all these detergents for cooler washes etc. For as long as I can remember washing machines were always hot and cold fill? I know especially in the summer water had to be heated but in the winter it was usually the back boiler behind the fire?

The majority of homes have hot water? With the advance of technology why can't someone invent something that allows you to use your own hot water but knows how much cold to add for the correct temperature? Then the machine wouldn't be wasting energy heating the water at all?

I think the argument for cold-fill is that in a huge number of homes ( most?), there is quite a distance between the source of the hot water - immersion heater or whatever - and the machine, so most of the water going into the machine will be cold anyway, while most of the hot water will be left in the pipes between the two, wasted.
Heating water in the machine means that you are paying for exactly the amount of hot water that is needed, and no more.

I agree that in some scenarios, having the option to use hot water from another source would be better, for instance if you have a fire with a back boiler it would probably make sense to use hot water from that in winter.

I wash most clothes on 30 and 40 degrees. Bedding and towels on 60 degrees. The wash cycle takes just over an hour. I don’t think I’ve ever washed anything in cold water. My DD washes most clothes - even clothes that have been worn for a few hours by DGC - and bedding on 40 degrees on a 3 hour cycle. She also turns all clothing inside out before they go into the washing machine. Anyone else do this?

I am allergic to house dust and house dust mites, so my bedding goes into a 60 degree cotton wash, with kind washing detergent. Everything else goes into a 30 degree quick wash. Towels also go into 60degree wash.

I only tumble dry bedding, towels and tea towels.

I never use hot water. I do everything on a 30 minute wash at 30 degrees using an eco egg. Laundry products are made to be used at low temperatures. There is no need to use hot water on anything, My clothes come out clean and smell fresh.

If one uses vinegar instead of fabric conditioner (which I only use for synthetic fabrics like acrylic), do the items smell of vinegar?

I've had trouble getting fragrance free Surcare or Ecover fabric conditioner lately so wondered about using vinegar instead.

I only use soda crystals for the actual wash cycle and we have soft water so it's to reduce static rather than 'soften'.

I'm another who washes at 30 degrees using half the recommended amount of liquid detergent. DH's pillowcases need hot water or they still smell of grubby hair, so I save them up and do a hot wash with dishcloths and tea towels. I do occasionally use stain removers but rarely need them.
All coloureds are washed with colour liquid which is biological so I give them extra rinse(s) or it makes me itch. Apart from that I use Fairy non-bio and very occasionally stain removers - not bleach though.

I have only ever used vinegar Baggs as I’m not very keen on fabric softeners. Absolutely no after smell. ?