Understanding Washer Cycles

Washing machines cycles are the different options you can select to launder your clothes. For the best results, you should choose a wash cycles that’s appropriate for the types of fabrics and colour. This will determine a suitable water temperature and spin speed. As always it pays to read the care instructions. Understanding wash cycles is crucial to taking good care of your clothes, to add longevity to your wardrobe and reduces your carbon footprint on our precious planet.

It’s true that not all washing machines are made equal. They may have different load capacities, efficiency levels and various features. This blog article will provide a general guide into when to use the different cycles to get the best results for you.

The Delicates Cycle

Perfect for delicate items such as blouses, eveningwear and lingerie, the delicate wash cycle is the machine is generally the shortest and the most gentle cycle - the machine equivalent of a hand-wash. This cycle uses cold or warm water with low or no spin to minimise injury to fabrics due to agitation. We do not recommend selecting a hot water setting for delicates as this can cause shrinkage and injury to the fabrics. Flow Laundry defaults to a cold wash as we find this gives your laundry the safest clean!

The Normal Cycle

Our ultimate, I-can-do-it-all cycle, the Normal cycle is often a lengthy cycle (at home) with high levels of agitation. The Normal cycles is perfect for everyday clothes, bedding and towels. As always you should sort items by colour before you start the wash to avoid dye bleed especially for newly purchased clothes or items that have only been washed a few times. Flow Laundry’s suite of commercial and industrial washers default to Normal cycles and only takes 30 minutes for a full cycle.

The Permanent Press Cycle

This is perhaps the most asked about cycle - what in the world is Perm Press? The Perm Press cycle can be selected when washing synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and spandex. Typically shorter in time than the Normal cycle, it also has lower spin speed with the intention of minimising wrinkles. So the next time you do a load of synthetic trackies or your Lululemons pick the Perm Press cycle.

Quick Wash

Short on time Quick wash is the fastest wash cycle and also typically the most energy saving option. Most quick washes equate to a 30 minute cycle, so this is the fastest way to do laundry. A quick wash cycle cleans clothes effectively, but we only recommend it for lightly soiled clothes, and laundry that is not heavily stained or odorous. The quick wash cycle typically includes a shortened wash cycle and a high-speed spin cycle, so it helps quicken drying time. Because of the high spin cycle, avoid quick wash for delicate items like silks, lingerie, woolens, and anything with embellishments.

The Bulky Wash Cycle

The bulky wash cycle is the optimal setting for those larger washable items such as doonas, blankets, smaller rugs and pillows. The setting dispenses more water and provides a slightly longer soak time to ensure detergents are dissolved and evenly distributed.

Soil Settings

Choosing the right soil level setting is also important for best results. This setting indicates the amount of dirt or soil on clothes. Choose a low, medium or high soil level setting depending on how dirty your clothes are and the type of fabric you’re washing. For example delicates should be washed on a low-soil setting. Medium soil level settings are reserved for heavier fabrics like jeans, jackets or bedding and heavily soiled items with visible dirt or grass stains should be washed using a high soil level setting.