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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I never had any problem before in my life with itchy skin until these stupid EEC regulations came into play such that only an eggcupfull of water is allowed into the machine, and no cold rinse. It is a travesty, and I say yah boo sucks to the EEC. I rinse my clothes by hand in hot water in the sink, and am now starting to have nice fluffy towels and clothes once more. It has taken time, it has taken gallons of water and doubtless the death of thousands of trees due to all the extra carbon, but I am getting there. I wash everything at 60 degrees, with a soak and a pre-wash selected. I put in 1 scoop of “Vanish” and this seems to be doing the trick.
The secret to soft fluffy clothes is rinsing in LOTS of water, preferably warm or even more preferably hot. Of course, some fabrics won’t take this treatment, but as I have said before, I prefer natural fibres of cotton and linen, and all my towels, bed linens and most of my clothes are fine on high temperatures. Anything synthetic is washed at 40 degrees, but I have very little that is synthetic.
In the perfect world, the washing machine could use gallons of warm (40C) water in each rinse and perform at least 6 rinses. But for the main wash and pre-wash programmes, use only the amount of water necessary, especially if heating the water higher than 40C.
It would be nice if there was some easy “hack” with the electronics to make the drum fill halfway up the door only on rinses. The warm water could flow into the washing machine by a Thermostatic Mixing Valve and could be set as low as 30C if you wash delicates or 40C if everything you wash can handle 40C or warmer.
Until then, I have to fill a large jug from the hot tap and pour into the soap drawer time after time in order to raise the rinse level high, until I get fed-up or have other things to do.
I agree with you Nikki Jenkins about cotton and linen. I don’t like delicate fabrics and I don’t like the thought of having one delicate item amongst “normal” clothing and having to use a delicate programme, with a slow spin, just for the one delicate item. It’s easier to wash everything on the “cottons” programme and use warm water without worrying about the clothes being ruined. I wash all my bedding on 60C and I don’t care what the wash labels say – I know that 60C kills the dust mites and allergens. My bedding has not been shrunk nor ruined in any way, however I don’t have silk bedding!
I would love to know the science behind warm water rinsing. It must be doing something, compared to incoming water that’s just above freezing in January every year.
Really interesting thread. Yet another person here who is suffering from skin irritation from poorly rinsed washing.Like several others who’ve contributed here my bedding is cotton and most of my clothes are cotton. The synthetics – which I wash very rarely – rinse fine. In my view if a machine can not rinse towels/sheets/jeans properly it is not fit for purpose.
I find it particularly annoying that the manufacturers will not provide information on rinsing performance. I rate Miele as a firm but when I asked them about how their machines performed they said their rinsing was “excellent” but couldn’t provide any data to back it up. So how do they know it’s excellent???
I asked JLP why they didn’t supply rinsing information for their machines – answer was because the manufacturers would all have to agree apparently and they will not do so until someone forces them to do so.
Like several others I am not “allergic” nor do I have especially sensitive skin and have washed my clothes with out any problems for the last 30 years!
It took me 3 years to work out what was causing it and having done so I am taking it up with the retailer in the hope that they will put pressure on the manufacturer. I am quite willing to take them to the small claims court if necessary. In response to my written complaint they have paid for the service call to establish whether any fault with the machine. Which there isn’t – engineer confirmed that all was working to manufacturer’s criteria.
Interestingly he was suffering from exactly the same problem (itchy skin) since buying a new machine two years ago. There must be a lot of us about…….
Hi WMUser,
Using vinegar to clean a washing machine does not work. I have tried it on 2 machines with the tank an inch thick in slime/bio-film, I ran one with water and the other the same with 1 bottle of vinegar, the 2 were exactly the same after each treatment, no difference. Both were done on boil washes from a cold water supply. Soda Crystals do not clean a badly messed up machine either. Neither are strong enough to combat the bio-film which forms.
To properly clean a machine it should be done using a normal dose of biological washing powder containing bleach on a boil wash. If you are concerned about detergent residues you can run a boil wash again afterwards to clear it. Alternatively I have found a product called Maytag “Affresh”. It works very well and leaves the machine residue free, it also clears detergent accumulation.
If the machine is very bad when it has filled up for the boil wash add enough COLD water to raise the level an inch up the door glass. The Affresh works a lot better when kicked off from cold as does the bio powder.
A washing machine can be “hacked” as you put it, to fill half-way up the door by adjusting the pressure switch, I have done it with my parents’ Siltal, I did not make it fill that high though. Your Zanussi-Electrolux will have an adjustable pressure switch. With the right software a washing machine can easily be altered to perform more rinses, but manufacturers are not going to give technical information away, especially Miele!
One thing to consider is some detergent rinse out a lot easier than others, Proctor and Gambles offerings are 10 times harder to shift than Unilever’s. And as Simon has found out Ecover is the easiest to rinse out of all.
All the best,
Oliver.
Ruth, I too have noticed the synthetics cycle rinses better (the rare times I use it) and it does that because it uses more water than the cottons cycle. Crazy really! Like you, my “allergies” only appear from chemicals in contact with skin, otherwise my skin is fine. If you look at the label on laundry detergent such as Ariel Excel Gel, it has the word “irritant” along with the symbol of a black “X” on a red background. New washing machines don’t rinse properly at all, thus leaving this “irritant” in the clothes, so when we sweat and we wear clothes which are in contact with our skin all day long and our bedding all night, it’s no wonder people are itching and allergic!!
Oliver, I recommended clear vinegar to clear out limescale in the washing machine. Does this “Maytag Affresh” product clear limescale? I’ve had a look at it, but no mention of limescale removal. It sounds like a good product, especially if it can clear out remains of old detergent.
For anyone wondering about warm rinsing, it could be similar to this: If you rinse your toothbrush in very hot water for a few minutes, you’ll be surprised at how much old toothpaste disappears. No matter how much you rinse it under the cold tap, it won’t remove much of the hardened toothpaste. It’s probably related to running maintenance washes at the highest temperature of 90C or 95C (depending which one your washing machine has). A maintenance wash would not work very well with cold water only!
Hi Oliver: Did you use white distilled vinegar?
Hi Andy,
Yes, it was distilled white vinegar.
Oliver.
Hi WMUser,
Affresh does not remove limescale deposites. Clearing limescale is a completley seperate job from removing a bio-film or gunk from low temperature washing. The gunk needs an Alkali and a bleach to remove and break it up whereas limescale needs a dedicated acidic product.
If you have a dirty machine it is wise to clear the gunk using bio-bleach powder or Affresh which works quicker and is more effective. Only once all that is removed limescale is a secondary job with the use of a proper washing machine safe descaling product, Electrolux make a nice effective one.
It is a direct opposition from you trying to achieve good rinsing with a modern machine but if the correct amount of detergent is used for your own water hardness there should never be any need to descale a washing machine.
Vinegar does NOT remove limescale from a washing machine in the slightest, because it is not strong enough, plus over doing it by say adding 10 pints may do harm to the machine itself, so I would always recommend the correct product as if that damages your machine you have a come back.
It was Kim and Aggie that started the vinegar and caustic soda thing and neither make the slightest difference to a washing machine, besides what do they know about them anyway?
All the best.
Oliver.
As far as I’ve been aware, white distilled vinegar is supposed to help get rid of smells in washing machines rather than limescale although I’ve heard people say it gets rid of limescale around taps and shower heads etc, which is a less demanding ask than from inside a washing machine when the vinegar would be diluted so much.
hi all,
Let me just say i have done every thing to try and sort
out my washing problem and i mean every thing so i do hope that is clear to every one .
This is a two product fault 1st you have a washing machine
which only uses about 45lt in a wash if you are lucky! .
But what my problem is caused by the new type of washing
powder and liquids when it is mixed with hard water when
doing washing ,the makers have changed it to work at lower
temps but has caused a problem in that the lime now bonds
to the clothes but also with some thing from the washing
powder or liquid which is the 2nd problem and this will
not rinse out because it has bonded to the clothes ,so is
that now clear?.
So the new washing machines are not as good as before ,
but you can add more water , by pipe or jug etc a problem
in itself ! (got the T SHIRT now!).
So this itch and pins problem (read my other comments) use
ECOVER LIQUID ONE CAP FULL , SAINSBURY WATER SOFTENER
ONE TABLESPOON , THIS SHOULD BREAK THE BOND ON A 30
TEMP WASH ONLY ,BUT NOT ON A WET AND BASH WASH
AS NEW WASHING MACHINES NOW DO ,ONE THIRD UP THE
DOOR WITH WATER , THEN EXTRA RINSE AND SURCARE
CONDITIONER 25ML- 35ML PER LOAD 2-3 KGS
HAVE FUN AND GOOD LUCK?.
ADY.