True that washing machines in many parts of the world don't heat the washwater?

OK, here's the pitch: here in Germany all washing machines have heating rods which heat the washwater to temperatures from 20 to 95=B0 C (=3D 70-200=B0 F), with most of the washing done at 30 or 60=B0 C (90-140=B0=

F). The other day I heard a radio feature that most modern detergents work well already at 20=B0 C (i. e. normal room temperature), that the notion that only hot washes were thorough was antiquated, and so much so that in many parts of the world, such as Australia or the US, washing machines wouldn't even possess heating rods at all, and just used water at tap temperature. So is that the truth, Ruth? I'd specifically like to hear from Yanks and Ozzies, thanks.

Reply to
Charles Self
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Well here in Hawaii, I do not use warm or hot water- only cold. We have no heating rod in our washer.(Our dishwasher does warm its water.) I think soaps have been developed to work in cold water and after several years of no heated water and using Arm& Hammer detergent, clothes look great! Even the farmer clothes are clean and sparkly:).

aloha, beans roast beans to kona to email farmers of Pure Kona

Reply to
beans

Sometimes hot water is required to bring wash water up to room temperature (20 C). That's warm enough for some items, but detergent manufacturers may define Cold as 82 F (28 C).

For most items, American detergents work well at Warm. Body temperature, 99 F (37 C) is ideal. Many detergents contain enzymes that work best at that temperature. My washing machine doesn't have a heater, but it has a computer to mix water at about 99 F.

Hot washes are usually for whites. I used oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) for a dress shirt that had yellowed badly in a closet. Without enzymes, oxygen bleach works best above 140 F (60 C). My household water isn't that hot. I soaked it in a pan on the stove at

150 F, using a potato masher to agitate. It came out clean and wrinkled.
Reply to
E Z Peaces

In the USA our washing machines use water at tap temperature, but we have large water heaters in our homes that we use for showers and washing dishes.

Reply to
dank

I am surprised to hear washing machines contain heaters! I prefer hot water (125 degrees) for white loads and that's the output of our

45-gallon gas water heater. Many folks prefer to use cold water to wash clothes, but hot water kills germs faster and seems to get white clothes cleaner. Soaps specially formulated for cold water washing are found in most stores. You can get an extra "boost" by soaking clothes in cold water for a few hours before washing in cold water. Most automatic dishwashers in the USA contain heater units.
Reply to
Phisherman

I have interesting information about the "kills germs faster" bit: I just heard an interview with a researcher on hospital hygiene who said that a regular washing machine wash removes and kills all germs completely even with cold water. The only parasites it doesn't remove (or kill) are lice and worms. Also, Cholera germs are removed completely but not killed *in the waste water*, which is why hospitals may chose to still "cook" the laundry at least of some of their patients. Actually the bigger threat comes from infected laundry that is being left lying around without washing. Bottom line: except in a few exotic cases (lice not being that much of an issue these days) you can wash the laundry of even seriously infected people at low temperatures.

Reply to
Charles Self

australian person here: yes, hot washes are mostly a thing of the past - cold washes work perfectly well for most things & that's what people mostly do.

however, if you want or need to do a hot wash, you just set the machine for a hot wash, to fill from the hot tap instead of the cold tap. a few households (e.g. mine) only have a cold laundry tap so that's not possible, but that's a bit uncommon too to only have one tap.

frankly, a machine that heats the water is the most odd thing i have heard of for a while! not least because i was under the impression that germany is a rather ecologically-responsible nation. kylie

Reply to
0tterbot

You are correct. Here in the US, clothes washers do not pre-heat the water. Perhaps there are high-tech or expensive machines that do, but not the average machine for home use.

Dishwashers usually have a setting to heat the water, though. So we're not totally behind the times, lol.

Reply to
KJonsen

I am not Australian or American but I am tagging along on this thread anyway. I am amazed that a machine that heats water is as odd to you as a machine that doesn't heat water is to me! I couldn't possibly wash certain items in cold or lukewarm water, they would feel and look dirty. Without doubt some of my whites need near boiling to be clean. Some final rinses should be warm but I can't remember which ones. If my label says wash at 60c or 40c or 95c how can I do that without a heater? I have had hot and cold intake machines but it is guesswork to get the right temperature on a front loader without a heater. I appreciate other countries don't always have access to the energy/water saving front loaders so maybe the temperature is easy to fix with an top loader?

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read is interesting imo and raises valid points

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

Dear Phish, I hope senility isn't setting in, or maybe you should be taking more water with it. Don't you recall we have had this very same discussion many moons ago and you said the very same thing?

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

I would need to see evidence to believe this "researcher" This fairly recent report thinks cooler temperatures are the way to go _if_ treated with ozone.

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you are probably aware, people are dropping like flies in hospitals here from the MRSA bug which seemingly is not touched by a 40c wash but is when laundry is given a very hot wash.

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

This is what I do. I use cold water most of the time, easier on the clothes and it uses less energy. It seems we have the same system as you, Kylie. Karen, USA

Reply to
KarenCannoli

no they wouldn't - that's your psychology, not your clothes ;-) almost all washing powders & liquids are usable (& formulated thusly) for hot or cold. frankly, unless you're a mechanic or something, you will get as good a wash in cold. i'd want hot water if i'd been doing an oil change on the car (which i don't do, just to be clear ;-) - otherwise, no.

i do remember the days (i was a kid) when "hot" washing was the only way to do it - but that was a carry-over from the old days of washing clothes in a boiler. people's psychology adjusted. (and washing powders became more effective too, i'd hazard).

Without doubt some of my whites need near boiling to be

you will find your clothes labels decree a number of things which are simply untrue, so i wouldn't get too worked up about it. kylie

I have had hot and cold intake machines but it is guesswork to get

Reply to
0tterbot

Dear Mrs Bonk, Coming from you, I'd have to say that's a compliment.

Reply to
Phisherman

The labels only state the MAXIMUM temperature a garment can take, they are not a recommendation for the actual washing temperature. After all, you're really targeting the dirt and not the garment. Most modern detergents use enzymes and tensides which dissolve in cold water, so you should get good results even with a cold wash. Of course you might be able to get better results with higher temperatures, but at the expense of using a lot more energy and putting greater strain on the fabric.

Reply to
Charles Self

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can hear the guy in the podcast. He's Armin Schuster of the Institut fuer Krankenhaushygiene (Institute for Hospital Hygiene) / Freiburg. Sorry, it's in German. I think that you make the interesting point that a cold machine wash might not kill off superbugs such as MRSA, which is why hospitals, care homes etc. might want to forbear from cold-washing their laundry. I on the other hand wanted to point out that cold washes appear to be surprisingly (if not totally) effective even against serious "bugs".

Reply to
Charles Self

Dear Charles Self:

On Feb 11, 6:20=A0am, Charles Self wrote: =2E..

Actually, it takes a certain colony-size before you can have effective transmission. Washing will (at least) tend to dilute the number of colonies, and the detergent alone may serve to reduce the colony size.

David A. Smith

Reply to
dlzc

I'm afraid I only speak English and Wurzeleze

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

I washed my kitchen towels today along with some chefs whites. I tried a cold wash. The soap never dissolved and the washed items came out as stained as they went in. Perhaps I will try a new detergent rather than my old powder however I cannot agree that a cold wash will take out the grease and dirt as well as a nice hot wash with soda and plenty of good soap will.

Why on Earth would I be worked up? I have my energy saving appliance that washes extremely well and is good for the planet and today I purchase a new combination oven/grill/micro at a bargain price .

nobody seems to have commented on the disgusting gunge and the effect on the machine it has from a cold wash. PS I often service my car including doing oil changes. I do quite enjoy tinkering.

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

I don't know about cold washing, but Staphylococcus Aureus (of which MSRA is a variety) cannot be detected after washing at 40C. Other germs grow in washing machines, but tumble drying kills them.

Reply to
E Z Peaces

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