hi, I have a Miele W3033 and I use the "Extra White" cycle for 100% cotton and linen sheets, bath towels, kitchen towels, socks, handkerchiefs, etc.

I found the 158° "sanitize" cycle was a bit too hot for items (like socks) with elastic, and 158° also puckered and shrank the hem of one of my bathmats.

So I've been using the "extended" "Extra White" 140° cycle + detergent + 1tsp STPP + Ecover percarbonate powder, and have been thrilled with the results.

Heat helps oxygen bleaches do their job. I've found that 140° has been plenty hot for our purposes. We have white sheets and many white kitchen towels, and we cook and bake a lot. Everything comes out totally clean and white.

140°F is the optimum temp to activate oxy bleach. You really don't need hotter water to get the job done. Detergents like Persil powder also contain TAED to activate the bleach at even lower temps.

Alex

Well I do use Persil so it looks like IÂm covered. But what does this "extra white" program do differently than a normal wash with the same temperature would ? Is it tumble patterns, water levels, a little magic? I will say it works, whites look great, I think Persil plays a big hand there however. IÂm sure the washer must do something different I just have been unable to observe any difference in this extra white program.

Ditto on what Alex and Cryptandus wrote

Also be aware that "Extra White" and "Sanitize" are basically a custom cycle with **locked** temps and spin speed settings. Guess Miele put these "special" cycles on americanized models to "help" the average user who has no clue how to use real hot water.

Elsewhere in the world, where people is used to self heating frontloaders since many decades, there's just "Cottons" : the user knows that white cottons without elastics can be washed on "cotton" 95°C/203°F or 75°C/167°F, white with elastics and colorfast cottons can bear 60°C/140°F, while white linen, polyester and blends (cotton/lycra, polycotton, cotton/linen) have to be washed on "Minimum Iron" 60°C

Non colorfast cottons are washed @ 30°/86°F-40°C/104°F (on Minimum iron if wash'n'wear garments)

{{!gwi}}

This european Novotronic is 5 years old. Current ones have a lot of further cycles that often are just the above "regular" cycles with some locked features. E.g "Jeans/Denim" is a "minimum Iron" without interim spins and max spin speed locked to 900 rpm, "Dress shirts" is a minimum iron without interim spins and default "water plus" option (higher water level) and max spin speed locked to 600 rpm.
"Dark fabrics" is a "Cottons" with default "short" + "waterplus" and max spin speed locked to 1200 rpm

Hygiene is a "cotton" with default extra rinse and higher level with a longer temperature holding time (round 1/2 hour longer than the usual european extended main wash)

{{!gwi}}

Also the euro models have max spin speed locks, but one can always choose lower speeds or no spin.

On the W4840 and perhaps W4842, restricted temperature and spin aren't the only differences between Extra White and Custom. Extra White does full spins between rinses, while Custom does pulse spins. Both of them do full spin between wash and first rinse.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I truly appreciate it, all of your knowledge makes this site awesome.

Hidroman

Yes we Americans have been, and most still are, accustomed to liquid chlorine bleach for cleaning whites. Much higher temperature capabilities are still a somewhat new idea. IÂve heard it said many times Miele has "simplified" the North American product line. But I disagree with that idea somewhat. The program options are presented differently on the control panel but I see where Miele was going with this and I side in their favor. They have made these machine just as customizable as their European cousins but also super thoughtless for those who canÂt be bothered or arenÂt sure what a 1600 rpm spin is, and isnÂt appropriate for. They killed two birds with one stone, they have preprogrammed these machines to deliver great wash result with little to no user input. Not my cup of tea so much but honestly I canÂt say itÂs a bad idea. So while I can manually set the fabric type, temp, spin speed, and rinse options for my whites, I just select "extra white" and hit start and it works flawlessly every time. Miele did all of the thinking for me, not that I personally needed it but itÂs kind of cool I think. I trust Miele has spent thousands of man hours over the years having their textile engineers study and design wash programs so my $2000.00 machine will wash clothes like no other washer made today. I know how to wash laundry properly but I have no problem handing the wheel over to Miele on this one, itÂs what they do and theyÂre damn good at it. IÂm glade to have Miele automate my laundering process.

I also think these "MasterCare" programs go further than just locking idiots into a temperature and spin speed settings to prevent damage. For one I know the comforter program will saturate the load "venting" ( spraying water directly on the item from the spout above the door), then spin ,then add soap and start the wash. Something I canÂt program but itÂs a great idea. This makes me think they are specialized programs for more effective washing on custom items. This is why I wanted to know what it could possible do differently for whites.

Our individual program options seem to be regulated just like the machines you posted above. If I select delicates I have but few temperature selections and spin speed options and so on. I like the fact the machine will lock me out of potentially damaging selections. I have often screwed up many things because I was in a hurry, setting the washer could be one of them. Having a machine that could possible prevent this is a bonus to me. I donÂt really see this as making it idiot proof but rather more intelligent and a good safeguard to protect my laundry, but thatÂs just how I view it. Hats off to Miele. Now if I could only get Germany to import the Autobahn I love so much.