Cotton Eco mode in the washing machine

What are they?

On the market of automatic washing machines, the greatest preference is given to equipment with a maximum range of functions and an abundance of special programs, because this helps to achieve brilliant washing results and prevent damage to things. You must be able to correctly use one or another type of program and wisely use the capabilities of the machine. First you need to figure out what type of washing modes are classified.

By type of linen

The program is selected taking into account the material - cotton, synthetic fiber, denim, wool, silk, etc.

Economical programs

Here the choice depends on what the housewife would prefer to save: water, time, electricity or washing powder. Savings are achieved by reducing heating or water waste, as well as reducing the time interval.

This type of classification is characterized by a high temperature regime, additional rinsing of washed clothes and is intended for people who need careful treatment of their things: allergy sufferers or children.

Video material

By buying things made from eco-cotton, you not only take care of your health and the health of your children, but also make a tangible contribution to maintaining a healthy environmental situation on the planet. The cotton grown to create such fabric does not harm nature in any way, and proper care of the fabrics will preserve their original appearance for a long time. Make the most of your home appliances and choose the right wash cycle for your clothes wisely.

Description of standard modes

After placing things in the machine, adding powder and pressing the “Start” button, almost any model of washing machine, regardless of the manufacturer, performs a similar procedure:

water intake and heating;
the washing itself;
water removal and spinning;
rinsing;
the final wringing out of things.

The sequential execution of all of the above actions constitutes a full cycle of operation of the machine, which regulates the specifics of performing these operations.

"Spin"

The number of revolutions of the spin program in most cases ranges from 600 to 1000. The manufacturer always reserves the right to select the desired program to the user.

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The ease of ironing and the intensity of drying depend on the correct spin cycle.

"Rinsing"

Rinsing removes conditioner and traces of powder from the fabric fibers. If necessary, housewives prefer to use additional rinsing to achieve more thorough cleansing from detergents.

"Soak"

Soaking is a preparatory stage for deeply soiled laundry before the main cleaning procedure. In this case, the laundry is soaked with the drum stationary, and the selected temperature does not exceed 30° C.

Most owners of automatic washing machines do not even realize how wide the range of their programs is. Many of them have the most common modes that are ideal for different types of material. The only differences between the units are temperature conditions and washing duration. But, unfortunately, due to ignorance, users do not always use the full functionality of their washing machine. Although careful study of the details of each washing program ensures not only a long period of use of your favorite items, but also savings in time and money.

There is a certain set of programs found in almost every washing machine. Distinctive features can only be unique functions, designations and symbols on the control panel. Although these differences do not in any way affect the essence of each mode. There are those that are considered frequently used and the most famous.

"Cotton"

“Cotton” is actively used to get rid of stains that appear on the surface of cotton items. The temperature limit is 95° C, and the spin cycle is performed at high speeds. If you have any doubts about the color fastness of a particular product, it is recommended that when choosing this program, you independently adjust the heating degree and the number of revolutions.

There are several options for cotton washes:

40 degrees: duration – one and a half hours, designed to remove minor dirt from natural fibers;
60 degrees: the duration of the cleansing process is a little less than two hours, it is recommended to wash white items and bed linen using this type;
95 degrees: duration – a couple of hours, is an imitation of boiling cotton items, well suited for bleaching light-colored items, as well as getting rid of greasy stains.

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The cleaning process includes: washing, rinsing and spinning. The drum rotates at high speed, because processing items made from natural fiber requires considerable effort. Rinsing is performed several times, and spinning is carried out only at maximum speed. This is explained by the fact that cotton absorbs moisture strongly and takes much longer to dry.

When washing clothes made of cotton of saturated colors, heating the water above 40 degrees is prohibited. This is because the product may change its original color. If there is not very strong pollution, then a high temperature regime will be inappropriate - this will lead to unnecessary energy and time consumption. In addition, hot water causes rapid wear of the fabric.

"Synthetics"

The temperature in this program ranges from 40-60° C. The number of revolutions used during spinning is the maximum. This setting is indispensable for processing clothes that contain synthetic fibers. In addition, the amount of synthetics in the composition does not matter in this case. This type of cleansing lasts on average from one and a half to two hours.

"Wool"

When you select this setting, items are washed at a low temperature (only 5-10° C) without spinning. The drum rotates slowly (up to 80 revolutions) and swings a little. Minimal use of water is necessary to only lightly wet the loaded woolen items. Rinsing takes a fairly long period of time, with repeated addition of water. The duration of such an operation is only 1 hour.

"Silk"

Silk fabrics are processed for about an hour (50-60 minutes). The drum rotates weakly, and spinning occurs at a small number of revolutions or is completely absent. The water temperature reaches 30-40° C. This type of washing is considered delicate and is similar to hand washing. With its help, it becomes possible to wash not only delicate and sensitive fabrics, but also items decorated with decorative elements.

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The setting is suitable for items made of cotton and linen that have been seriously soiled and have complex stains. The water temperature can reach 90° C. The drum rotates quickly, and repeated rinsing is possible. In this case, the use of bleaches and stain removers is provided.

"Preliminary"

This two-hour program is used for heavily soiled items and includes two types of treatment at once: soaking and washing. It is recommended to put the powder in both compartments: the first portion of detergent is used at the first stage of cleansing, and the second after draining the water. The products are first kept at a temperature of 30 degrees, and then washed according to a given cycle at 95° C.

"Daily"

The main distinguishing feature of this type is the half-empty drum. Lightly soiled items should be washed daily. It does not require much time or electricity. Water does not exceed 30° C. Washing duration is 50 minutes. This type of processing is indispensable for work clothes and products of various colors.

When is it used?

The described mode in the washing machine is necessary to save time, water consumption, electrical energy and, accordingly, money. There are several rules for this washing option that must be followed.

The model of an automatic washing machine must be economical in its main characteristics and capabilities . The most profitable machines are class “A”, they use little water and consume little electricity. For a family of two or three people, a car with a load of 3–4 kg is suitable.
Load the drum of the machine completely to the number of kg for which it is designed. Incomplete loading leads to excessive energy consumption.
Use the “Quick Wash” program, thanks to which the cycle of each cleaning stage is significantly reduced in time.
Wash at average water temperature – +30–40 degrees. Use very hot water if items are heavily soiled. Strong heating of water requires additional electrical energy.
Before the main wash, use the “Soak” mode. In this mode, the laundry lies in the drum of the washing machine for some time at a temperature of +30 degrees, which allows the dirt to partially come out of the fabric fibers. After soaking, you can turn on the Quick Wash program.
If your washing machine has a cold or hot rinse option, choose cold. Cold water is no worse than warm or hot water at washing out washing powder and other detergents from laundry, and its cost is much cheaper.
Save detergents , do not add too much powder, gel and other special products to the cuvette. Excess detergent will cause the program to use more water when rinsing.
Using the Eco Time program, set the washing time for the night. This step will significantly reduce electricity consumption, because at night it costs much less. Machines with the “delayed wash” function also do this at a minimal rate. Some models of automatic machines in their arsenal have an additional option “Quiet washing mode”, which is very appropriate when everyone is sleeping (Gorenje).
Be sure to unplug the washing machine from the outlet after washing. Many people are very mistaken in believing that a machine that is not working but connected to power does not consume electricity. An automatic machine in a standby state quietly uses 5–10% of the total energy consumption of all appliances in the house. Over the course of a month and a year, a pleasantly saved amount will accrue.

For information on how to use the modes correctly, see below.

Additional features

In addition to washing, spinning and temperature modes, the machines are equipped with additional programs. The more expensive the model, the wider and more sophisticated its functionality.

Very convenient for additional processing of highly wrinkled fabrics. Linen trousers and blouses do not look wrinkled after ironing, and deep creases disappear. Some machines iron laundry using steam.

The ironing mode is ideal for processing linen clothes.
This mode is necessary if there are people in the family who are allergic to household chemicals. An additional rinse after the main wash ensures that even the slightest signs of powder disappear. This function is also used when washing infant onesies and diapers. In addition, additional rinsing works well when processing items whose structure and material require more thorough washing - fleecy fabrics, wool, soft toys, pillows, faux fur, multi-layered outerwear.

Child lock

The mode allows you to completely block access to the functionality of the washing machine during washing. By pressing one button, you will protect the machine from opening, unauthorized starting and changing settings.

Child lock mode will keep the family calm

Limits water supply, helps save. Convenient for small amounts of washing, when only half the water of its usual volume is enough.

The function during spin helps to distribute things evenly over the entire surface of the drum.

It turns on during the main wash at maximum drum load, when the usual volume of water is not enough to rinse.

On timer

Allows you to set a specific time to start the washing machine.

The on timer will wash while you are at work

The program itself controls the amount of water consumed during washing. Adds more if needed. Limits the supply if there is already enough.

The functionality allows you to monitor all the main “organs” of the washing machine for various problems. Forewarned is forearmed.

No ironing

The no-iron mode consists of incompletely draining the water, so that deep creases and folds do not remain on the clothes.

Disabling spin

Allows you to disable the squeezing function in any washing mode.

Delicate spin

During a delicate spin, the machine spins the laundry at minimum speed.

To increase interest and desire to buy more modern models of washing machines, manufacturers are introducing new additional options that help to better remove stubborn stains and simply refresh the appearance of laundry.

An additional rinse is an excellent option, which also has another name - “anti-allergy”. It is indispensable for people suffering from allergies to household chemicals, and is perfect for families with children. This option is unique in that it guarantees thorough destruction of even minor traces of the detergent used. The function will also help to process products whose structure requires additional cleaning - carpets, toys made of fabric, outerwear.
No spinning is a great way to preserve the life of some items. Disabling the corresponding function when processing products made of delicate materials saves them from premature wear.
Delayed start - if it is impossible to pick up the washed items at the appointed time, they are transferred to water, followed by rinsing and spinning.
Delayed start is a great find for busy people who don't spend much time at home. The items needed for washing are placed in the drum and powder is added. The device itself will start the wash at the time that the user sets in advance on the panel. Then all that remains is to take out and hang the laundry at a convenient time.
Drying. Shakes things well and prevents wrinkles from forming. For materials that can be processed at high temperatures, a faster process can be selected.
Ironing/light ironing. The selected setting does not involve an intermediate spin, and rinsing is carried out using a large amount of water. This method is simply irreplaceable for wrinkled fabrics such as linen, because it helps get rid of severe bruises.
Wash in cold water. Used for items that should only be washed in cold water. With this installation, the water is heated to a maximum of 30 – 35°C.
Water level control. The machine itself measures the weight of the items to be washed and determines the required volume of water. If there is not enough water during the washing process, the program adds it, but if, on the contrary, there is enough water, it limits the supply.
Partial load. This setting ensures that the washing process proceeds according to the usual pattern, but only accelerated, since there is a limited water supply and energy savings. This cleaning method is useful when washing sportswear and everyday items.
Washing at night - the automatic machine operates as silently as possible. The final spin is not performed, and the process is completed without using a sound signal.
Child protection. In this type of installation, access to the operation of the washing machine is blocked at any stage of product processing. Clicking the required icon on the control panel guarantees protection against penetration into the settings of a running device.
Balanced spin. Thanks to this setting, when turning revolutions, the washed items are evenly distributed over the drum surface.
Extra water. A main wash with a large load can be supplemented with this function, since the standard amount of water may not be enough for rinsing in this type of installation.
Fault diagnosis. The function provides the ability to analyze the condition of all main parts of the washing machine for damage.
No ironing. The water is not drained completely, which helps get rid of stubborn creases and wrinkles on clothes.
Control of water transparency. Also an indispensable function for allergy sufferers and families with small children. The machine itself determines whether things have been rinsed enough, or whether the water is not clear enough and contains soap.
Foam control. Excess foam clogs the product with unnecessary chemicals. In this case, excess foam formed during spinning and deposited on things is removed from the drum using a special pump.
Eco Bubble is a unique system that provides the formation of active bubbles, thanks to which the powder dissolves better in water and activates its effect on contaminated areas of fabric.

How to choose?

Before washing things in an automatic washing machine, it is recommended to carefully read the product labels and sort everything by type, color and degree of soiling. Following this simple rule will be the key to the correct choice of treatment function and a successful stain removal result.

Which mode to choose is the prerogative of the owner of the unit. He can either add additional settings to the process of processing things, or disable existing operations in the selected program. But the mode is best determined according to certain criteria, otherwise the chosen option may become dangerous for your favorite things:

by purpose of things - children's clothing, sportswear, shoes;
by material – linen, wool, cotton, mixed fabrics;
according to the conditions - economy, express, combi or steam wash.

Basic recommendations when determining modes:

cotton products, including items for a newborn baby, can be washed using high temperatures (60 to 95°C) and a high number of revolutions (up to 1400);
colored items made of natural material – 40°C, permissible number of revolutions – up to 1400;
linen – 40-50°C, spin – up to 600 rpm, turn off spin for clothes;
synthetics – 40°C, spin – 600 rpm;
silk, wool and other delicate fabrics – 40°C, 400-600 rpm;
jeans – 60°C, spin – 800 rpm.

Explanation of icons

The designations for washing and processing processes on different models of washing machines differ from each other, since all manufacturers themselves determine which image, in their opinion, will be most understandable to the user. We will talk about the same processes, differing only in their iconic execution.

Washing steps are indicated by:

circle or diamond with a dash – start/stop;
triangle and 2 lines – start/pause;
spiral - spin;
crossed out spiral – no spin;
a basin of water with a wriggling line on top - washing;
a bowl of water and 2 dashes – intensive wash;
a basin in which the hands are lowered - hand washing;
basin and 1 line – pre-wash;
basin and 2 dashes – daily washing;
basin with items - quick wash;
snowflake - cold wash;
a basin with dotted lines or a shower inside – rinsing;
basin with an arrow - draining water;
sun - drying;
iron - ironing.

Drawn symbols for different types of fabrics:

cotton - cloud;
synthetics - flask or hanger;
silk - feather;
jeans - trousers;
wool - a ball or skein of thread.

The main modes have:

thing with spots - intensive mode;
a flower that looks like a chamomile - delicate mode;
wood – eco mode (economical washing).

The following video describes the washing modes in the LG washing machine.

In LG technology

Absolutely all washing machines of this Korean company are equipped with the Cotton Eco program. The interesting thing is that in addition to this mode, washing machines contain several other similar programs, but more on that later. First, let's look at how the unit implements the Cotton Eco program.

The temperature is set automatically and is 60 degrees. This is the upper limit. If desired, the user can reduce the water temperature to 40, 30 degrees or even set the washing mode to cold water.
The washing time is also set by default and depends on several factors. For example, whether the user turned on the spin and additional rinse modes, what temperature he set. The more additional functions are implemented and the higher the temperature, the longer the work process will take.
Also, in parallel with the Cotton Eco mode, you can activate the timer, pre-wash, time saving, and intensive mode.
It is possible to deactivate the spin cycle if the need arises.

In addition to the Cotton Eco mode, LG washing machines also have Cotton, Cotton Fast and Mixed fabric programs. They are not much different from each other. The only difference between these modes and Cotton Eco is that you can set the temperature up to 95 degrees yourself. As mentioned above, Eco Cotton washes at a maximum of 60 degrees.

All washing machines have a certain power consumption class. Class A machines are considered the most economical. They consume less than 0.13 kW/kg per hour of washing. Class A cars consume 0.15 kW, A - 0.17 kW, A - 0.17 - 0.19 kW, B - 0.19 - 0.23 kW. And so on increasingly, up to a consumption of 0.39 kW per hour for washing machines of class G. If you are planning to buy a machine in the near future, pay special attention to the energy consumption class.

In addition, almost all modern machines have an “Economic Wash” program. In this mode, the machine consumes a minimum of water and electricity. Things are washed in cool water, and the drum spins less often and less. Similar programs: “Quick wash”, “Accelerated mode”, “Quick 30”.

On Samsung washing machines

Samsung produces washing machines with different functionality, so the Cotton Eco program can not be found on every model. But if the mode is still present, it has the following parameters:

Washing temperature from 40 to 60 degrees.
The spin speed is not limited.
The pre-wash function is enabled, but can be disabled if desired.
The wash lasts a little over 2 hours.

Basically, this program is used to wash various fabrics with medium and very light soiling. You can wash bed linen, underwear, towels, tablecloths, blouses and shirts, etc. If you are the owner of a SM of another brand, but see that your model also has a Cotton Eco mode, take a look at the instructions. As a rule, there manufacturers give brief characteristics of each program.

Interesting:

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