Laundry detergent testing - cold water

I’m in Melbourne so it doesn’t get quite as cold here (it was 8℃ this morning). I usually set the temperature for cold at 20℃ or below. I’ve never had an issue with it. Have you experimented with different brands of detergent?

Also in Canberra and I agree. I desolve powder in a bucket of hot water and tip that in first. Even then I don’t think our winter cold water works very well. Most of my friends use a liquid. I have solar hot water that gives me free hot water when the days are longer so it is just a 3 month problem for me.

Hi Allan, I understand where you are coming from. CHOICE use 20C because it’s aligned with the AS/NZS standard for testing washing machines (and dishwashers).

But if you live in Canberra, as you do, it’s going to be significantly colder at certain times of the year. If you live in the northern regions of Australia it may be significantly warmer at certain times of the year.

20C was selected over 30yrs ago when the standard was first developed for the average temp of Australia. But it’s currently being reviewed because the Australian government is considering changing to the IEC (International) standard, which uses a 15C temperature for a cold wash.

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Thanks for your reply rosette.
It is more of an issue of how any detergent behaves in really cold water. I accidentally did a true ‘cold’ wash once during autumn and the powder just went into a solid mass, it did not dissolve at all. So, now we always heat the water using the washing machine setting. There is no hot water connection to the machine, but that does not matter as it takes about 3-litres of water before the hot water reaches it and that is enough for the wash as it is a front loader.

Hi msteen
I suspected that the 20℃ test temperature was from AS. I believe that the IEC standard of 15℃ is a bit on the high side as well.
I accidentally did a wash using the ‘cold’ cycle on our washing machine during autumn and the powder just became a solid mass, it did not dissolve at all. My concern is that we are regularly encouraged to use cold water washes to save energy, but in cold climates it is actually not possible because the temperature of the water is so low that the detergent cannot work. My question then is: “is there a detergent that works at low temperatures and will it give a satisfactory wash?”
Thanks
Allan

Hi Allan, We haven’t done testing on very low temperatures (we have temp limits on the water supply in the labs), but its an interesting question from a manufacturer perspective.

I imagine a liquid will dissolve easier in cold temperatures and that some manufacturers specifically target this in their branding as well.

But as you’re probably aware, liquid detergents won’t work as well as powder - but I’d give them a try, as most people don’t dirty their clothes as much as they might think.

You could base it on the results after filtering on liquid and type of machine you have on our detergent test if you haven’t already.

Thanks Matthew, will have a look at your suggestion, but will continue using a hot wash in the meantime.

Hi, I have a top loader, I wash on the COLD setting all the time - I put the detergent in a bucket and put in one kettle of hot water, swish around, put in machine when almost full (of cold water) …never had a problem. (in 40yrs)
Pam
p.s. I also reduce the ‘wash cycle time’, - clothes are not that dirty (if so spot rub) - I don’t think whoever set the machines timers took in account new easy washable materials (It was probably a man ha!)

Absolutely agree with you Allan. I cannot use powder in Canberra in a cold wash during winter. Last time I tried, everything had to be rewashed because of slimy powder residue and undissolved powder over everything! I used Omo in a Fisher & Paykel washer so the water temperature was the culprit.

Agree…and also would be good for testing in rainwater/tankwater. Rainwater is a lot softer making detergents potentially more effective with less detergent. As a significant proportion of the population uses rainwater in domestic situations, it would be good to see what difference it makes.

I am also in Canberra and use Aware Sensitive powder in an LG front load washer/dryer. It dissolves properly in cold water and the clothes come out clean. I do not recommend this washer though, as it uses water in the drying mode and it is not set up to just finish off the drying of clothes that have been partly line dried. However, it does wash very well.

Hope this topic is not too old!
I believe washing detergent manufacturers should be required to show on the package exactly what temperature they mean when they label it "Cold Water"
My online research found that for most modern detergents, cold water is water between 18C and 23C depending on the source. Some say enzymes will not work below about 40C, whereas others say enzymes are fine down to about 16C.
What is the scientific truth of the matter?
In the late 80s, a washing detergent manufacturer’s representative told an Appliance Industry Association meeting that cold water was at least 20C.
For fifteen years up until about 2000, I was involved in appliance servicing, and saw first hand the sorry sate of the outside surface of washing bowls and the inside of the outer tubs of washing machines used for ‘cold only’ washing.
Today our cold water temperature from the tap is 17.9C. In winter the cold water temperature is between 12C and 13C for about six to eight weeks. We are at Prestons, near Liverpool, NSW.
I have our F&P top loader set so the cold water is never colder than 20C - I don’t want to be desludging my own machine! Plus I occasionally use hot wash on high water level to help ensure any buildup is reduced.
Maybe today’s washing detergents have advanced considerably since the late eighties, maybe not.
I believe we need a definitive, scientific answer to the question, "What temperature is required for cold water washing?"

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Save by using ‘cold water’ washing. How many times have you heard that? But surely there is a temperature which is too cold for the detergent to work properly.
I believe washing detergent manufacturers should be required to show on the package, exactly what temperature they mean when they label it “Cold Water”
My online research found that for most modern detergents, cold water is water defined as between 18C and 23C, depending on the source. Some say enzymes will not work below about 40C, whereas others say enzymes will work fine down to about 16C.
What is the scientific truth of the matter?
In the late 1980s, a washing detergent manufacturer’s representative (I think Lever and Kitchen, but not certain) told an Appliance Industry Association meeting that cold water was at least 20C.
For fifteen years up until about 2000, I was involved in appliance servicing, and saw first hand the sorry state of the outside surface of washing bowls and the inside of the outer tubs of washing machines which were used for ‘cold only’ washing.
On April 4 our cold water temperature was 17.9C. Today (June 29) our cold water temperature from the tap is 14.5C. Both temperatures taken after the water was running for three minutes. Later in winter the cold water temperature will be between 12C and 13C for about six to eight weeks. We are at Prestons, near Liverpool, NSW.
I have our F&P top loader set so the cold water is never colder than 20C - I don’t want to be desludging my own machine! Plus I occasionally use hot wash on high water level to help ensure any buildup is reduced.
Maybe today’s washing detergents have advanced considerably since the late eighties, maybe not. My online research shows a wide range for what is considered ‘cold water’ as applied to clothes washing.
Surely detergent manufacturers should know the lowest temperature at which their detergent is effective?
It doesn’t matter what Australian or international standards say ‘cold water’ is, what matters is the lowest temperature at which detergents are effective.
I believe we need a definitive, realistic, unbiased answer to the question, “What temperature is required for cold water washing?” I hope Choice can help with this.

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Hi @harps, the international standard is set at 15 degrees, so I think that is a good basis for the definitive answer you are trying to chase down. In some areas in Australia, the water is colder and we’ve heard from consumers that laundry powder can fail to break down. Switching to a liquid or choosing a ‘warm wash’ setting can help in these situations. Hope this helps!

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Thanks for this.
I had not considered this before and will now consider Brendon’s suggestion of using a warm wash.
I haven’t actually measured the temp of our cold water except by hand and I can confirm it is b@**dy cold. Time to check and adjust my wash settings accordingly.

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We have a 22 year old Fisher & Paykel Smart Drive top-loader and it has a feature called Controlled Cold, for that very reason. You can program it to provide a minimum cold temperature, if you wish. If you select a cold wash and the cold water supply is colder than your chosen minimum, it will add some hot water.

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Measured temp of our water, 12 degrees. A tad below the 15 that seems to be the minimum for cold wash detergents. Our washer has a 30 degree cycle which is just a tad over the cold wash range but I will be giving it a go for a while.

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From my days as a laboratory scientist, I would normally use temperatures between 30-40 degrees C when using enzymes. Consistency is also important.

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