Doing Laundry with cold water.

Thank you Pepper 59. I feel the same !
Wandering round Hong Kong markets a few years back I saw BUCKETS of dried seahorse s !………..(& the rest )……
&&& nearly every household in the US uses a tumble drier all the time
We do our bit but compared to the rest of the world ?‍♀️

Yes, i agree a dab of fairy liquid rubbed slightly in a stain, especially a greasy one, before washing as normal will usually remove a stain.?

Surely we have to use some kind of detergent or use hot enough water to kill COVID what might be on the clothes these days?I can not use bio detergents as youngest son allergic, so i use non bio, and a 40 degree wash on most things, (30 if its special fabrics) i also use a dash of either laundry cleanser or zoflora or similar to the wash.

@Nannytopsy hang the stained garment on the line the sunlight will get rid of the srain

Only use non- bio liquid. Use the rinse program for my cold wash but also use hotter ones if I deem necessary. Never use conditioner. Sold an oldish machine last year but when in storage the door was shut and of course opened it eventually. Smelt “ sweet”. So all ok. Use washing up liquid to dab on stains.

I find that towels and face cloths accumulate soap deposits, if these don't come out in the wash it causes them to smell. A good squirt of white vinegar breaks down soap deposits and there's no need for a very hot wash either.

Years ago I had a machine with hot and cold fill which really makes sense if you can use surplus hot water from the tank at the end of the days. Warm water also rinses better than cold. Only problem would be if the water was too hot, but as another writer said, there is normally a pipe full of cold water first.
My new dishwasher can be hot or cold fill which seems sensible it's been graded as "A" for eco efficiency.

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

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.

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 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.

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 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?

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 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 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 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.

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?

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 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.

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 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.

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

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.