28 Oct 2024
There are so many different wash cycles on a washing machine, it’s no surprise we might wonder which ones we should be using.
Do we need a sports wash for our gym gear?
Can we put anything into a bedding intensive cycle?
Should we always wash cottons on a cotton program?
Different machine manufacturers use different names for the cycles you can choose but two programs that you will want to distinguish between, are delicate and normal.
what's normal?
Well, for the purposes of this story, a normal cycle would either be a cotton or synthetics cycle and most machines will name these cycles as such. HOWEVER, these two normal cycles are very different. Your clothing care label should tell you if you need to use a normal cycle.
1. cotton.
The cotton cycle on your machine will be one of the hotter programs you can choose because as a rule cotton materials are tougher to clean. In recent years however, as laundry detergent has improved, using a laundry liquid or laundry capsule from smol will mean your cottons get clean at lower temperatures. Cotton cycles usually take about 90 minutes to run.
2. synthetics.
Your synthetic clothes, like nylon and polyester can be washed on this cycle which will usually be set to around 40°C. Man made fibres do best on cooler temperatures and you’ll also find these cycles have slower shorter spins to protect the materials (also the clothing doesn’t tend to absorb and hold as much water).
when to use a normal cycle.
A normal cycle is great for most of our day to day clothing and bedding as cottons and synthetics make up the majority of most people’s laundry.
Most machines will also let you tweak the temperature on either your cotton or synthetic cycle - so if you want to drop the heat on your cotton wash you can… something that smol laundry capsules and liquid allow you to do. And of course, the benefits of washing on cooler temperatures are lower bills and lower carbon footprints.
so then, what’s a gentle wash cycle?
A delicate wash cycle is the program you will want to choose when machine washing delicate items of laundry.
This cycle will have a cool temperature, there will be minimal drum turning so the laundry doesn’t get thrown around as much and the spin speed will be super slow. Make sure to use a high efficiency, quality detergent like smol laundry capsules or smol laundry liquid with your delicate items. And stay away from bleach-based cleaners. Something like smol stain gel is safe for stains as it’s bleach-free and colour safe.
A delicate wash cycle is perfect for silks, wool, satins, embroidered items, chiffon, lace or linen.
HANDY TIP ALERT: laundry mesh bags (or just an old pillowcase) are great for washing delicates. They protect the items further from the agitation within a washing machine drum and stop clothing getting tangled up or damaged.
And remember… try to let your delicate items air dry. Hanging outside on a line to dry is great, but if the weather isn’t kind, there are lots of ways to line dry indoors, without having to turn on the tumble dryer.
and if you don’t have a delicates wash setting?
- If you can’t spot a setting called “delicates” or “gentle” then opt for the hand wash setting or wool setting instead. Any of these programs will be cooler and shorter with minimal drum turning and short, slow spin cycles
- If you can tweak the temperature and spin speed on your cycles by hand, choose whichever cycle your machine manual states has minimal agitation and spin and then also adjust the heat and spin accordingly
- Hand washing your laundry by hand is always an option of course. In some instances, it’s actually better to do this anyway as you can then be sure any particularly delicate items are washed in a super gentle way!
- Finally, there’s always the dry cleaners
As with all laundry loads, remember to check the clothing care labels before you pick your wash cycle and try to choose the lowest temperature wash you can in order to save money and carbon.
And if sustainable laundry detergent that gives results to match the big brands sounds tempting… don’t forget our FREE TRIAL on laundry capsules.
We have bio, non-bio and fragrance-free, our packs are 100% plastic-free and they create 35% less carbon through their production and delivery than the leading laundry capsule brand. All this, AND you’ll be using less chemicals per wash, plus our formulations are cruelty-free Leaping Bunny certified and vegan. Phew!