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White, Light and Dark

(147 Posts)
Mazgg Wed 08-Mar-23 09:48:07

During a light hearted discussion about the old days I was surprised to find that I am in the minority who still sort their washing into these categories. I don't find it difficult - especially now that I have a washing machine with the option of doing a smaller load. I had my babies in the days of terry nappies and got great satisfaction watching a load of brilliant white nappies blowing in the breeze. I was easily pleased!

Jaxjacky Wed 08-Mar-23 12:55:31

Never heard of a colour catcher until now!
Apart from two white bras, I hand wash them, everything gets bunged in together, no problems.

Curlywhirly Wed 08-Mar-23 13:01:27

I separate into lights and darks. Use appropriate detergent for dark/coloured items and bio detergent for light coloured items. Most things go on a 40 degree wash, but only 30 degree if there's a jumper in the pile. Towels are put on a 60 degree wash most of the time. Drives me mad when I see my son just stuff it all in the washing machine without sorting it first (and then putting it all in the dryer when it's a lovely sunny, windy drying day!).

lixy Wed 08-Mar-23 13:05:27

Light and dark washes at 30 degrees C for me; seems to work OK.

I thought from the title that this was going to be about chocolate! Must be the way my mind works. grin

Wheniwasyourage Wed 08-Mar-23 13:12:54

That's just what I thought, Lixy - a thread about chocolate!

I have never sorted washing like that, unless there is something new which I suspect will lose dye, in which case I either wash it by hand to check, or put it in the machine with dark colours and a white cloth or something which will show up if there is a problem. I use BioD laundry liquid for everything. Some of you must spend an awful lot of time, effort and money on different kinds of wash, but each to her own!

As for nappies, they were done by themselves in a hot wash after soaking in the appropriate stuff, and like Mazgg, I loved seeing them blowing on the line. smile

Redhead56 Wed 08-Mar-23 13:17:00

I still sort dark lights etc and I use the most environmentally friendly cycle it’s cold and short.

ExperiencedNotOld Wed 08-Mar-23 13:33:17

I too sort my washing into piles. I also run an empty short rinse wash through before washing whites once a week. And use a washing machine cleaner even couple of months.

Poppyred Wed 08-Mar-23 14:36:32

I’m not sure what happened but we had to buy a new machine and the engineer blamed the colour catchers.

Blondiescot Wed 08-Mar-23 14:39:16

Far too expensive to keep putting the washing machine on for different loads these days.

TerriBull Wed 08-Mar-23 14:56:49

Definitely sort, my categories are dark, which would be, black, dark grey and navy, medium colour stuff and mainly whites or anything that has a pale colour goes into the white wash.

Shinamae Wed 08-Mar-23 14:58:36

One thing I will not compromise on is my 40° wash for normal clothes, and 60° for towels and sheets.. the sheets are the only things that have a 50 minute wash,most of the rest, unless it’s really dirty (extremely rare)has a 14 minute wash, when I think back to handwashing, I don’t think many people even spent 14 minutes doing a hand wash. in the conditioner drawer, I put a splash of floral disinfectant and white vinegar and with the washing powder every other wash, I put a dessert spoon of soda crystals..

Fleurpepper Wed 08-Mar-23 15:06:16

Doesn't make sense to do anything else, surely. I sort by colour, but also temperature of wash, and if stained or not. Clothing which is not stained goes in at 30C these days, and on a shorter wash.

Visgir1 Wed 08-Mar-23 15:22:16

I'm another one who just sperate the whites, all my bed linen is white. Towels sperate as well.
Rest thrown in together with a Colour catcher.
Try and do on 40 or 30 ° as short as possible, depends.

I also have different types of detergents depending on what I'm washing. Colours have colour wash.

Since Covid I have also use Detol laundry sanitizer added into the mix. Still using..

I use to do my Late mums laundry she got MRSA at some stage, my sister who is a Care Home manager advised using this, which they use in their Care homes.

dogsmother Wed 08-Mar-23 15:32:25

Colour catcher for me too, but not the paper ones, the terry ones that you can use for multiple washes ……until they look disgusting in my case. They have been a revelation.

Ziplok Wed 08-Mar-23 16:56:13

I’ve always sorted my washing into light and dark wash, it’s not onerous, plus things such as dusters, floor cloths etc are washed separately.
It’s easy enough to do rather than waste money on colour catchers.

kittylester Wed 08-Mar-23 17:45:04

I sort into hot (towels, tea towels, dish cloths etc) and wash at 60, sometimes with vanish added, everything else at 30°. If there are enough I do lights and darks, if not they go in together.

BrambleJelly Wed 08-Mar-23 17:59:34

I'm another one who still sorts into whites and coloureds. Whites do lose their whiteness if you don't. Mostly a 40 degrees wash, but every so often I have enough bedding and towels of either white or coloured to do a 60 degree wash.
I used to always wash at 50 degrees but the modern washing machines don't have that option now.

Wyllow3 Wed 08-Mar-23 18:09:21

3 categories:

1. White or off white towels and sheets, 40 degree 35 min wash with occasional 60 degree boost.

2. Lights, 30 or 40 degrees 30 mins wash depending on what's in

3. Mids and Darks, 30 degree wash, 30 mins wash unless items are in need of longer wash. eye out for anything that might stain first, but worst thing is...a dreaded paper tissue in a pocket.

The Bosch "super quick" cycle is excellent tho - so it depends on the machine as whether this function does the job well.

I dont have any hand wash clothes.

Mazgg Wed 08-Mar-23 18:37:07

Pleased I am not the only one still doing this. I now load my washing machine at night as unless on a rapid small load (30 mins) I find my new machine takes AGES to complete a cycle. The eco cotton 60 degree takes 4 hours 30 mins and the eco cotton 40 degree 3 hours 40 mins for a full load!

cornergran Wed 08-Mar-23 18:49:47

I separate white things, wash light and dark together with a colour catcher.

We deal with the colour catcher issues by putting it in one of the small mesh bags. It can’t escape then.

Calipso Wed 08-Mar-23 19:15:57

Gutted.
I thought this was a thread about chocolate. 🤡

TwiceAsNice Wed 08-Mar-23 20:54:01

Whites wash, colours and darks . Separate loads for towels ad bedding which get washed at 60 degrees. Other washes at 40, delicates and woollens at 30. Never use colour catchers no need if like washed with like

Deedaa Wed 08-Mar-23 21:03:33

I separate into two loads, coloureds and white and pastels. Everything is washed at 30 degrees with a biological detergent. For sheets and underwear I use a laundry disinfectant as well. Nobody has died yet!

Nannagarra Wed 08-Mar-23 21:35:55

Yet another who thought this was about chocolate. Shucks.
Every day’s a school day on GN with especial thanks to Shiname.

Redrobin51 Wed 08-Mar-23 21:37:37

Yes I split them. I do wear quite a bit of white underwear and husband wears white vests so usually have at least one quite large white wash a week. I also use the correct type of powder and have a special liquid for woollens and delicates. My husband never recovered from his gran accidentally putting his only white lab coat in with some red cushion covers turning it a beautiful shade of pink. Unfortunately, some important visitors were visiting the lab where he worked first thing the next morning. I reckon he is still traumatised😁. He still occasionally mentions it 50 years later.

Nannagarra Wed 08-Mar-23 21:38:48

Correction: Shinamae - it’s been a long day….