Washing clothes at 40C

[Brandane]

I doubt if I am alone in remembering when it was only wool that was washed at 40C while normal stuff got flung in the machine at 60C; but then along came modern detergents and washing machines claiming to be able to do the job at lower temperatures.
According to my Fairy detergent (have to use this as I get skin irritation from some other detergents) I can wash regular clothes at 40C. My machine is a modern Bosch, and I use a bit more than the recommended amount of detergent.
I recently noticed that some of the Polo shirts I wear to work were still a bit "minging" after being washed, a bit like a cheesey wet dog smell, which got a lot worse after sweating a bit at work. I thought it was the material of the shirts because everything else seemed fine. I was ready to bin the shirts when I decided to try washing them a bit hotter. Just like the old days then, in they went at 60C. They are now dry and the smell has gone, replaced by the summer freshness of my favourite detergent! I know I sound like a 70's soap powder advert.....
No more environmentally friendly cool washes for me then, it's back to 60C and properly washed clothes. Anyone else find the same?

 

[buggi]

I found the same with my sports wear and my mate told me not to use softener next time I washed. That worked.

 

[vickster]

How do you dry your clothes? Stick them outside, not over a radiator. That smell is certainly unpleasant

 

[screenman]

I spent ages trying to get my washing at 40 degrees before I realized they were talking temperatures and not angles.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I spent ages trying to get my washing at 40 degrees before I realized they were talking temperatures and not angles.

 

[Brandane]

How do you dry your clothes? Stick them outside, not over a radiator. That smell is certainly unpleasant

When it's dry (about twice per year then) and I can be bothered, I will hang it up outside. Normally it's on a drying frame in the spare bedroom with windows open though.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

a cheesey wet dog smell

What's wrong with cheesy wet dogs?

 

[Brandane]

What's wrong with cheesy wet dogs?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

My dog has no nose............

 

[Katherine]

I doubt if I am alone in remembering when it was only wool that was washed at 40C while normal stuff got flung in the machine at 60C; but then along came modern detergents and washing machines claiming to be able to do the job at lower temperatures.
According to my Fairy detergent (have to use this as I get skin irritation from some other detergents) I can wash regular clothes at 40C. My machine is a modern Bosch, and I use a bit more than the recommended amount of detergent.
I recently noticed that some of the Polo shirts I wear to work were still a bit "minging" after being washed, a bit like a cheesey wet dog smell, which got a lot worse after sweating a bit at work. I thought it was the material of the shirts because everything else seemed fine. I was ready to bin the shirts when I decided to try washing them a bit hotter. Just like the old days then, in they went at 60C. They are now dry and the smell has gone, replaced by the summer freshness of my favourite detergent! I know I sound like a 70's soap powder advert.....
No more environmentally friendly cool washes for me then, it's back to 60C and properly washed clothes. Anyone else find the same?

You might notice that the clothes start to shrink a bit and lose their colour.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

You might notice that the clothes start to shrink a bit and lose their colour.

He's loosing weight and the loss of colour is uber cool up there in the lack of sunnyness part of the world he lives in. Fading speaks of expensive trips to the sun.......

 

[Brandane]

He's loosing weight

If only.....

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

If only.....

You'll have to now you are washing at 60 degrees..........

 

[ScotiaLass]

I doubt if I am alone in remembering when it was only wool that was washed at 40C while normal stuff got flung in the machine at 60C; but then along came modern detergents and washing machines claiming to be able to do the job at lower temperatures.
According to my Fairy detergent (have to use this as I get skin irritation from some other detergents) I can wash regular clothes at 40C. My machine is a modern Bosch, and I use a bit more than the recommended amount of detergent.
I recently noticed that some of the Polo shirts I wear to work were still a bit "minging" after being washed, a bit like a cheesey wet dog smell, which got a lot worse after sweating a bit at work. I thought it was the material of the shirts because everything else seemed fine. I was ready to bin the shirts when I decided to try washing them a bit hotter. Just like the old days then, in they went at 60C. They are now dry and the smell has gone, replaced by the summer freshness of my favourite detergent! I know I sound like a 70's soap powder advert.....
No more environmentally friendly cool washes for me then, it's back to 60C and properly washed clothes. Anyone else find the same?

I'm allergic to 2 in 1 detergents, like Bold. I found out the hard way when I ended up in A&E getting an antihistamine jab

I wash my towels/bedding etc at 60 degrees and most else at 30-40.
Every month or so I give everything that goes through the machine that week, a hot blast at 60.

 

[Brandane]

I'm allergic to 2 in 1 detergents, like Bold. I found out the hard way when I ended up in A&E getting an antihistamine jab

There must be some really evil chemicals in some detergents! I ended up at A&E covered in tiny blisters that just kept spreading until they gave me a course of anti biotics.
It was never confirmed exactly what I was allergic to, but after several lesser episodes of skin problems and experimenting with various detergents, Fairy seems to have solved the problem, so we can only assume that detergent was the cause.