8 hours ago
7
How much washing do the average person’s clothes really need? How often should clothes be washed, and do they really need to go on a machine cycle lasting two hours or more? Even the quick cycle seems to take a long time. Karen Stafford, East Grinstead
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Readers reply
If other passengers on the train give you a wide berth and avoid sitting next to you … perhaps a bit more often? XerxesCork
Simple questions:
1. Is it soiled? If yes, it needs washing. If no, carry on to question 2.
2. Does it smell unpleasant? If yes, it needs washing. If no, carry on until either question 1 or question 2 gets a yes. dillspost
A very reasonable set of rules! Mistigri
Socks and other assorted unmentionables: Very High Frequency. Everything else: Long Wave in the fresh air, until there is interference, possibly from the neighbours, then Low Frequency with as few cycles as possible. bricklayersoption
I’d recommend washing everything with Aerial. EddieChorepost
Washing machines use amazingly less power and water than they used to, because of EU efficiency rules. They do this by using very long wash cycles, turning the clothes gently over for hours and hours in lukewarm water and getting them as clean as the old machines did by thrashing them in hot water. Randomusername222
Almost any stain, no matter how greasy, can be removed with a scrub under the tap with bar soap (ie sodium stearate, which is a far better detergent than any mere “surfactant”), and then a 40C wash. The problem with only using low-temperature washes, though, is that you do need to run a hot cleaning cycle every few weeks, otherwise mould starts to build up in the machine’s sump. HaveYouFedTheFish
I wash all my clothes at 30 degrees on a 30-minute wash. If something is really dirty, I hand-wash it first and then pop it in. I try to be as ecological as possible. I’ll wash clothes that are visibly dirty where a spot clean won’t cut it, clothes that smell or I’ve sweated in. Different rules for undies, obviously! I can’t really understand how people put on washes for two hours or more – unless you’re out rolling around in muck or paint. Sara633
You can get away with removing the odd stain with a wet wipe or swishing clothes in travel wash. A good-quality fabric can last a long time without washing as long as it doesn’t smell. LMCollis
My current washing machine – which I’m weirdly excited about – judges how much of a wash stuff needs. Generally it’ll take one hour and 10 minutes for a full-ish load. MeerkatHack
Mine estimates the weight of the load by rolling back and forth a few times and adjusts the cycle length accordingly. I find it amusing that when it’s doing this – it really looks like the machine is joining in the “six-seven” hand gesture craze. HaveYouFedTheFish
I don’t think a towel which is in contact with my body for three minutes a day, and doesn’t get put into any “places”, needs washing after a week. PeteTheBeat
You’re probably right about towels in terms of bodily transfer (even around your bits, which, theoretically, are squeaky clean by that point anyway). But I find that, unless dried on a hot radiator, towels can smell a bit mildewy when dampened after a week. It’s all just a bit more pleasing to wrap yourself in a towel when it smells line fresh. Don’t rob yourself of these tiny pleasures in life! HaveYouFedTheFish
Washing cycles are designed to have the least impact in terms of energy and water usage. If you can, please use your machine’s eco cycle, even if it seems excessive at three or more hours. It will be the most efficient. lexicon_mistress
I totally sympathise with the thrust of this question, because my partner and I agree that we can no longer see the point of depressingly repetitive and drawn-out household chores, such as washing and cleaning, that are never truly completed. We go mechanically through the motions, as infrequently as possible, but our hearts are no longer in it. And to mirror this state of mind in the material world, while visibly signalling to each other our nihilistic attitude, we’ve now made a bold statement by moving all our domestic white goods from the kitchen into a designated futility room. ThereisnoOwl
If my socks can’t stand up and walk to the washing machine by themselves, they’re good for another day’s wear. EddieChorepost
