• Please make sure you follow these instructions fully. If you have any problems with carrying out this maintenance, please contact us.

    You may get better washing results by varying the temperature settings and wash cycle for certain types of washing, rather than using the same settings all the time.

    Follow any care instructions on the labels of your clothes (also see the Laundry care symbols topic for further information).

    Always check the user manual for details of your specific appliance, but the steps below will give you some general guidance.
  • 1. When hot water is best for your washing.

    If you need to wash clothes which have become very dirty, or items like sweaty clothes from a gym session, a hot-water wash is normally the best option to make sure that your washing comes out clean and free of odours.

    Hotter water is also better at getting rid of any bacteria and germs, so if you have any clothes which may need some level of disinfecting (including items such as towels and bed linen), a hot wash is the best choice to get them really clean.

    Whites and clothes which are light-coloured can normally be washed in warm to hot water because the risk of colours running is less; this temperature range is also more effective at removing most stubborn stains.

    To achieve a reasonable balance between being kind to the environment and getting the best washing results from your appliance, you can use a warm temperature in the range of 40°C to 60°C; this is a good general choice for most types of clothing, such as jeans and items which are not badly stained.
  • 2. When cold water is best for your washing.

    When washing items which are not very dirty or badly stained, you can select a colder-temperature wash on your washing machine without reducing the washing performance of your machine. The majority of modern detergents (some are designed specifically for a cooler wash) will still give you effective results at lower temperatures in the region of 30°C.

    When you are washing either dark items, or clothes with bright colours, using a cold wash will help stop the colours from fading or losing their brightness and help reduce the chance of colours running into other items in the wash load.

    Many delicate fabrics, like wool or silk, are better-protected in a cooler wash as the fibres in the fabric are less likely to be damaged or shrink.

    And, of course, hot washes use more energy which can have an environmental impact. Lowering your washing temperatures regularly will save energy, save money and help look after the environment.
  • If you have misplaced or lost your user manual, you can download a replacement manual (please have your model number to hand).