Have you ever been prepared to wash, dry, and fold your clothing but been stumped by the machine's settings? Modern washers and dryers are sophisticated appliances with pre-programmed settings to aid your laundry wash cycle. With the push of a button, your washing machine can be readily configured to wash delicates, heavy bed sheets, towels, and casual clothing.
However, washers are not all created equal, and not everyone knows what it means when you set your washer to "delicates" or "heavy-duty." Some washers have cryptic settings that require a decoder to comprehend. That's why we've put together this guide to help you out! Continue reading to learn more about wash cycles and various settings so that you can always wash your laundry on the correct setting.
Washing Machine Cycles Explained
Let's define a wash cycle first. Your washer employs pre-programmed settings called "wash cycles" to complete its work. One wash cycle includes a washing cycle in the beginning, followed by a resting, rinsing, and spinning phase to dry your clothes. Some settings offer multiple rinses and spin cycles to guarantee that your clothes are clean.
Most washers have normal, quick, heavy-duty, permanent press and delicate wash cycle settings. Here is what they mean respectively:
Normal
The normal cycle is a vigorous wash cycle due to its high agitation and lengthy cycle. This cycle uses warm water with a high spin speed for moderately soiled clothing made of cotton, linen, and other mixed fabrics. Depending on your machine, a normal cycle can run up to an hour.
Quick/Speed Wash
As the name suggests, this setting is for quickly cleaning lightly soiled items. It is best to use this setting for small loads that need to be cleaned in a hurry. This cycle has a quicker wash time of typically 15 to 40 minutes, and a more powerful spin speed to extract more moisture.
Heavy-duty
This wash cycle is ideal for cleaning heavily soiled or stained items like bedding, work clothes, and towels. This cycle uses warm to hot water and high spin speed to ensure that your items come out clean and can usually take between 1 to 2 hours to complete.
Permanent Press
This cycle is for synthetics, wash and wear, and wrinkle-free clothing. This setting is usually shorter than the Normal cycle and uses warm water with a lower spin.
Delicates
This is a highly gentle wash cycle and is perfect for washing delicate items such as lingerie, silk, hosiery, wool, cashmere, hand-washed items, baby clothes, and anything that might get damaged in a regular wash cycle. This setting uses cool water and low spin speed to protect your delicate items from being damaged. You can expect your clothes to be done in under an hour and a half.
The Steps of a Wash Cycle
Now that you know the different types of wash cycles, it is important to understand the different steps involved in each cycle. The steps may vary slightly depending on the make and model of your washing machine, but they typically follow this order:
- Pre-wash (optional): This step is only available on some machines and is typically used for heavily soiled clothing items.
- Main wash: During the main wash, the water temperature and amount of detergent are determined by the type of laundry you are washing and the selected cycle.
- Rinse: The rinse cycle helps to remove any leftover detergent or dirt from your clothes.
- Spin: The spin cycle helps to remove any excess water from your clothes before they are placed in the dryer.
- Dry (optional): Some washing machines come with a built-in dryer, while others do not have this feature. If your machine does have a dryer, you can select the type of drying cycle you would like (e.g., low, medium, or high heat).
Now that you know all about wash cycles and the steps involved in each cycle, you can be sure to properly care for your clothing! Always read the care labels on your clothing before selecting a cycle. And if you are ever unsure which cycle to use, err on the side of caution and select the delicate cycle.
If you are experiencing issues with your washer or its performance is lacking, it may be time for a laundry upgrade! Daniel Appliance has washers, dryers, or laundry pairs you need to get laundry day back on track! Enjoy shopping our selection and if you have any questions, just give us a call. We’d love to help. Happy laundering!
FAQs
All cycles have a washing stage, then a rest period, a rinse, and finally a spin to remove the water (though sometimes more than one rinse and spin cycle to get clothes extra clean). Most machines have a regular cycle (or normal or cotton), a permanent press cycle (or colours) and a delicate cycle.
What are the cycles in washing program? ›
These common washing machine cycles may include:
- Cotton.
- Hand wash or delicates.
- Quick wash.
- Wool wash.
- Eco 40-60.
- Drum clean cycle.
- Rinse.
- Soak.
Normal: This cycle is for cotton or blended fabrics with average soil. The cycle combines high-speed wash action and high-speed spin, making it harsher on clothes. Heavy Duty: Select this setting to wash towels and sturdy fabrics like jeans. It is also appropriate for heavily soiled items.
What is the sequence of the washing machine cycle? ›
One wash cycle includes a washing cycle in the beginning, followed by a resting, rinsing, and spinning phase to dry your clothes. Some settings offer multiple rinses and spin cycles to guarantee that your clothes are clean.
What is the best cycle for laundry? ›
The best wash cycle depends on what you're washing. For everyday laundry like t-shirts and socks, the Normal cycle is ideal. For delicate items, use the Delicate cycle. If you're in a hurry, the Quick Wash cycle is best for lightly soiled clothes.
What do wash cycle symbols mean? ›
The washing symbol with a line or a dash under the tub means that the laundry can be washed with a shorter washing cycle (like a synthetic programme) and a short or low-speed spin cycle. A tub with no line means that your clothes are machine washable. You'll find this on more robust fabrics like denim.
Can I use delicate cycle for everything? ›
But that's not a reason to default from normal to the delicate setting for everything just to play it safe, says Campbell. “Although gentle cycles are necessary for fragile fabrics and items with delicate decorations, they won't do a good job cleaning heavily soiled clothing and bedding,” she explains.
What are the 4 major factors in the wash cycle explain? ›
In 1959, Chemist Herbert Sinner identified four factors involved in effective cleaning: time, temperature, chemistry and mechanics. These factors work together to complete a successful wash cycle. If one factor is modified, you must change the other factors as well.
What is the best wash cycle for towels? ›
Washing towels needs a regular cotton or colors/darks cycle with a high spin speed. Fabric softener isn't always recommended as it can reduce towel absorbency - meaning that you towels may be fluffier but not necessarily cleaner.
What setting do you wash towels on? ›
Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle. A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric.
Choose the Right Wash Cycle
A regular cycle is best for sturdy and dirty clothes, while the permanent press setting is fine for the average load. Use the delicate cycle for lacy and loosely woven fabrics. Use hot water for white loads, warm water for the average load, and cold water for bright colors.
What cycle should I wash colors on? ›
Colored clothing—particularly bright and bold colors—should be washed in cold water. Cold cycles use cooler water temperatures to help prevent colors from bleeding and fading. Factors like fabric type can also influence wash temperature, so don't forget to reference your clothing's care tag before washing.
What does the number of wash cycles mean? ›
Wash cycles are the types of programs your washer uses to do its job. They comprise a washing cycle in the beginning, a rest period, a rinse and then a spin to remove the water. Sometimes there are more than one rinse and spin cycle to get clothes extra clean.
Is delicate the same as gentle cycle? ›
The delicate cycle, also called the gentle cycle on some washers, is best for garments with weaker fabrics or some blankets and bedding. This laundry setting offers a short, cold wash, followed by a slow tumble and spin cycle.
What does per cycle mean in washing machine? ›
A spin cycle indicates the number of times the drum inside your washer spins around in a minute. The higher the speed, the higher the agitation and cleaning power. Higher spin speeds also mean more water will be removed at the end of a wash cycle, leading to clothes that dry faster.
How long does each cycle last in a washing machine? ›
How long is a wash cycle? A normal wash cycle usually takes between 50 minutes to an hour to complete. However, this time could be faster or slower depending on load size and the cycles or options you choose.
What cycle do you wash towels on? ›
Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle. A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric.
Is a 30 minute wash cycle enough? ›
The short wash time won't be enough to clean heavily soiled fabrics like underwear, bedding, and towels. Increase the dose of your detergent to quick wash for garments with tougher stains.
