My attention was drawn to rinsing efficiency after noticing that out of dozens of washing machines reviewed by Which? most of them had a poor rating for rinsing. Even those singled out as Best Buys were “poor” at rinsing. Believe it or not, at least one Best Buy was “very poor”. I found that pretty shocking.
From studying the figures it is clear that if “good”, or “very good” rinsing was one of the prerequisites for a Best Buy there would be no Best Buy washing machines or washer dryers at all – not a single one. It appears that Which? have decided to allow the poor rinsing results to be a caveat instead of a best buy killer. Please note however that several Which? best buys are “satisfactory” at rinsing which is something at least.
Out of 125 washing machines and washer dryers tested, a remarkable 75 of them (60%) were rated either “poor” or “very poor” at rinsing with only 3 getting the rating we should expect for all washing machines which is “good”.
The rest were a mere “satisfactory”. To summarise, just less than 3 % of the 125 washers & dryers are “good” at rinsing according to Which?
Since writing this article I’ve discovered Which? no longer give the majority of washing machines 1 or 2 star ratings for rinsing ability, and the majority appear to get 3 or 4 stars. Which? tell me they’ve readjusted their rinse marks to more accurately reflect the degrees of abilities between even poor rinsing machines. However, they are still critical of many of their rinsing abilities in the comments and the pros and cons.
What does this mean?
Well for a start it doesn’t mean that we can settle for one of the three washing machines that are “good” at rinsing because they unfortunately let themselves down in other areas such as with “noisy spin, and poor brand reliability”. However, if you really need a washing machine that rinses better than any other – maybe because of allergies – then at least Which? have identified three candidates out of the 125 they’ve tested so far.
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Why aren’t they rinsing properly and does it really matter?
Surely all washing machines should rinse well? It’s surely quite simple, you just use enough water to rinse them properly. It’s astounding that we have reached the situation where the majority of washing machines and washer dryers on sale in the UK are apparently poor at rinsing.
This has probably come about because people have been focussing on other aspects, which has left rinsing as a low priority. Two explanations spring to mind. Firstly, the focus on using less and less water is clearly impacting on our washing machine’s ability to rinse effectively. Whereas modern detergents can facilitate efficient and effective washing results at lower temperatures and with less water, no such product is currently allowing effective rinsing with much less water.
Good rinsing needs plenty of water which is in direct opposition to the current environmental concerns and clamour to be the washing machine using the least amount of water.
Eco LabelsThe second explanation I can think of is that the eco-labelling system which awards ratings for energy efficiency, spin efficiency and wash efficiency do not appear to take into account rinse efficiency.
As such, manufacturers aren’t being judged on how well their washing machines rinse, only on how well they wash and how well they extract water on spin. I’m speculating at this stage, but I can’t see how so many washing machines could be awarded an “A” wash efficiency rating if the tests took into account how well the clothes were rinsed. Presumably, as long as all stains are removed and laundry looks “clean” no one bothers about how much soap detergent residue is left.
It might be a good idea to create a fourth category, “rinse efficiency” on the eco labels, or at least include the rinse efficiency as part of the wash efficiency test.
Ultimately if customers don’t notice an issue then it could be argued that it doesn’t really matter.
Maybe it doesn’t for most people, but it surely does to anyone sensitive to wash detergents and with allergies and a lot of people are. There were 581 comments added on this topic from such people before I had to close comments to prevent it being endless.
The current situation is that to anyone keen to buy a washing machine with good rinsing I have no washing machine to recommend because none of the companies producing the best, and the most reliable washing machines currently supply one that rinses above average according to Which? although this could easily change and you would need to check out the latest to be sure.
Are Which? being too critical? Are Which? applying too stringent a rinse test? I must admit I’ve not had many complaints from people saying their washing machine isn’t rinsing properly and my own Miele washing machine, which although a Which? Best Buy, didn’t receive a “good” rating for rinsing yet it appears to rinse perfectly well as far as we can see.
In fact I remarked to my wife that my clothes don’t smell of detergent like they used to in the old washing machine and deduced that it rinsed much better. However, neither of us have any reactions to washing machine detergent. The thing about Which? is that they are totally independent.
They work only for their subscribers interests and are actually a registered charity. They don’t make any money directly by recommending any product (even though they could) because they want to be seen as 100% unbiased. They are highly respected and I expect they test products fairly. However, my understanding is that the do charge for companies to display their “Best Buy” logo!
I suspect Which? are right and that modern washing machines don’t generally rinse very well because of the reasons I speculate about above. Whether it matters or whether it will change depends on whether enough of the public are bothered, or even notice. The 581 comments added to this article below show that many people do find this a big issue.
Which? research
NOTE: Which? do rate some washing machines as satisfactory for rinsing and even a couple are rated as good, although unfortunately the few rated good (so far) are not so good on reliability.
Which? are constantly reviewing washing machines so if rinsing is particularly important to you it makes sense to become a member and see all the buying advice. I can’t print their advice for copyright reasons.
Here’s how they describe their reviews –
We are of course well known for our traditional product testing. And when we test something like the proverbial washing machine, we will ask the laboratory not only to measure how clean the clothes get, but how much water and energy is used? How easy is it to work out the programmes? What is the machine like on specialist cycles? How long does it take? All these things feed into our best buy criteria.
We will devise the testing schedule by looking at things from the ordinary user’s point of view: and if standard industry methods are not good enough we will devise our own methods ”
Causes of poor rinsing
There are some common causes of poor rinsing even in washing machines that do rinse well that it might be useful to point out. Anyone experiencing poor rinsing problems where washing comes out with detergent residues or white powder streaks should read this – White streaks or residual washing powder after washing
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Washerhelp: I am sorry to be so blunt, but you are talking an absolute load of rubbish! Once and for all, I repeat … YOU CANNOT RINSE PROPERLY IN COLD WATER. It is scientifically impossible to completely break down such that it can be rinsed away detergent from heavy items such as towels and jeans.
Washing machine manufacturers are just plain WRONG !! They have to abide by EEC rules and conform to the ridiculous standards laid down by that bureaucratic pile of pc nonsense. Until fairly recently you could buy washing machines that had hot and cold fill, with the option of warm or hot water rinses. Washing machines throughout history HAVE rinsed adequately … until the recent EEC legislation.
I do not suffer from skin allergies, I do not suffer from exczema … EXCEPT WHEN DETERGENT IS LEFT BEHIND IN MY CLOTHING. I use bio, so if the detergent is not rinsed properly, then I have enzymes on my skin breaking it down and “digesting” it. Frankly, I do not want to be eaten by detergent, so I prefer to have properly rinsed clothing. I will continue to fill up my machine with warm water and run separate wash cycles without soap in an attempt to remove at least some of the massive soap build up I have in my clothes, particularly the heavy cottons and towels. I detest man made fibres, I like cotton, I like linen, I like natural fibres, and these are the ones that hold the detergent the most and need warm or hot water and plenty of it to rinse the detergent away.
The vast majority of people maybe perfectly happy with their laundry rinsed in cold water … partly because the vast majority of people use man made fibres maybe? Also, they live in ignorance. They have no idea that their modern washing machine does not rinse properly, and pour in unnecessary fabric conditioner in order to make their towels less stiff and board-like. I prefer not to use fabric conditioner, or a tumble dryer (which will also soften up towels stiff with detergent), but to actually have properly rinsed clothes thank you very much.
I used to repair washers of all variations and cannot recall ever seeing a front loader with an option for warm rinses, I know most USA top loaders do but then they only do a spray rinse followed by one deep one so maybe thats why???
Nikki: It was a bit blunt, there’s no need for insults in intelligent debate. Your last paragraph even agrees with me – “the vast majority of people may be perfectly happy with their laundry rinsed in cold water”. This applies to all the washing machine manufacturers too.
I also acknowledged that I’m sure people like yourselves would prefer warm water rinsing so I don’t see anything in my comment that could be rubbish other than it doesn’t agree with your view.
Washing machines, like any other product are designed for the masses, and minority preferences – or even needs – are not always commercially viable for big manufacturers. All I’ve said is that despite agreeing it may be possible that warm water rinsing removes more detergent it probably doesn’t have a big enough effect for the majority of people to make it viable to make all washing machines rinse in warm water because it would increase their cost considerably as well as their running costs. If most people are content with cold water rinsing – and have been for many decades, they aren’t going to want to pay more for their washing machines and increase their running costs.
Washerhelp: I speak as I find … believe me, for me that was mild !! However, I sincerely apologise if I caused offence. I am more than capable of intelligent debate, which is why I am going to ask you to please NOT take my statements out of context! I did indeed agree with you that the vast majority of people may be perfectly happy with their laundry rinsed in cold water … but I went on to say that this may be due to ignorance, and may be due to the fact that most people use mainly synthetic fabrics. This does not mean that we should have to suffer machines not rinsing properly. As far as I know, towels are always cotton of some sort or another, and these absolutely are not rinsed properly in cold water.
But by all means carry on burying your head in the sand, and claiming that cold water can rinse out detergent effectively. This is total nonsense and flies in the face of scientific FACT. But it’s a free world, so please continue!
I shall continue to state my point of view, and continue to warn everyone I can about this problem. I happen to be a medical secretary, and currently there is an “epidemic” of serious skin and other conditions that could well be related to the recent ridiculous EEC regulations, which all manufacturers have to adhere to apparently. Asthma is dramatically increasing, eczema and other skin problems, and although I believe those that say these can be caused by over-cleanliness in the home, there is also plenty of evidence pointing at detergents being one of the causes.
Hi Nikki: No offence was taken, it was just a bit of a shock :-)
I haven’t taken your words out of context. You acknowledged that you accepted that most people are content with cold water rinsing, which is my premise for arguing there’s probably not a big enough demand for warm water rinsing. The fact that you went on to give reasons why you think they shouldn’t be content was irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that most people are apparently content with rinsing in cold water. And if they are, then there’s not a big enough demand for anything better – if it costs more.
The fact that warm water rinsing may be better, or even may even get rid of every trace of detergent is irrelevant if most people don’t have a problem with the level of rinsing via cold water.
The fact that something is “better” doesn’t automatically allow it to exist in a commercial market. To rinse in warm water, washing machines would have to carefully combine and monitor the temperature of hot and cold water during rinsing. They would need a redesign, extra parts, and they would also use more hot water, which will add to their initial cost, make them less reliable by adding more components and cost more to run. If all this could revolutionise the effectiveness of rinsing laundry all well and good but as I’ve stated before, if it could, why have they always used cold water and why haven’t manufacturers launched warm water models en mass with adverts saying how much better they rinse laundry? Manufacturers never miss a trick to try and persuade us their machine is better yet they all missed this one?
Most people don’t have a problem with rinsing in cold water because since they were invented in around 1800 nearly 200 years ago (with the modern front loader being invented in the 1950s – 60 years ago) they have always rinsed in cold water. To say that you cannot rinse laundry in cold water flies in the face of hundreds of years of history and experience. I’m sat right now in clothes rinsed in cold water and they are perfectly fine, all my clothes, and all the laundry of my family have always been rinsed in cold water and never given us a problem – so it’s just not plausible to say they aren’t adequately rinsed because clearly they are. By adequate I mean to satisfaction – not the exclusion of all traces of detergent.
I’ve never known any customer in 30 years of repairing them that complained their laundry wasn’t rinsing properly unless there was an actual fault on the machine accounting for it.
I can accept that warm water may be better, but that’s not what you are saying, you are saying only warm water can rinse laundry even though we’ve been rinsing in cold water for ever and even now, when washing machines are being slated by Which? tests as being poor at rinsing the majority of people seem content with results.
If modern washing machines are poor at rinsing, which is what this topic is about it’s because they are using less water, and not because they are using cold water. If it’s simply because they are using cold water then washing machines can never have rinsed to a standard customers would accept but they clearly have until very recently because they’ve reduced water consumption for rinses.
I agree with Nikki Jenkins and I know that proper rinsing can only be achieved with WARM water at a temperature of AT LEAST 40C. I believe that PLENTY of cold water can rinse away most (but NOT all) of the detergent and its chemical ingredients out of fabric fibres, BUT some of it will be left behind. Maybe 20 years ago most people could tolerate the tiny amount left behind because washing machines rinsed with high water levels using cold water. The epidemic of asthma and and other skin allergies is almost certainly caused by modern washing machines using so little water to rinse out only some of the detergent.
Warm rinsing does indeed work. I can attest to the fact that my washing is rinsed properly since using just one warm rinse and adding 7 10 big jugfuls of water from the hot tap into my machine which only takes a few minutes and I have no choice anyway, otherwise my eczema would come back. If you use UN-perfumed fabric conditioner like Surcare or don’t use fabric conditioner at all, the washing should pass the sniff test and not smell of the tiniest trace of detergent. If it smells even slightly then it is NOT rinsed properly.
As for washing machine manufacturers, they don’t listen to customers’ wishes and the silly PC environmental rules mean that they can’t heat the water up in each rinse as it would use too much energy, just as the same silly rules stop the washing machine manufacturers using too much cold water. Thanks to these silly rules, we have more people with allergies today than ever before!!
I’m sure by now, in the 21st century with all this modern technology, they can invent a washing machine that rinses cottons in warm water (40C minimum) by means of a heat exchanger and holding the heat, which can warm the incoming water until it is sufficiently warm. They could use a hot water inlet valve and make the bold claim of being environmentally friendly by claiming that users of solar heated water can save energy, then use this to hot water valve for warm rinsing, using the cold one too if the incoming water is too hot.
I don’t know the science, but it could be that warm water helps dissolve the detergent and open the clothing fibres, similar to ironing clothes i.e. heat flattens the creased areas. You wouldn’t be able to iron clothes without heat, for the same reason that you can’t rinse clothes as good in cold water, especially in the winter when the incoming water supply is extremely cold.
If you don’t believe me, then take freshly rinsed cottons that have been rinsed in cold water and NO fabric conditioner and rinse them in plenty of warm or very warm water. Provided no fabric conditioner was used (which disguises foam), you will see foam appear from clothes you thought were rinsed acceptably. This is especially true for towels. Try it! Sorry this message is so long and sounds authoritative, but people need to know the true facts and this blog could make a positive difference to people who are suffering skin complaints.
Hi Nikki,
You must be able to rinse properly with cold water, I did all your tests and could not remove a bubble from my towels, or other thick heavy items. You even admit this yourself in comment 247.
Reading comment 229, from Andy, the point about hot water exagerating the detergent, whereas cold water could be removing it just as well without causing it to show or soap up to the naked eye.
I don’t see how water temperature makes a difference, over the years when I was a kid we have had a few machines rinse perfectly well with cold water, and so have my Grandparents. If there was the tinyest trace of detergent left in my clothing my dermatitis and excema would immediatley react, so this is clear evedence that the older machines in question have rinsed properly.
Oliver.
Thanks Oliver. I think the argument has developed because (as in most arguments) both parties are arguing about different things but believe they are arguing about the same thing.
No one can argue washing machines cannot possibly rinse adequately in cold water. Only if you are using the word “adequately” to mean perfectly could you argue that.
You might argue they can’t rinse “perfectly” or they can’t remove every last trace of detergent, or they can’t rinse to your particular exacting standards, but you can’t say it’s impossible to rinse in cold water because we’ve been doing so to the satisfaction of most people for centuries.
Oliver: no, I did not, I was being heavily sarcastic! Also I refer to CLOTHES … not heavy cotton towels. Towels you cannot rinse in cold water, end of. I actually say that the clothes are still soapy, but nowhere near as soapy as they used to be.
I do not want my clothes to be soapy, neither do I want my towels to be soapy. When I dry my body off after a bath or a shower, I do not want to rub biological washing powder into my skin, which is what I am doing effectively.
Washerhelp : what part of the sentence “it is scientific fact that detergent cannot be rinsed out of towels using cold water” would you argue with?