saffron Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) A bit of a strange question, I know! If you follow the instructions on each piece of clothing you'll end up with about 10 separate categories and some with only a few items of clothing in them. This is what I do at the moment: Hot Wash White or Light – the goal is to sterilize and get rid of dust-mites on towels, sheets, cleaning cloths etc. I imagine in the same way the commercial cleaners do for hotels that they service. The water in the washer we have gets so hot on this setting that steam starts coming out, so it's verging on boiling. Dark Wash – on synthetic setting Red Wash – on synthetic setting Lights Wash – on synthetic setting I've also decided only to buy white sheets and towels etc. as hotels tend to do, to make laundry easier. I don't buy anything that would need to be hand washed or dry cleaned more than every 6 months. I use a natural unscented detergent, water softener (we live in a hard water area), and natural oxy-bleach powder for the whites and lights. For items that I really want to ensure items are clean I'll add an antibacterial fabric conditioner to be applied at the end of the wash.Considering also adding a regular natural fabric conditioner. Though I've never bothered doing so before. Just seems like it might be a good idea. What works for you? Edited January 27, 2017 by saffron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 dark and lights are washed separately towels only washed with towels everything is washed in cold, dried in dryer (which gets much hotter than the hot setting on the washer so no real point in my mind with using hot in the washer) That's it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Whites and colors. Whites get hot wash, with bleach. I do put kitchen towels and washcloths in this load, even if they are not white. The bleach fades them a bit, but not fast, and neither are expensive to buy new of once a year or whatever. Colors get I think warm..it's the regular setting on my washer. They also get a dryer sheet in the dryer. everything is washed in Tide. Now that the baby is coming she may get her own load for a bit, with free and clear detergent just to be safe, and no dryer sheets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) nm Edited February 4, 2017 by .qp_ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I do towels separate because that way I can fold that load super quickly. Everything else gets done together on cold. I don't have time for separating and have never had issues 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 colors whites towels(hot) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 All clothes just get washed together on cold, one rinse. Whites, colors, reds, whatever. I live dangerously (and have never had an issue). Towels and sheets get washed on hot, two rinses. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saffron Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 Wow, I had no idea it was okay (and actually better in some cases) to wash with cold water. I had to look it up: http://www.clark.com/right-water-temperature-to-wash-clothes-laundry 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendy not in HI Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) Whites and lights heavy darks like jeans light darks like workout clothes towels I was most things on warm. I hang dry the workout clothes and other knit or nice things, I also hang dry most jeans. The kids do their own laundry - I suggest two loads a week - a lights load and a colors/darks load. That seems to work well for the teens. I wash all the towels. Edited January 27, 2017 by wendy not in HI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I call it whites but we have different colors of underwear, socks, dish rags and towels. That's a hot wash with bleach. Darks is everything else washed in cold. Sheets are done separately simple because I wash mine and ds's together and that's a full load. That's a hot wash with bleach. I do not buy anything that cannot be washed and dried. Dd used to hang up large tshirts that she wore with leggings because she was afraid they would shrink. But once;she went away to school, she has no good place to hang up clothes so she dries everything. She doesn't separate clothes. Everything gets washed together in cold. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Wow, I had no idea it was okay (and actually better in some cases) to wash with cold water. I had to look it up: http://www.clark.com/right-water-temperature-to-wash-clothes-laundry Well, I just wonder if there is a point to washing in hot if the washer doesn't heat the water. Mine doesn't. Hot water straight from the tap I don't think is hot enough to kill germs, BUT the dryer is quite hot so that's when the germs are probably mostly being killed. That's my reasoning anyway.... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Towels (ours are all white), white socks and white underwear -- hot wash, usually with bleach White and light colored clothing -- warm Colored clothing -- warm Dark clothing -- warm Sheets -- warm Kitchen towels and dish rags -- hot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saffron Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 Well, I just wonder if there is a point to washing in hot if the washer doesn't heat the water. Mine doesn't. Hot water straight from the tap I don't think is hot enough to kill germs, BUT the dryer is quite hot so that's when the germs are probably mostly being killed. That's my reasoning anyway.... Our one only takes in cold water and heats it up to 200ºF depending on the setting. It's good for sterilizing, but there are products like bleaches or antibacterial washes you can use alternatively if you're worried about germs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 whites, darks, and delicates We try not to own anything that requires dry cleaning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Our one only takes in cold water and heats it up to 200ºF depending on the setting. It's good for sterilizing, but there are products like bleaches or antibacterial washes you can use alternatively if you're worried about germs. I'm not worried. I just think that people are basically wasting their money by washing on hot if the water isn't being heated by their washer. Are you in the US? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 dirty / clean jk, but it feels like that. I do separate out delicates and towels/sheets. Everything else gets washed together. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) Darks. Lights. sometimes a load of reds. towels/sheets together Laundry is done when I have enough for a load. Exception: my DS's sweaty Judo gis cannot wait for days in the laundry room, so I often just wash a single gi, or two gis. I don't sterilize my laundry - we have no immunocompromised family members. Using antibacterial household chemicals contributes to the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria and is completely unnecessary. Edited January 27, 2017 by regentrude 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Well, I just wonder if there is a point to washing in hot if the washer doesn't heat the water. Mine doesn't. Hot water straight from the tap I don't think is hot enough to kill germs, BUT the dryer is quite hot so that's when the germs are probably mostly being killed. That's my reasoning anyway.... The detergent kills the germs just fine. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I pick up a dirty pile and put it in the wash. Normal setting usually, warm water. No separating. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I'm not worried. I just think that people are basically wasting their money by washing on hot if the water isn't being heated by their washer. Are you in the US? I don't use hot to kill germs, I use it to help clean things better. Hot water makes the soap work a bit better. I use it for diapers, and for whites (which includes towels, washcloths, kitchen towels, husband's undershirts, and his white socks). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I don't use hot to kill germs, I use it to help clean things better. Hot water makes the soap work a bit better. I use it for diapers, and for whites (which includes towels, washcloths, kitchen towels, husband's undershirts, and his white socks). Unless your water is very cold, that's not really true anymore. The detergents they make now work fine with cold water. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Jeans and black towels (cold) Colored shirts (cold) Delicates (cold) Sheets (cold) Kitchen towels (bleach and hot) Whites (bleach and hot) Like mentioned by someone I think the hot wash is really unnecessary since the hot dryer kills germs...and the bleach. I sort as much by fabric texture as I do by colors. And my Dh doesn't like his white t shirts/socks washed with kitchen towels because he says they smell funny to him. So I make a lot of loads it seems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 General categories are: whites, heavyweight colors (like jeans and sweats), lightweight colors (mostly shirts, shorts), towels. I usually wash on warm just because it makes the (top-loading) washer fill faster. I also have a separate load for hand-wash/delicates that do fine in the gentle cycle. We don't add bleach as we're on septic. We also don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Darks Lights (sometimes this goes in 2 loads, depending on the amounts; if two loads are needed, I do one of lights & the other of blues/greens) Oranges/reds/purples Linens (sheets/towels) Sometimes I wash on hot, sometimes warm, sometimes cold. Linens always get hot. Sometimes I run the regular cycle, sometimes the delicates cycle (quicker). Powdered laundry detergent, usually Arm & Hammer (my favorite). No bleach, no fabric softener. Sometimes Shout stain remover if needed (rarely). I love the Shout Color Saver sheets. I cut them in half. They are great if I happen to do smaller loads where I mix colors; I will mix colors in the washer (excluding reds). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noreen Claire Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 adult darks - cold, regular cycle, one rinse adult light/whites - hot, regular cycle, bleach, one rinse towels & sheets - hot, heavy duty cycle, one rinse kids' clothes (mixed darks/whites) - cold, regular cycle, one rinse kitchen laundry - hot, heavy duty cycle, bleach, one rinse diapers - cold, heavy duty cycle, one rinse PLUS hot, heavy duty cycle, double rinse No fabric softener, everything dried on hot. Lost my wool dryer balls in the move - boo! DS21 does his own, though not often enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaluv+2more Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I wash dirty laundry. With soap. In water (usually cold). 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Colours that I line dry - some form of gentle wash on cold Colours that go in the dryer - cotton wash on cold Whites/lights - cotton wash on cold. I run our towels (white) on a hot wash every now and then (95 degrees C). It whitens them and sterilises the washing machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I wash dirty laundry. With soap. In water (usually cold). I don't know why you insist on the most complicated way possible! :lol: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaluv+2more Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I don't know why you insist on the most complicated way possible! :lol: I'm a complicated gal. That's just how I roll. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadenceSophia Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 No one is allowed whites or reds. Definitely not reds ever ever ever. If we have the occasional white, I consider it a short lived item. Bath towels Dish towels Sheets Blankets Clothes all together. We had to give up on whites because DH refuses to sort colors and it wasn't worth the fight for me. I got sick of dingy shirts. Not like he does much wash, but when he did, he was ruining everything. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 So for several months now I have been staring at my agitator and thinking it was not working properly. But I kept forgetting to ask DH about it . Today he noticed it himself. Makes me wonder how my clothes have been getting clean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Everything is washed on cold except cleaning rags and DS's workout gear. The cleaning rags are hot and warm for the workout gear. My loads- Towels Darks Jeans Lights (includes whites) Reds (about once every two weeks) Cleaning rags DH's work clothes Bed linens Then I have the occasional load of pet beds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) Today, since I'm behind, I'm washing by person in warm. The person most at-risk for going commando tomorrow gets the first load and so on in order of dire need. I've already folded mine and DS's load. DHs is in the dryer. Towels are in the washer. Two loads of sheets are on deck. Ordinarily I do whites in hot with bleach, lights in warm, and darks in cold. I do towels and sheets in warm. I will add that my panic method is much easier to put away. Edited January 27, 2017 by KungFuPanda 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Towels Sheets Dark colored clothing Medium colored clothing White/very light colored clothing Reds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I've also decided only to buy white sheets and towels etc. as hotels tend to do, to make laundry easier. I'm skeptical that's going to make laundry easier. All one color, yes, but not white. Maybe navy? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) The detergent kills the germs just fine. We have an immune-compromised family member, and I've asked multiple times about laundry. And they have never told me to do anything different than washing and drying as usual. They also DON'T recommend anti-bacterial soap for laundry or hand washing. Just a good "soapy" soap with a good handwashing technique. Edited January 27, 2017 by G5052 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saffron Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 I'm skeptical that's going to make laundry easier. All one color, yes, but not white. Maybe navy? I've found that it's easier for me to keep whites looking new because you can always bleach them. And you can wash them on a hot wash without them fading. Ditto towels etc. Somehow colored towels always end up with weird faded or bleached bits. White towels are immune to this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 When I worked in culinary I learned that a lot of dish washing machines in restaurants don't use hot water at all. It's all about the cleaning agents they use. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squiddles Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Everything gets washed together... I intentionally avoid owning anything white... socks are the exception and I'm okay with dingy socks [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I wash dirty laundry. With soap. In water (usually cold). Everything gets washed together... I intentionally avoid owning anything white... socks are the exception and I'm okay with dingy socks [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I'm glad to know I am not the only one. Disclaimer: Our cloth diapers do get washed separately on hot. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I seperate as: Whites Darks Reds Delicates DH work clothes Yup, his work clothes get their own wash load. His pants are contractor twill or jeans and they will destroy other soft clothing. I wash sheets or towels separately. I "save up" delicates and reds if there are too few for a decent load. DS17 washes his own and it's usually just one load because all his stuff is dark for the most part. I'm on the verge of beginning to have DS13 do his, too, for the same reason. It makes one whole load and he rarely has something that doesn't go except for some reds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Whites -- usually on hot Lights -- warm Darks -- warm or cold Kitchen towels -- hot Sheets/towels -- hot Nice towels (the lighter colored ones I got for DH and me for our new bathroom) -- warm or hot Hand washables -- cold or warm, gentle setting Random other stuff -- as needed, temp dependent on item Diapers -- cold rinse, hot wash, second rinse, but I don't have any of those right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 People laundry (cold water + detergent. Sheets and towels might be separate loads. I don't separate colors.) Animal laundry (warm or hot + detergent and bleach, depending on the grossness of the load.) Ain't nobody got time around here for complicated laundry rituals. lol. I just want it clean. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Hot -- towels, socks, underwear & sheets Cold -- clothes For awhile my washer decided it wouldn't work on hot so everything got done in cold. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Whites Lights Darks Towels Sheets Delicates All on "quick" cycle, warm water, double rinse. Except for delicates which get cold water. Oh, and I sometimes use Dryel for my blazers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 My categories are based more on keeping categories of clean clothes "stocked" than on what's supposed to go with what. If I don't keep a relatively organized schedule, I wind up with sweaty socks and a favorite t-shirt breeding funk in the bottom of the basket for 6 months, and would probably forget to change the sheets for weeks on end, lol. In a week, I'll do jeans colors socks and underwear sheets towels kitchen laundry more colors bras household cleaning rags pet laundry fleece and gym clothes and maybe another random load. Most things on cold. Nasty things on sanitize. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I wash everything on cold, with the exception of pukey laundry from the stomach flu. Not that the hot water necessarily does anything, but it makes me feel better. Loads are as follows: Monday: kid clothes (1-2 loads) Tuesday: kids sheets and kids towels (2 loads) Wednesday: air dry laundry and pool towels (2 loads) Thursday: adult clothes (1-2 loads) Friday: adult sheets and adult towels (2 loads) Saturday: cleaning rags and kitchen towels (definitely 2 loads) Sunday: misc and catch up I run an extra load many days, because I have a baby, a toddler, and a preschooler; therefore, I have an abundance of unexpected messes and stains that are really better off if washed immediately. If I'm diligent about throwing laundry in first thing in the morning, I can fold in peace during nap time, and have everything put away when the kids get up. Otherwise loads start piling up and Mt. Laundry is more difficult to climb. Plus stripping the beds in the morning is motivating - must have them remade by nap time! ETA: I never use dryer sheets, just detergent. And lots of stain remover. Edited January 28, 2017 by HOPE_Academy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I'm not quite as cool as the "wash with soap" person, but we have three hampers: "whites" (except those which say to wash in cold) washed in warm "colds" (all colors, including whites that say wash in cold) "warms" (all colors except whites) Towels & sheets are washed in whatever it recommends on the label. Some of our mattress covers say to wash in cold, for example. Everything dries in the dryer on the delicate setting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Darks Lights Towels with whatever category fits above. Why do most of you separate towels from the clothing? Am I missing something? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaeFlowers Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I have a three part sorter. Colors go in one bag, whites in another, towels in the third. When the bag is full, I run a load. I really jam the clothes into the bags because when it is full like that, I know its enough to fill the washer. Sheets get washed separately. I only wash whites on hot and with bleach when I think they need to be sanitized. I wouldn't recommend the all white towels and sheets, either. Whites tend to be high maintenance. Plus, my whites tend to look old long before my colored items fade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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