Does Hotpoint Anti-stain Really Work?

[glenfieldmathk1]

Well as you all probably know by now, sadly the WM31 is no longer living here, due to an uneconomical repair it was sold on to a new person, who has apparently done it up, using parts from another WM31! (who knows maybe on Ebay one day, or maybe its been on Ebay already?)
I now own a Hotpoint "Experience" HE7L492(P) and must say its brilliant, OK its got the square door design, but has all the updated programmes and programming, and is really built well compare to the older WML square door models.

This means I have the Anti-stain programme - they claim it can remove 20 stains in one wash.
I've put it to the test several times already, and I will do more videos in future testing stain removal of different stains, however the only stain which doesn't seem to come off in the cycle is Tomato & orange. They're both Fruit stains I presume the cycle isn't hot enough. I emailed Hotpoint about this and the response I was given was pretty much a Joke, they said I need to run the Pre-wash cycle!! (It doesn't even have a Pre-wash cycle!)
Surely if they claim it can remove 20 stains (Including Tomato), then it should do this without the need to Pre-wash?
Maybe I have to try it with Ariel?

Anyway, the cycle does remove all other stains very well, thanks to the long wash tumbles, and heating in to various stages - as you'll be able to see in the video below (I've chosen Super wash which does extend the main wash by about half an hour, but still Tomato remains!!)



The description of the video on Youtube is as follows:
"In this video you get to see Prog 1 for the very first time / and officially the first On YouTube of the Anti-Stain Wash.
The cycle is very similar to Prog 7 (Baby), just at Whites water level and much longer.
It sets out to remove 20 stains by heating in stages of 10C.
Starting of with slow tumbles to sense the load. Then 2 long fast tumbles at Cold - this rhythm continues during heating to 20, then heat to 30, then heat to 35, then 40, then Holds for the rest of the wash.
The Main Wash is about 2hrs-2 hrs30 depending on load size (so around 2hrs30-3hrs in total) however with Superwash (as in the video) the wash duration increases to between 2hrs30 & 3hrs00 (so about 3hrs10-3hrs40 in total)
There is also a shuttle rinse, 2deep rinses (or 3 shallow rinses with Superwash) and a 1400 cotton final spin. Normal cotton interim spins also take place on the cycle.
Unlike other cycles - on this cycle - Superwash does not Increase the wash water level. And as with Superwash always, the initial fill through the centre compartment (at the beginning of the cycle) doesn't happen, it fills straight away through Main wash.

In this load - Chef Whites

Detergent:
Persil Advance
Eradicil Powder disinfectant.
Comfort pure

I hope you all enjoy this video "

 

[hoover1100]

Well

I've never used a machine which can't remove 20 stains in one wash, so if it doesn't work then I'd be sorely disappointed!

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

hoover1100

Bet you've never washed 20 stains in one wash, all extremely ground and dried in have you? I'm not talking about every day stains like mud, sweat, deodorant, bit of food, bit of (Brown) stuff out your bum. I'm talking about Oranges, Red Wine, Chocolate, Butter, Grease, Car Oil, Coffee, Tea, Lipstick, Burger sauce, Guacamole, grass etc. OK the average household doesn't have these stains on their clothes, so the cycle is pointless, a normal cycle is perfect.

In fact boiling wont remove all 20, and washing at cold wont remove all 20 either, this cycle gives a perfect balance in my opinion, and works well on everything except Tomato.
My Old Hotpoint never removed even easy to remove stains without 95 and still that's too hot for many.

 

[hoover1100]

Tough stains

Actually I quite frequently wash clothes and kitchen whites heavily soiled in dried on ragu sauce, red wine, tea/coffee and fruit juices, grass and ground in mud.

These have always been completely removed on a 95c wash, and almost entirely removed at 60c, especially if they are pre-treated first.

Sometimes really bad tomato or fruit juice based stains may leave a feint mark, which is usually removed by the sun on the line, but you mention in your first post that tomato stains are still present after this cycle, so that's no different to the results I get in my machines.

If stains aren't coming out at 95 I'd be re-evaluating my choice of detergent or the quantities I were using.

 

[ozzie908]

Is the temp fixed at 40 for this cycle?

or can it be raised to 60/70 ?

I ask because in all my years in the kitchen I have never used a low temp to wash whites as it defeats the purpose of having them.
Chefs clothing is made to be washed hot or you won't get greasy stains out no matter what powder is used...

Austin

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

I was showcasing the machines programming, not going into a debate whether or not this is right to wash chef whites at 40.
It certainly isn't right, I was just demonstrating the cycle.
Yes you can use 90 for Chef whites, and I do, but Anti-stain is designed for Coloureds to protect the colours (yet effectively remove stains).
It only allows 40C cant be adjusted up or down, ie if you choose 30 its still 40, and if you choose 90 its still 40.

I wash my chef whites on Programme 2 a dedicated Whites wash which is at 60C and holds the temp for a whole Hour using an intensive rhythm. Or put them on a cottons standard 90 programme.

hoover1100 - you cant (well you can) put coloureds on 95 or they fade very quickly, however you can put them on 40 and the colour stays brighter for longer, this cycle designed for colours (and those that cant be boiled), to keep them looking good, but remove various tough stains.
Also boiling some stains wont get rid of them, as some are best removed in lower temps - blood for instance, boiling causes it to set, I know, I've done it in the WM31, leaves a horrible patch where the stain was.

 

[lavamat_jon]

It is interesting how different manufacturers are introducing anti-stain cycles, and the different approaches are interesting - perhaps even more interesting is the correlation between these and the prevalence of mainstream cold water washing - it is almost an admission that the super-eco cold water cycles with liquid don't work on anything but lightly to medium soiled laundry!

 

However - I have yet to encounter something that one scoop of washing powder and perhaps the odd scoop of stain remover won't remove on a 2 hour cotton cycle - and I very rarely need to go above 60 degrees.  That is without pre washing or resorting to the soak facility on my machine.  You never saw anybody walking around with dirty clothes 10 years ago when most washing machines only had the basic 4 cycles!

 

Jon

 

[logixx]

So, it's like Whirlpool's Clean+ function? Clean+ also adds a stain treat product through the prewash compartment once the temp gets higher. I haven't used it on my washer, though.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

Yes that's true jon, but yet again the mention of 60 degrees, this cycle is only 40C and designed for extreme soils (without stain remover needed). Probably is a marketing gimmick, but why not, if it gets them sales.

Yes not sure how many people years ago cleaned, but they all used high temps for stains, hand washed in the sink, and more often than not used lots of additives.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

yes Logixx - but no additives (just detergent), and only a 40C cycle.

 

[hoover1100]

Stained Coloured

No ofcourse I would not wash coloureds on a 95c wash, infact, it's very rare that I wash anything above 60c.

However coloured clothes simply do not require vigorous stain removal, the stains do not show up anywhere near as much as on whites.

A tomato sauce or motor oil stain will not be visible on a black tshirt, and even on a lighter colour will be removed enough so as to make it invisible to the naked eye.

All my machines have a hot fill, yet I have never experienced a protein based stain such as blood setting even on a boil wash with incoming water at 60c, perhaps because I only use biological washing powder.

Plus, tumbling clothes around for almost 4 hours isn't exactly going to prolong the brightness of the colours.

Removing stains has been the job of washing machines since they were invented. I do find it pretty amusing that Hotpoint are making out they have reinvented the wheel by bringing out a washing machine that removes stains!

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

OK - fe

Thats fair enough, I use nonbio which is probably why.

I also agree tumbling for 2hrs isn't so good for coloureds after all - but still better than boiling them in order to remove tough stains.

I read the manual - and it says its designed to give a results thats better than A class. And coloureds shouldn't be mixed.

 

[chestermikeuk]

History Lesson ....

If you really want to sort ya difficult stains out, get yourself a decent biological powder and select a multi fabric soak wash - its what we did back in the 80`s if you had a Servis Quartz, a little later for the Hotpoint Microtronic or Hoover Computer Control...Bucket or sink otherwise just pause your programme,

All of these advanced multi-plus stain release programmes are for the Laundry Needy and Desperates, I mean how many different tumble rythms/temps for multiple stain removal can one machine have!!! Great if you dont want to think but its nothing new!!

 

[MrX]

Try it with a new bottle of Persil Small and Mighty Bio.
They've added Pectate Lyase which is an enzyme that should tackle those kinds of stains.

You may need to use a small amount of raw liquid on the stains themselves and let them pre-treat for a few minutes before washing for absolutely best results if they're really bad.

That being said, either Persil or Ariel bio powder usually shifts those kinds of stains without issue in my experience.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

Indeed its nothing new chestermikeuk, I will be giving chef whites a soak in future before washing (especially with tomato stains).
Looks like manufacturers were at it back in the day too though - Servis wasn't exclusive to have the mix soak, Hotpoint's had that too?

MRX - currently I've that big box of Professional Persil powder (You only need half in a household washer)- Persil Advance, it is powerful and better at removing stains than normal Persil, and it does remove tomato even on the Anti-stain wash (and also on the Whites programme).
One thing to consider though is normal households wont use professional detergent, but most households wont get so dirty!!
I will try small and mighty next - thanks for the suggestion.

 

[chestermikeuk]

"Exclusive"

Servis developed this type of wash / soak programme in the Servis Quartz in collaboration with P&G who formulated and launched the new "Ariel Automatic" to work with the Servis Multi Fabric Wash, Hotpoint and others followed!!

 

[chestermikeuk]

Servis & Ariel....

 

[thelaundrylab]

Everyone has different methods...

I always add a pre-wash cycle to shift heavy stains when needed, with a good dose of decent detergent as Mike Quotes. Tends to do the trick for me

 

[electron1100]

A Sunday Soak

By the end of the week I soak all my T towels over night in the machine (on the A program pre-wash), Tomato based sauces are the worst stain I have come across to remove in these last years, at present I am using Ariel pods which work, but are no better than any other detergent at removing stains so once these have run out I will go back to Tesco bio powder.

I don't even bother washing used engine oil or grease etc without using a de-geaser first, most of the hand cleansers do the job as they are designed to be washed out in water

I then add the rest of the whites and either do a 60 or 90 cotton wash.

I must agree that the way this has been advertised is a joke, but other manufacturers do it with various named "stain" cycles

Mikes mention of the "mixed cycle" is a very good one for soaking I had the computer 1100 which had this.

when I think back to the programs that appeared on the 80s Computer machines not so much has changed, back then you had good engineering allied to advanced electronics which is in my opinion is a better combination

But anyway we are where we are now and manufacturers are constantly trying to juggle wash/rinse performance with rules laid down by the tree huggers

Good luck