Practically all washing machines on the market today feature a Rinse and Spin setting.
Clothing in the drum is first rinsed of detergent and soapy water using cold water – the precise volume of water depends on: load capacity, wash programme selection and washing machine brand.
Rinsed clothing then spins at up to 1,600 rotations per minute, expelling water in the process.
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Does Rinse And Spin Use Water?
Yes! Washing machines rinse clothes using clean water, taken from their rear water inlet hose, to wash clothing detergent after washing. Spinning is used to remove excess water from clothing. The rinse and spin cycle combines these two actions into a single
The exact volume of water used during a washing machine’s rinse programme varies between models. It will typically be a lot less than a normal wash cycle (e.g. Allergy Wash, Cottons, Eco 40 – 60 Wash); these could use between 20 to 50 litres of water per cycle.
Approximately 5 to 20 litres of water will be used when rinse, rinse & spin and rinse & drain washing settings are selected on your washing machine.
Practically all washing machines will decide on an appropriate volume of water to rinse clothing with.
More intelligent machines may detect or predict detergent levels within the drum. For example, a king-sized bed protector may call for 10 litres or more to fully rinse it of detergent. A small load of a few socks may need just 0.5 litres of water.
For people with sensitive skin, it’s paramount that washing powders don’t remain on clothes after washing. Once dried, the detergent rubs against the skin, exacerbating eczema, itching and dryness.
Can Rinse And Spin Kill Bacteria?
In general, no. Most washing machine’s rinse functions are not designed to sanitise clothing or clean the washing machine of nasty bacteria.
More affordable washing machines (£250-£450) almost exclusively use cold water for rinsing. It’s more common for higher-end machines to feature a boiling-hot steam function.
Does Rinse And Spin Dry Clothes?
Yes. While rinsing laundry makes it wetter, spinning it at high speeds makes it drier. Drier clothes are easier to dry and less heavy to move out of the washing machine.
At high speeds, water is pulled out of the washing machine drum. Water molecules within the clothing, left over from washing and pre-washing, experience centripetal force. This is the same force that pushes you sideways when you travel around corners at high speeds.
Around 45% to 55% of moisture is removed by spinning; the remaining water is removed through evaporation. A tumble dryer, washing line or other drying device is then used to further reduce the clothing’s moisture.
Rinse and Spin with Detergent
Detergents (washing powders, laundry liquids etc.) aren’t used or needed for a rinse and spin cycle.
Detergent is added to clothing during the main wash and pre-wash stages. It is rinsed away in a rinse and spin setting; this may sometimes be included under two separate settings, one just for rinsing and the other solely for spinning.
Can You Add Fabric Softener To Rinse And Spin Cycle?
No. You should not add any washing products into the washing machine drum or detergent tray for a rinse and spin cycle.
Any fabric softener added to the fabric softener slot will not be used during rinsing. It should remain in the tray as your washing machine is programmed to not use washing powders, gels, liquids and capsules while rinsing.
If you add fabric softener directly into the drum, this won’t be correctly rinsed away. Some softener will remain on your clothing after the rinse and spin cycle completes. This could irritate your skin.
It’s more likely to cause fabric softener to build up in the washing machine drum. Over time, this can release a stinky, damp odour that can make your clothes smell worse!
What Is Drain And Spin For?
Drain and spin settings on washing machines first remove water from the drum: this is the draining step. The drum then spins, extracting (some) of the moisture from any clothing inside.
Rinse and Spin vs Drain and Spin
Unlike rinse and spin settings, drain and spin settings don’t introduce more water into the drum. Draining involves removing water from the drum.
Drain and spin is, on most washing machines, the same as a just spin cycle. All washing machines control how water is moved around inside the machine themselves.
A computer chip within all washing machines controls the complex system of tubes, pumps and motors. If the machine needs to drain before spinning, it will do so anyway.
Spinning pulls water out of clothing at high speeds. The water then hits the static, non-rotating surface surrounding the washing machine drum.
As gravity pulls on the water molecules, they slide down the static surface before pooling into a collecting reservoir – this is usually directly under the drum’s centre.
However, during a wash, the entire drum may be filled with water and clothing. Such large volumes of water could overwhelm the washing machine’s exhaust pump and water reservoir if they’re not empty.
For safety reasons, washing machines don’t pump water out of their exhaust hose while spinning.
One major advantage of “drain and spin” wash settings is when things go wrong. Sometimes, washing machines start flashing error codes, leaking water or not washing clothes correctly.
Fixing these problems is often easier in an empty washing machine. Draining a full-capacity drum allows you to open the front loading door mid-wash, without cascading water onto the floor!
Can You Wash Clothes On Rinse And Spin?
In theory, you could wash a light capacity (<1kg) load of lightly-soiled clothing using a rinse and spin function. This could remove some odours and may increase how clean the clothing looks.
However, the clothing should not be considered “cleaned” if following this method. The short duration and low temperatures of rinse and spin cycles don’t create a bacteria-destroying environment.
Illness-causing pathogens including bacteria, viruses and yeasts should be washed with laundry detergent between 40 to 60 degrees or less.
Exceptions to this rule include linen, clothing for babies, anti-allergy washing and washing for compromised immune system individuals. These may require higher temperatures of up to 90°C.
Does Rinse And Spin Shrink Clothes?
Rinsing, but not spinning, can cause some clothes to shrink in washing machines!
Some materials can withstand intense washing, where a hot 70°C main wash may be immediately followed by a tap-cold (~10°C) rinse before spinning.
On the other hand, soft natural fabrics including wool, bamboo, raw denim and silk can’t tolerate rapid changes in temperature. A few synthetic materials, including spandex, may also be susceptible to shrinkage in the wash.
These garments should be washed at lower temperatures and speeds. If possible, wash at low temperatures and reduce the rpm of the spin for delicate fabrics (i.e. from 1,400 to 600 rpm).
How Long Does A Rinse And Spin Take?
A typical rinse and spin cycle duration is between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the amount of laundry loaded into the washing machine drum. More clothing will take longer to rinse and spin.
Some brands of washing machines feature settings that allow users to reduce the cycle times – these are often labelled on the machine using terms like “Quick Wash”, “Boost” or “Turbo Wash”.
Why Are My Clothes Still Wet After Spin?
Washing machines are great at making clothes wet. But unlike vented and condenser tumble dryers, washing machines rely purely on spinning to dry clothing.
Due to UK and EU-wide energy-efficiency regulations, washing machine manufacturers are generally limited to restricting drum speed to 1,600 rpm or below (if they want their appliances to achieve the coveted A-rating for energy efficiency).