Pre-Wash VS Long Wash
I personally have my own stain tackle strategy there.
I certanly like the benefits of a double wash. However, some instance I find it a waste of resources.
For my whites, the double wash allows the on-spot cleaning and brightening, while protecting my printed T-Shirts by using a lower wash temp, usually 40°C \ 104°F.
Its basicly the same effect used on curtains being pre-washed.
On some occasions, if I want a load done quick, but thourough, I use our AEGs ability to combine a super short wash (Wash at 140°F, 2 rinses, 1600 rpm spin in 1h 17 minutes) with a pre-wash. This upps the wash time by about 25 minutes.
Then again, our cleaning rags get a pre-wash to get rid of any soap residue, sand, dirt, mud, whatever, to get effectibe washing action during the main wash, as described by Laundress.
However, for set in stains, a long wash is my go-to. With the AEG doing almost 2h main washes, it is basicly a soak and wash combined. And with good old EU progressive heating, stains are gone.
For example: My average bedding load in the AEG gets a 100-110 minute wash, going up to 140°F for about 20 minutes, 5 rinses (effectivley 4 due to the lack of the spin between wash and first rinse) and a long final spin.
That being said: AEG now upped their new ÖkoMix range with 3:45h cycles as standard. This gives you a good 160 minute main wash. It basicly includes a soak now, thus makeing the idea of one abundant.
And with some Eco cycles now topping out at 6 whole hours, but never going beyond 100°F, we have officialy reached the soak-is-the-new-wash status here in Europe. But those cycles actually seem to clean somewhat well. At least the 4h versions I tried did.