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An expert has revealed what temperature you should be washing your clothes at and you might be surprised to find out that you’re probably doing it wrong.
If you ever thought the temperature of the washing machine isn’t important then you could be in for a shock after one doctor shared that selecting the wrong setting could lead to some nasty surprises crawling in your laundry.
This is according to Dr Chris van Tulleken, who made an appearance on BBC Morning Live, where he warned people about the potential for microscopic bugs getting into your clothes.
While it is often thought that high temperatures kill off any unwanted critters, it turns out hotter isn’t always what’s best.
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While most washing machines are able to reach a setting of 90 degrees celsius (194 degrees fahrenheit), that doesn’t mean it’s good for your clothes.
The expert explained: “That [temperature] will kill everything. It’s almost boiling it. It’s bad for the clothes.”
He went on to say that if items have become so filthy that they need to be washed at such a high temperature, then ‘you gotta get new clothes at that point’.
Dr van Tulleken continued: “Certain bugs will be killed, and that can be quite good.
“So if you’ve got an infection going around your house, particularly, think of something like norovirus, put it up at 60 (140 degrees fahrenheit) along with the mechanical cleaning and the detergent, that’s quite good.”
So, what about a standard laundry wash? It turns out you could be doing it wrong.
The doctor said: “Personally, I don’t see the point in 40 degrees (104 degrees fahrenheit), because it’s too hot to be cheap, and it’s too cold to kill anything.
“Commit to one or the other. Either go hot or go cold. 30 degrees (86 degrees fahrenheit), that gets the job done. It is much cheaper.
“Going from 40 to 30 saves you almost 40% in energy costs. It’s quicker.”
That being said, the biggest thing when it comes to keeping your clothes clean isn’t just washing them.
According to the expert, you also need to be making sure that your washing machine is maintained too.
Dr van Tulleken added: “You’ve got to think about cleaning your machines. The detergent tray, where all the mould grows, can be a real nuisance to clean.
“I put it in the dishwasher and then mechanical cleaning of the drum, just a cloth, some vinegar wiping is really good.
“And if your machine has a cleaning cycle which runs it at a high temperature, do that according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and then air it out.”
