Hygiene in the washing machine: How to wash your laundry properly?

Towels and bed linen have to be washed at 60 degrees - as most of us have learned. But is that really necessary? According to the New York Laundry, to save energy, you can also reduce the washing temperature a bit. But is that enough to kill all bacteria and germs? 

New York Laundry has given the answer to these questions. It explains how often and how hot you should wash your clothes to get everything clean.

So hot you should wash your clothes:

It's best to wash your towel at 20 degrees. Yes, you read it right. A wash at 20 to 30 degrees is enough to flush germs, bad smells, and light soiling. According to New York Laundry, towels only need to be washed a little hotter about once a month.

The same applies to bed linen and jeans: 

20 degrees and everything is nice. The modern detergents make it easy. This not only protects the environment but also your wallet. Because a wash at low temperatures consumes much less energy than a 90-degree wash, and the result is more or less the same. It is only important that you use the right detergent.

Excessive hygiene measures are usually not necessary. Generally, you do not have to worry about germs in your household. An intact immune system copes easily. Only if a family member is ill, it is advisable to wash the laundry a little hotter.

So often you should wash your clothes:

How is laundry washed properly, when does e.g. a towel in the laundry? New York Laundry also has an answer to this question: In the family, it is enough to change a towel every two or three days. A bath towel should be changed every one to two weeks - provided each family member uses their own.

Bed linen should be changed about every two weeks, says the expert. Anyone who perspires heavily or does not take a shower before going to bed in the evening should put the sheets in the washing machine every week. And jeans do not have to be changed every day. They belong in the laundry after three days.

Hygiene in the washing machine:

The washing machine is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria because they feel particularly comfortable in warm and humid surroundings. 

New York Laundry, therefore, recommends washing textiles that are contaminated with microbes, such as underwear as well as rinse and cleaning cloths, at 60 degrees Celsius and with detergent containing bleach.