What's with the 'machine wash cold, gentle cycle, tumble dry low' tags lately?

[maytagneptune]

This seems to become a growing problem. Many things now say "Machine wash cold" or "gentle cycle" or "do not use fabric softener" or a combination of those 3 or ALL of the above. First of all. I use Liquid Snuggle FS blue sparkle. I use 2.0 oz at most for any load except for active wear. Second Cold is not good for my LG or Neptunes or Calypso or any HE machine for that matter. Consistently running the delicate/hand wash cycle is also not good for the machine. This conflict with these tags annoys me so much. Especially when my sister wants something washed. she always makes me abide by the tag even though I care more for the machine. sometimes I don't even bother to run a load of her stuff, I wait for her to go to school for the day then I run the load when she is at school then lie about doing the Delicate cycle on cold even though I actually did the normal cycle on warm. Sometimes when she needs something done urgently. If it is a tiny load. I refuse to run it. I also always refuse to use cold period. Unless it is a load of stuffed animals/plush toys. Sometimes I run the load anyway and sometimes she screams at me and I get punished. Once when she wanted me to wash her "stitch" Pajamas for a pajama day at school the next day. I started the load and put it on warm and left it normal and ran delicate due to it being a fleece material. then she begs me to put it on cold. I retaliated and engaged the child lock. then watched (secretly laughing inside) her tamper with my LG WM2277HW for 20 whole minutes ( the entire wash cycle) trying to figure out how to disable the child lock. when all she had to do is press the power button then restart the load. I sometimes want to eradicate this problem by getting the intuitive panels for my Fisher&Paykel GWL11 and DEGX1 and convert them to IWL12 and DEIX2. So the intuitive's computer is incharge and figures out the load for me. so no more begging to wash on delicate the machine will decide. I always inspect each and every item before putting it in the machine for areas that the normal cycle might mess up. if there is none I run it in normal. if there is then I put it in the worldwasher on delicate. I told my parents all about this and I never get punished unless my sister gets involved. I really hate my sister and this "machine wash cold, gentle cycle" bullcrap. Sometimes my sister uses profanity at me too! Rant over. base your opinion below.

 

[cleanteamofny]

#1. Running the machine on the Delicate/Gentle cycles does not harm the machine.

#2. If the washer temp has a lukewarm or cool cycle it is far better to use than straight cold from the tap during the winter.
Warm water will cause shrinkage or pilling to fabric if you do not follow the MFG recommendations.

#3. The normal cycle can be used to wash Delicate/Gentle fabrics with the least amount of wash time with a slightly higher water level
to reduce fabric wear. Since your machine has these features, use it!
High-speed spin will crease fabrics that may set before going into the dryer and cannot be ironed out on certain fabrics.
This is something to keep in mind.

#4. Fabric Softener should not be used on garments that require "No Fabric Softener," it can weaken some fibers
and fabric softener leaves a residue that prevents breathable materials from wicking away moisture.

#5. Life is too short to be quibbling over how to wash laundry, the directions on the label are there to extend the life of the garment without damaging the finish.
Choose one machine that you feel comfortable letting your sister use on a regular basis to do her own laundry.

 

[DADoES]

 
Fabric softener can also interfere with flame-retardant properties of fabric treated for it (such as children's sleepware, if there are still such products on the market).

Longer wash time at gentler action, perhaps with a soak period, causes less wear/tear and better cleaning than shorter times at aggressive action.

Much of the tag directives for cold water is CYA policy of the clothing manufacturers ... and doesn't have much effect being that there's pretty much no warm or hot water on washers nowadays, LOL.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

A few thoughts to add....

-- There are mesh laundry bags one can buy. You put the item or garment inside the wash. It reduces the friction between the item and the washer. ..... Less wear and tear.

-- I sometimes think care instructions on tags are overly cautious and do not take into account the physical changes to machines over the years. For example, FL washers are inherently gentler on clothes than TL's. One can argue that 'normal' cycle with extra water in a FL is gentler on clothes than 'delicate' in a TL.

-- Your sister obviously is either working with incorrect information or is misunderstands many basic things regarding washing laundry. My advice is to try to avoid situations in which you need to explain things to her as it appears she will not listen.

-- Since there is no problem with your parents it's safe to say they are confident that you know what you're doing. Do you do laundry for your parents? Is there ever a problem? If you do and there is no problem, then relax. Your sister is the issue.

-- Maybe buy those mesh laundry bags and use them for your sister's things? That way she will see that her precious things have protection and she maybe will calm down.

I once had a similar problem with a person with a slightly different laundry situation. The person (a friend of a friend) was used to a regular 240v electric dryer. She had items she dried on 'Low". No problem. Then she moved and her new apartment had a 120v electric dryer that had a 'Hi' and 'Low' setting. She set her new (120v) dryer to 'Low' and her clothes took forever to dry. She was frustrated by this. I explained to her that her new dryer had only 1/2* the drying power of her old machine so 'Hi' on her NEW machine equals 'Low' on her old one. I explained that care instructions on tags assume the dryer is 240v because (as you know) most electric dryers are 240v. It took some time but she finally understood and started using 'Hi'. I later heard from my friend that she was happy with the results.

I hope this helps a bit.

Please let me know if I was unclear about anything.

*Yes, I know it is really 1/4 due to Inverse Square laws, but my goal was for her to understand the concept and have dry clothes

 

[launderess]

Do Not Use Fabric Softener

For things made in whole or part with man made fibers such as polyester, then yes; do not use fabric softeners or conditioners. Many of these fibers are hydrophobic by nature, but attract (and hold) oils. If you've ever gotten cooking or salad oil on say polyester blend clothing or table linen, then couldn't get it all out, there you are then.

For natural fibers such as cotton or linen, there isn't any real caution against using fabric softeners. Only exception are fluffy things like terrycloth, flannel, and things treated to be nonflammable such as infant and children's sleepwear.

As for rest of it in USA manufacturers of clothing and textiles for consumers are only required to list one way of caring for things. It must be way that is likely not to cause damage (shrinking, fading, color loss, and or other damage).

Many things for instance labelled "dry clean only" can be easily and safely washed in water by hand or machine. But manufacturers don't want to bother writing out long and detailed care instructions. However if customer disregards care instructions as given, and something happens to said item (shrinks, changes shape, color loss, and or other damage), then they are at fault. This applies to things that are sent to laundry or dry cleaners.

Once you know and understand what you're dealing with often care instructions can be carefully disregarded. However do keep in mind many things aren't made like they were anymore. Cotton dress shirts that once could routinely withstand very warm to hot water washing and ironing with heavy hot iron, now fall apart after barely several trips through same nowadays.

Also often many manufactures just feel today's housewives or whoever is doing the wash lacks knowledge and kills of grandmother's day. Thus they don't want to bother writing long detailed and exact instructions, so come up with something that will allow laundering with least possible damage. This and that item will not need extensive finishing to restore appearance.

I don't need anyone to tell me how to restore a fine percale dress shirt from a crumpled and slightly shrunken mess out of the wash. But then again have been ironing shirts for more years than care to remember so am a well seasoned campaigner.

 

[perc-o-prince]

IMHO,

It's OK to run cold and/or delicate cycles, but run a sanitize or "clean machine" cycle periodically to help rid the machine of nasties that can thrive in cold water. Some machines have a warning that will pop-up, advising you to run sanitize after X number of cold/cool/warm cycles.

 

Chuck

 

[tomturbomatic]

Depending on where a machine is located, filling the cold drum with warm water will not give a warm wash. Also, depending on the distance from the water heater, unless there is a means of purging the hot water lines of the standing cold water you will not get anywhere near a warm wash unless you can set the machine to heat the water. 

 

[maytagneptune]

But what it the point of "flame resistant clothing"

Unless it is workwear from firefighters or something where you can be exposed to a fire like electrical or gas contractors. there is no reason for it. Fires that cause the most damage and injury do not typically start on children’s clothes. The most dangerous fires are large house fires in which smoke inhalation—not burning—is the leading cause of demise. Flame retardant chemicals on clothing cannot protect against house fires or smoke inhalation. They are only designed to prevent very small flames from igniting clothing. I have installed a professional fire alarm system and I use photoelectric detectors.

 

[liamy1]

It will

Almost definitely be a combination of two things

The push on being environmentally friendly/conscious - cold water washes are a way of achieving that

And the over caution employed by/mitigation of liability from textile manufacturers, should you not treat the laundry how they state then no complaint against them for damage (even though "harsher" wash treatments are unlikely to cause any effect, eg I've seen 100% cotton shirts - the one thing that can be boil washed; recommended as cool wash only)

Practice and experience teaches you what you can launder things at, but of course no comeback against manufacturers if you don't follow what they state. It's rare (if ever) I ruin something during laundering, but as with anything, you take your chances.

.

 

[yogitunes]

at age 56, I have a sister that drops her clothes off for me to wash....and give implicit instructions on how to wash every piece....

Like I dont know how to do wash.....I know right!.....

Cold Wash?....I would sooner B*TCH SLAP the fake color out of her hair!....after a few whacks, it really is a great stress reliever...

there are three loads in any given situation....Whites, Lights, Darks.....Warm wash, Cold rinse, Normal cycle....in a Neptune!....its as simple as that!...

Tide Detergent
Bleach if needed
Softener if wanted

 

[warmsecondrinse]

#7

"Flame resistant" children's clothing, especially pyjamas and bathrobes, was introduced before smoke alarms as we know them today were available. They were hard-wired and very expensive. Few homes had them.

Wood burning fireplaces and stoves were much more common than today, as were use of candles and oil lamps. They were fading out until the first Energy Crisis in 1973 then they all became popular again when the costs of gas, oil, and electricity went through the roof.

The information you stated is true regrading the population as a whole, however at some point in the 1970's it was noticed that young CHILDREN were much more likely to get burned and/or catch their clothing on fire than older children or adults. Also, young children are more likely to panic and run around if their clothing catches on fire than older children or adults.

That's why federal laws were passed to require manufacturers to make flame retardant clothing for children.

#9

So true! I'd love to know why some people insist on telling a person about a topic when they're well aware the person knows more about it than they do.

 

[circlew]

Flame resistance of children's garments has little or nothing to do with the presence of smoke alarms. If a child's clothing catches fire, it's too late for said child by the time a smoke alarm or automatic sprinkler is activated. Yes, a smoke alarm will notify others in the home, and sprinklers extinguish or control the fire, but the child will likely be seriously injured.

 

[tolivac]

As a child going to school and at home----remember "Stop-Drop&roll" if your clothes catch on fire?And with the "green" movement today-now more people are using fireplaces and wood burning heaters then before.When I got my home insurance-they asked if I had a dog,trampoline,or heated with wood.Those would increase your rates-higher risks.Don't have any of those.

 

[retro-man]

Flame retardant clothes for kids.. I remember growing up the woman next door won a stuffed bear where she had worked in a raffle. She gave the bear to her grandson who was still in a crib at the time. He was around 2 years old. Well that bear heated up in the crib and spontaneously combusted. Many burns and plastic surgeries and a lot of personal grief for that family. I remember a big movement for all kids stuffed toys and clothing being changed to non combustible materials.

Jon

 

[gelaundry4ever]

long overdue

It's long overdue, but I am so sick and tired of these stupid tags. I want my stuff washed properly. Sturdy cottons do not need a delicate cycle. I don't use cold unless they're dark colors. Everything is washed and dried on the normal cycle.

 

[egress]

To add a bit of info to this, I've heard that sometimes manufacturers will skip on testing the clothing and just default to cold, delicate, and low. Even on materials that will do fine on warm or even hot on a regular cycle. It's probably cheaper...

 

[qsd-dan]

I've heard that sometimes manufacturers will skip on testing the clothing and just default to cold, delicate, and low. Even on materials that will do fine on warm or even hot on a regular cycle.

 

It's true. I've washed many items the state cold wash in 120F and there was no bleeding, fading, or any other damage even after years of doing so. Most docker pants made in the the last 8-10 years are now state cold wash after initially being warm wash for many decades, if not from the very begining. No problems washing those in warm.

 

Other materials with cheap dyes will bleed even after several loads at the 85F that my tempering valve is adjusted to. Those are definitely not warm wash items.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

jeans and shirts

I have gotten jeans and shirts for Christmas that said cold, delicates, low heat. That was so stupid! I ignored the label of course and just used the default normal cycle on both the washer and dryer minus energy saver. They came out just fine.

 

[launderess]

Apparel and textile manufactures are only required to list one sort of care instructions; one that will likely cause least harm. Owners of things are perfectly free to ignore or otherwise substitute their own choices, however if item is damaged in process manufactures and vendors have zero liability.

Cashmere or woolen pulls can be hand or machine washed with care; but directions often state "hand wash only". If one launders said pull by hand or machine and it shrinks or otherwise is damaged, responsibility clearly will rest on owner.