Does a prewash make your whites whiter?

[mielerod69]

Hi All,

Today I did a load of whites in my Miele and decided to add a prewash to my usual Cottons 60 programme. I remember the days of my grandmother doing the washing in her Candy in Italy and she would talk me through what she would do. She would always do a prewash before the boil wash as she put it "you don't wash in dirty water". I remember her hanging the whites on the line and telling me how her's were much whiter than her neighbours.
I know today that prewash is not part of the main programme anymore as consumer habits have changed and that detergents are more effective.
Anyway the end result was that my whites did appear whiter!

Also the first Miele automatics in the late 50's early 60's used to have "Vorwaschen" (prewash) followed by "Klarwaschen" (clear wash).

I have the new Miele W 5965 WPS and the prewash added 25 minutes to the programme. What I also noticed that the tumble was different to the main wash. It tumbled for 20 seconds and paused for 40 seconds before changing direction.

What are your thoughts on using a prewash?

 

[launderess]

My Miele Vintage 1070 Has Pre-Wash As Part Of The Normal Pro

But omits it during the short "Cottons", Delicates and "Permanent Press" cycles.

Pre-washing or very soiled whites and colours was a normal part of wash day before and for quite awhile after washing machines came along.

In general for badly soiled loads two launderings will produce a cleaner wash than one long wash in "dirty" water.

Miele and many other European/UK washers stopped including pre-wash/soak cycles as part of "normal" or all together as modern enzyme detergents removed much of the need. Under the old rules a cool or cold pre-wash/soak was done to flush out stains and or wash them away before the heat of a normal "boil wash" cycle could set them. There are also other ways around this such as "bio" cycles where the washer will start with tap cold water, hold it at around 100F to give enzymes time to work, then continue onto the hot wash.

Also when soap based products were dominate for laundry day a pre-wash/soak would remove much of the soils that kept soap from doing it's job. Then there is the fact that soap has a limited anti-redeposit/soil suspension properties.

The only time one uses the pre-wash cycle is when doing very dirty or large loads in the Miele. Otherwise one rarely bothers these days.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Very well said Launderess!

 

[mattywashboy]

I have also recently discovered pre-washing has a better effect on my whites

I have white tablecloths with a blue trim and various light colored cleaning cloths and steam mop cloths and I save these up for about a fortnight. When I was them I use the Pre-Wash cycle on my Electrolux and then it goes into a 90* heavy soil wash. All in all the cycle time is 2:32 which is not too bad with the pre-wash. It pre-washes at about 30 or 40 degrees, I know the heater clicks on during it so not 100% sure. I use a half and half dose of Persil or Ariel from the UK in the prewash and main wash and the load is always spotless and so white and clean, love it. I've noticed it helps keep my steam mop heads clean. Before using prewashes they seemed to build up a discoloration but after a few months of being prewashed also they have returned to their light blue color

All in all it works for me. I'm going to start using a pre-wash on my bathmats and perhaps work clothes just to remove loose soil or dirt before going into the main wash.

As my washer only uses a small amount of water to wash in, the added extra of a pre-wash is no big deal at all, just more time on the cycle is all

Take Care

Matt

 

[yogitunes]

on ocassion, I would soak whites in water, the night before, usually with double the detergent, maybe some borax, or color safe bleach.....and then in the morning, drain, and re-wash in a normal full cycle, hot or warm water and bleach and detergent.....and a double rinse.....everyone comments on how white they are!...

but as mentioned soaking or pre-wash is great for heavily soiled clothing....

for a top loader, I can't see filling the machine with water and detergent, just for a 5 minute wash, and then throw it all down the drain.....a soak at least gets full use out of it....and heres where suds saving comes into place, for something like whites soaking overnight, this water will be used again to wash the dogs blankets....

 

[jerrod6]

On my W1986 I can add a pre-wash to any program except woolens, silk, jeans and  fine rinse which well....only does two rinses and spin.  The pre wash starts with a tap cold fill,  heats the water a bit to around 100 or 105F,  prewash water is drained followed by a slight spin, and the the wash starts at whatever temperature you have selected.  I use this mainly for heavily soiled whites or clothes with stains. Once in a while I use the prewash and select the machines cycle extended option which causes the washer to extend all parts of the cycle and give a Eur type wash.  Everything comes out very clean.

 

Most of the time I use the default 20 minute wash program  without the pre wash and this works fine for normal soil but I am glad to have the option on the machine.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[launderess]

Regarding Boil Washing

If one is going to use hot, very hot to boiling water for washing, then it is best to pre-wash or soak laundry before. Again this is something known to "old school" laundresses, laundries and housewives going way back.

Higher water temperatures cause textile fibers to swell, which is a good thing a it causes the release of soils and or residue from textiles. However if the water is grossly laden with dirt much of what has been removed will end up back on the wash. Then as the cooler rinse water hit fabrics textile fibers will shut down trapping the muck back into the wash.

 

[gorenje]

I always use the pre wash cycle when washing whites, regardless of how dirty the laundry is.

I prefer that the prewash flushes away some dirt so the main boilwas will ensure a perfect white wash.