john of wessex
|
Washing Clothes at 30CI've been trying this, I use Ecover liquid, with Ecover Wash Bleach and Bio Tex for my whites.
The whites get washed at 50 - 60 (Sinner) however the coloureds seem OK at 30 except for my two most 'eco' clothing items, a pair of M&S black organic cotton jeans and a blue T shirt from Oxfam both of which end up covered in white marks.
Could this be residue from the Bio Tex/Ecover bleach?
Any suggestions anybody? Or should I return in disgust to the 40C wash?
|
Mrs Fiddlesticks
|
hmm, dunno John. I use Ecover liquid but never bother with the bleach. I've alot of white school shirts to do but even so I've never felt the need to use it. I'd be tempted to discontinue the bleach and see what happens.
If I get white marks on dark clothing its cos the Tissue Troll has left something in a pocket somewhere.. 
|
happytechie
|
we do everything at 30 but I give my light work shirts a 40 degree wash every now and again as the cuffs seem to get a bit grey looking after a while. All with ecover powder and the occasional anti limescale tablet
|
LynneA
|
I use prewash for light coloured stuff and gardening gear.
|
gil
|
I use 30 for everything, but with ordinary non-bio, and a prewash for really dirty stuff (hence most of it, actually)
Whites with grubby collars/cuffs get the occasional pre-soak with Vanish
Don't seem to get any white marks on the dark stuff though
|
Helen_A
|
Everything done at 30 here as well...
... most likely is undissolved product, the tissue troll, or that you have a limescale build up in the machine that is getting shifted when you wash?
Helen_A
|
SallyAB
|
I've had white patches on my darks, and I decided it was from overloading the machine. If I have a big load I add an extra rinse. I don't think it's to do with temperature.
|
Jonnyboy
|
we do bed clothes at a higher temp because 30 deg doesn't kill the bugs.
|
Fee
|
| Jonnyboy wrote: | | we do bed clothes at a higher temp because 30 deg doesn't kill the bugs. |
Forgot about that! Oh well, they're obviously friendly bugs 
|
Northern_Lad
|
| Jonnyboy wrote: | | we do bed clothes at a higher temp because 30 deg doesn't kill the bugs. |
I've heard it said that all you get by washing things at 30 degrees is cleaner bugs.
|
bagpuss
|
I washed at 30 for a while but the washing machine started to smell quite bad so I went back to 40
|
judith
|
| bagpuss wrote: | | I washed at 30 for a while but the washing machine started to smell quite bad so I went back to 40 |
Vinegar in the rinse cycle gets rid of those musty smells.
|
bagpuss
|
| judith wrote: | | bagpuss wrote: | | I washed at 30 for a while but the washing machine started to smell quite bad so I went back to 40 |
Vinegar in the rinse cycle gets rid of those musty smells. |
how much vinegar do you use?
|
judith
|
| bagpuss wrote: | | how much vinegar do you use? |
About the same amount as you would use of fabric softener. You don't want to overdo it, as an excess does leave a bit of a vinegary smell on the clothes, although line-drying (and a few drops of lavender EO) normally gets rid of that.
|
vegplot
|
| Jonnyboy wrote: | | we do bed clothes at a higher temp because 30 deg doesn't kill the bugs. |
Mine have names now.
|
Pea
|
I send all my washing to Widow Twankies in town!!! Except the wool and handwashing.
|
cab
|
We always wash at 30, using ecover liquid. Never had any issue with staining, marks or musty smells in the washer.
|
Chez
|
30, mostly, with home-made soap liquid or a table spoon of washing soda. Couple of drops of Lavender EO in the rinse cycle. I think 'normal' washing powder does leave a residue.
I do bedding and towels on 60, though, for the same reason as Jonny. And particularly bad nappies, too.
Hanging things on the line in the sun helps bleach them.
If there are dirty patches, cuffs, stains etc, I rub with soap and cold water, first.
|
cassy
|
I use Ecover Non-bio powder at 30 and I do sometimes get white marks. I have been putting it down to my obsession with filling the machine as full as possible, causing an inadequate rinse.
I don't use anything else, and have been washing this way for over 2 years, so unlikely to be another product residue in my case. We are not in a limescale area.
I had wondered if the powder was not dissolving properly because of the low temperature, but if you have the same problem with liquid, then my problem is probably down to insufficient rinsing.
Hope that helps you narrow things down!
|
john of wessex
|
Thanks 
|
cab
|
Can you get the ecover liquid? We use that because we can take the bottles back to the shop to get refills, which is convenient and cheaper. Doesn't seem to leave any white smears at all.
|
gnome
|
sorry - but if you wash everything at 30 degrees it is going to prove expensive and will be ultimately bad for the environment. if you don't do at least one 50 / 60 degree wash now and again, the salts in the washing powder will badly corode the spider on your washing machine, and it will break. it can be replaced, but it is a dificult and expensive job - in most cases people just throw away the machine and get a new one. we replaced a broken one once that was so badly coroded it was like a piece of cheese.
|
cab
|
| gnome wrote: | | sorry - but if you wash everything at 30 degrees it is going to prove expensive and will be ultimately bad for the environment. if you don't do at least one 50 / 60 degree wash now and again, the salts in the washing powder will badly corode the spider on your washing machine, and it will break. it can be replaced, but it is a dificult and expensive job - in most cases people just throw away the machine and get a new one. we replaced a broken one once that was so badly coroded it was like a piece of cheese. |
We don't use washing powder, we've been using ecover liquid for ages. I'll check the ingredients list, see if theres any reason why that might also be ultimately corrosive.
|
Helen_A
|
Um - no 'salts' of that sort in the liquids I use either (no detergents in that sense either ).... and the machine has always been used at 30 with the odd service wash for over 10 years now (and yes, all in hard water areas...)
Although I do need to ask what the 'spider' is?
Helen_A
|
gnome
|
the spider is the thing that connects the drum with the motor via a belt. it looks like a spider shaped hub in a ring, so people call it the spider. if you take the back off you can see it quite clearly, and if you use detergents with salts in, you will see what looks like a build up of coral on the metal. if it's bad, the thing wont even look like metal.
and yes, if you never use any salts of any kind your washing machine will last a very long time. all those ads about how lime and hard water damage the machine are nonsense - it's the salts in the washing powder that do it. i don't know what's in the liquids, but they sound a lot friendlier to the washer than powders, so i would think low temperature washes are okay with them. but definetely dont do too many low temperature washes if you still use powders - even the ecover powders.
there is no reason why any washing machine shouldnt last at least ten years if it's used properly.
|
lottie
|
I use 30 and liquid for everything---and line dry---my bugs must be very happy as so far they haven't given me any foul disease. 
|
nats
|
I use soap nuts or washit balls and wash most things at 30. Nappies used to go in at 60 with ecover bleach, but no more (wahay!) and occasionally I put it through a 90 empty with a load of white vinegar in it..... no problems so far............
|
gnome
|
| nats wrote: | | I use soap nuts or washit balls and wash most things at 30. Nappies used to go in at 60 with ecover bleach, but no more (wahay!) and occasionally I put it through a 90 empty with a load of white vinegar in it..... no problems so far............ |
yes that's a very good idea. i know it's wasteful, but it does your washer a power of good. we were recomended to do that when we did the maintenance course.
|
