On our Indesit W102 machine for everyday clothes (t-shirts, jeans, underwear) I use a number 4 program which is a Daily program, 40 degrees, takes one hour with two deep rinses and a long 1000rpm spin at the end. Occasionally i hit the Rapid button which takes it down to about 45 mins, just shortening the wash, not skimping on rinse or spin times...
Whites and Towels go together as we have light coloured towels on a number 2 program at 70 degrees. Its called an Extra program and runs for about two hours. Same rinsing and spinning as above. This is just so the ground in dirt from my white socks comes out.
Bedding gets a number 3 cycle which is just Normal. 50 degrees. Times can vary as my bedding is the only thing that seems to upset the balancing system on the machine. Normally everything never needs to re-balance, just straight into spin, but bedding just doesn't like to balance, going to remedy this hopefully by washing the duvet cover on its own.
Tea Towels and Cleaning Cloths get saved up over about 3 weeks since we have 20 of each. When i decide to wash them (noone else really pays attention) they get the full everything. Number 1 wash which a Prewash + Extra wash cycle at 90 degrees. Eucalyptus oil goes into the wash as this seems to get rid of that 'tea towel' smell that can come up even after intensive washing.
My housemates mainly use the number 3 cycle at 40 degrees. I make sure the dial is reset to 40 and not moved because my housemates were uneducated in laundry and were washing clothes at 90 degrees thinking this was the time of the cycle. Because we only have it connected to cold water they were convinced they were getting a cold water 90 minute cycle. Sigh...
Occasionally I use the Synthetic cycles on small loads but the tumbling on the rinse cycles is very slow. It has a good spin cycle however, not too long at 800rpm.
Anyway that's my program habits, great thread :-D
Matty
