Doctor warns against two washing machine temperature settings
It can be difficult to know what temperature to wash your clothes on (Image: Kathrin Ziegler via Getty Images)
Many of us find ourselves daunted by what seems like a never-ending mountain of laundry constantly requiring attention in the washing machine. But have you ever considered the optimal temperature for running a wash cycle?
A doctor claims that operating your washing machine in a particular manner could maximise cleanliness, improve your health and cut costs.
British TV doctor and presenter, Alexander Gerald van Hoogenhouck-Tulleken, better known as Dr Xand van Tulleken, recently offered his expertise on BBC Morning Live.
The specialist explained why washing your garments at two temperatures – 40 and 90 degree settings – might not deliver the best results. Here’s what he advises instead…
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Doctor’s advice on washing machines
Advising against the 90 degree setting, Dr Xand stated: “The hottest your washing machine will go is 90 degrees usually and that will kill everything, it’s almost boiling it.
“It’s bad for the clothes, it’s very expensive. Whatever’s happened to those clothes… I think you’ve got to get new clothes at this point.”
Rather, he proposed that 60 degrees can be “quite good” as “certain bugs will be killed”. He elaborated: “So, if you’ve got an infection going around your house, particularly think of something like norovirus, put it up to 60 [degrees] along with the mechanical cleaning and detergent.”
Subsequently, Dr Xand voiced his doubts about the effectiveness of the 40 degrees setting. He noted it’s “too hot to be cheap and too cold to kill anything”. He recommended that selecting either a hot or cold cycle would prove more effective than choosing a medium temperature setting.
“30 degrees gets the job done,” he stated. “It is much cheaper, so going from 40 to 30 saves you almost 40% in energy costs. It’s quicker.” He advises buying a lower temperature detergent if you regularly use this setting.
The doctor describes himself as a “20 degrees guy for everything”, apart from workout clothes. He indicated that switching to a 20C setting on your washing machine could cut your bills by 62%.
Dr Xand stressed the significance of maintaining your machine when using lower temperatures. He added: “You’ve got to think about cleaning your machine. One [trick] is that the tray that you pull out, the detergent tray where all the mould grows, that can be a real nuisance to clean.”
The expert cleans it in the dishwasher. To sanitise the drum of the washing machine, he recommends using a cloth and some white vinegar. He suggests doing this weekly and leaving the door open daily.
Public opinion on washing machine settings
A wave of responses emerged after a clip of the TV segment was shared on Instagram, exposing people’s individual laundry preferences. One person commented: “I have never had to use the 90 degrees settings.”
Another shared: “Cold wash every time. Anything grubby soaked first. Any stains pre-treated. Hang things out to dry, sunshine and wind are the best bacteria killers.” A third concurred, stating: “Cold, always cold. Never had a problem.” A fourth echoed this sentiment, adding: “20 for everything except to do a machine clean. Sometimes 30 if it’s sports tops.”
Another shared their laundry routine: “I’m a 30C girly and always will be, detergent, stain remover, laundry sanitiser and conditioner and then a low heat tumble dry. Clothes are lovely and soft, stains are gone and totally fresh. Only do a 90° wash for bedding and white towels.”
However, others were firmly in favour of the 40C and 90C settings on their washing machines. One commenter stated: “Nah mate, 40 degrees all the way. Hot enough to kill bacteria and get rid of hard stains but cold enough so it doesn’t ruin clothes.”
One person recommended: “A 90 degree every now and again for something like towels is good and blasts the machines though too. It’s there for a reason.”
And another remarked: “Bedding and towels 90 degrees now and then. 30 degrees delicates only and the rest mainly 40 or 60. Too much bacteria buildup with 30 degrees (won’t kill you but nevertheless bacteria).”
