Quick wash a false economy as it leaves clothes dirty

WASHING machine quick cycles are not as green as people think because they are ineffective at cleaning clothes, Which? has claimed.

Shorter washes on modern machines are not as good at cleaning, rinsing and spinning, compared with a standard wash programme, the consumer watchdog said.

Many people use the quick cycles to save money in an attempt to use less energy, but the research suggests that running a full cycle could be more effective in the long run.

Which? tested wash cycles on 10 popular brands of appliance, but while standard programmes got an average of four stars for performance, the quick cycles got just two stars. Rinsing dropped from an average three stars to two stars, while spinning went from an average five stars on a standard wash to three stars on a quick wash.

“This means that quick washes are only really suited to laundry without tough stains or lingering smells, such as a few shirts, blouses or T-shirts worn for only a day,” Which? said.

The researchers said that the faster cycles used an average of 2.1 litres less water and average energy use was less too. The cost per wash for a quick cycle was 9p on average, compared with 18p for a normal wash on the cotton setting at 40C.

However, they said “as quick washes are generally for smaller loads, consumers might not end up saving”. Which? added: “And as quick washes don’t spin your clothes as thoroughly as a full wash, it will take longer for them to dry. If you use a tumble dryer to do this, it will consume more energy – which will cost more.”

The consumer group also surveyed 1,199 washing machine owners and found 55 per cent use their quick wash “sometimes” or “always”.

Which? said it believed a growing number of people are opting for the quick wash because average standard wash times are increasing. In 2011, the average was about two hours, but it is now more than three. Which? said standard washing cycles are getting longer as manufacturers compete to achieve an A+++ energy label.

Previous research by Which? found many washing machines fail to reach the advertised temperature on their 60C programmes. It said: “As heating the water is the most energy-intensive part, this suggests… manufacturers are decreasing the temperature to cut down on energy consumption, but increasing the duration of the wash to get the same cleaning results.”