Do towels go mouldy at 40?

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marthalover4eve

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Feb 21, 2009
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some one told me if you wash towels on a 40 they go mouldy is it true ??? i used to wash towels on 40 for years and i never seen then go mouldy.
 
Of course not!

 

Only if you leave them damp for too long will they go mouldy/develop a permanent bad odour/mildew.

 

They might not be as well sanitised if you use low temperatures - I've found towels washed in warm water don't stay fresh as long. It doesn't mean they develop permanent mould!
 
Hi, I always wash towels at 60°C
I don't know but 40°C seems to me that it's not enough. If you think 40°C is almost our body temperature, so whay don't wash them in a higher temperature.
I think that the sour smell that used towels sometimes has can be washed better in hotter water where the oxygen present in the powder is more effective.

Ingemar
 
I wash my towels on 60 plus a prewash...

But I don't think you get mouldy towels at 40, either its due to not drying them properly or perhaps mould in the washing machine getting on them.

As for the numerous allergens, that's why I do mine on 60. Let alone 40, most households would bung their towels at 30/cold wash which would have no chance whatsoever and getting rid of them *shudders*!
 
No, it isn't true...

...or the 60%+ of the Australian population that wash in COLD water would all have mouldy towels.

 

Washing at 40c is pretty much a perfect temperature if use a suitable powdered detergent as the banding won't shrink. Then hang, or tumble them dry without too much delay.

 

On the other hand, using too much fabric softener and then leaving them in the machine for a few days is going to make them very very manky....just like any washing.

[this post was last edited: 8/26/2011-23:43]
 
Well...

... my mum always washes everything at 30 degreees and once every blue moon at 40 and I am trying to persuade her to wash at higher temperatures like 60! I found a video on the Bosch website about constant wash at low temperatures can not kill all the bacteria and I think that is why we have gone through about three door seals which for a seven year old machine, its kinda stupid right?!

Please can you help me persuade her to wash at higher temperatures?!

Jacob
 
Jacob

There could be several reasons why the door seals have gone mouldy...

 

- closing the door between uses promotes a humid environment which aids mould growth

- usingtoo much fabric conditioner provides a good food source - especially as it is used in the final rinse

- poor door seal batch

 

Prevention of mould in a front loader is very easy....

 

- use a powdered detergent

- minimise the amount of fabric conditioner used and/or

- make sure loads of washing with conditioner in the rinse are the ones done first with non-conditioned loads last

- use an old jay-cloth, face washer etc. to remove the small amount of moisture present in the seal when finished for the day

- leave the door ajar - always!

 

Everything in our house for the last 22 years has been washed at either 40c or 30c (with the exception of sheets) and I have never, ever had mould in a machine either here in Oz, or in the UK using Hoovers, Blomberg and Zanussi engineered machines.

 

BUT....I don't use liquid detergents OR fabric conditioner.

 

Mind, no matter what some of us say, there will always be someone that we know who will not listen to those of us with years of experience.....
 
Ronhic

I have just finished a mixed load on Express 60 degrees and the door is now wide open thanks to your advice! I am also about to wipe the door seal with a blue kitchen cloth as well.

Thank you

Jacob
 
personally its 60

I have all white towels and always wash them at 60 sometimes 90 to clean the machine. After seeing the results of a swab test from a machine only doing low temps I will stick to 40 only for darks and delicates all bedding and towels at least 60. Besides its the minimum temperature for thermal disenfection so unless you use bleach or something to kill germs your just wiping it around the household.Forgot to mention my machine is 5 years old and never had a new door seal it is in my opinion best to use biological powders as non bio liquid makes the occurence of mould seem more likely.

Austin
 
Jacob,

when you wash constantly at 30°C you will turn your washing machine into a stinky, slimy, moldy bucket full of germs. (that would happend much erlier if you use liquid detergent and fabric softener)

If you have ever seen some videos on youtube of the inside drum of some Japanese washers you know what am I talking about.

It is good that at least every now and then you wash on higher temperatures and you take the precautions as "ronhic" said.

But keep in mind that Australian and Asian detergents are especially formulated to be used in cold water, because overe there everyone is washing in cold water.
 
True...

...they are formulated for cold water washing, not that I do...

 

BUT, manufacturers and consumer magazines advocate running a HOT wash reasonably frequently to prevent build up as a result of cold water use etc....

 

Washing at 30/40c, provided you minimise fabric conditioner and avoid liquid detergents, won't give you a smelly machine....

 

Cold water, liquid detergents and conditioners will do so, very quickly....
 
I wash my towels on 60 but I have done the occasional 40 but they do seem fresher at 60 for longer always with Ariel Biological Powder.

However. As an experiment when I had my LGf1402fds6 I did a load of towels at 30deg on a cotton intensive cycle with steam selected.

The steam during the hour of main washing was enough for them to come out smelling equally as fresh as when washed at 60. I didn't make a habit of that it was merely to see how effective it would be.

My towels got the cotton 60 with Ariel biological powder in my Hotpoint Aqualtis last night in fact :-)

Darren
 
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