washingmachineimage879897

Washing at lower temperatures

Recently I was asked to appear on BBC radio to discuss washing at lower temperatures.
The average family does 400 loads of laundry per year? That calculates out to 7.69 loads per week.
I always used to wash clothes at 60 and bedding at towels at 90 degrees but last year I made the switch.  Number one I didn’t have time for this being long cycles and number two my clothes just never looked quite right. When  I ironed them some tops just weren’t square!
Taking my washing down to 40 degrees and under has meant quicker cycles which is perfect when you have a busy life like mine.
With advances in washing machines and laundry detergents, it’s now possible to get clothes clean and fresh at lower temperatures. Modern detergents are designed to work just as well at low temperatures.
Using a washing liquid rather than a powder is better for stained clothes and is more effective on food, grease and oily stains. Some washing powders don’t dissolve well and can leave a residue on clothes. Liquid detergent can be doubled up as a stain pre-treater too.
From research taken I am certainly not the only one that has made the change.Washing at lower temperatures does save you money on your household bills and does use less energy which in turn is good for our planet.

Washing at lower temperatures will benefit you because………….

Your clothes will last longer
Your clothes will stay in shape and will not shrink
Less fibres will be lifted from your cloths
Your clothing will keep its colour better.
Everyday wear can certainly be washed at lower temperatures

But there are a few items I would continue to wash at 60 degrees………

Underwear
Socks
Bedding
Towels
Outerwear such as coats.
Don’t forget to look after your washing machine invest in some washing machine cleaner  which will eliminate nasty residue build up in the pipes and crevices of your washing machine and remove those nasty odours. 
B011414I0Q
Click here to get yours.
When washing save money and the environment by doing full loads, try not to do a load with just a few items. If you don’t need to do a daily load then do one every other day.
And also remember to give your denim a little extra care. Have you read my post, how to look after your jeans?

I hope you have enjoyed this post and as always thank you so much for reading. 

Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

 

This post does contain affiliate links 
Spoon,With,Baking,Soda,Or,Sodium,Hydroxide,Powder,,Do,It

The many uses of Bicarbonate of soda in the home

As you can see from my Instagram posts I use a lot of Bicarbonate of soda in my daily cleaning.  This idea came from my great Nan who always had pots of it around the kitchen and I have memories of watching her sprinkle it all over the house.

Its a natural chemical free way of cleaning so with this you know you are being good to the environment and your home. Keeping toxins at bay.

Mattress 

Bicarbonate of soda will eliminate nasty smells so a monthly sprinkle on the mattress will keep you nice and fresh.  Lightly sprinkle over the mattress and leave for approx one hour.  Then using the mattress attachment from you vacuum, vacuum up the bicarbonate of soda.

Carpets and Rugs

Again like the mattress this will help eliminate any smells, lightly sprinkle onto the carpet area, you can use sieve if you like and spread evenly.  Leave to sit for approx 1 hour and then vacuum up. Make sure you vacuum in a few different directions so as you don’t leave any in the carpet pile.

Kitchen sink

Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle Bicarbonate of soda onto the lemon half so as you cover the whole half and then give the lemon a tiny squeeze. A fizz will appear now gently run the lemon half all over the sink and then rinse with boiling water.  This will give your sink a fabulous shine and smell.

Tupperware

Spread an even layer over stained Tupperware and leave overnight with boiled water and watch this disappear.

Whitening agent

Add a spoonful into your wash with your whites and watch your whites comes back to life. This works particular well with white trainers and converse.

1

Fridge

Add a small bowl of Bicarbonate of Soda and leave this in the fridge to keep nasty smells away.

Plug Holes

Pour 200 ml of bicarbonate of soda down the plug holes every week along with boiling water to keep your sink and systems fresh.

BBQ Grills 

Sprinkle Bicarbonate of soda onto BBQ Grill and this will help loosen the grim and enable less scrubbing.

Grout

With a toothbrush or a sonic Scrubber mix Bicarbonate of soda with a little Lemon and use to clean the grout in between tiles.

Mugs

Bicarbonate of soda works great on tea stained mugs.  Sprinkle into the bottom, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

FullSizeRender