What do the different washing machine cycles mean

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Differing washing machine cycles are beneficial in many ways. Certain cycles help save energy, some preserve delicate fabric, some remove resilient stains and others tackle slight blemishes. The choice in some advanced machines is so mind boggling that it can be an intimidating task trying to figure them out. In addition, varying models have different settings. It would be great if there was one big button marked wash, so you could throw in the clothes, give it a push and with a tip of your hat be on your way to a trouble free day. Unfortunately that day is not today. So here are a few simple cycle type breakdowns to help you along until it arrives.
Night Cycle: This means that the machine will not drain the water during the night as it would in other cycles. This is to prevent the clothes wrinkling overnight.

Delicate washing cycle: This cycle is used when washing delicate items of clothing such as woolen jumpers, silk items and clothes that contain 40% or more cotton. This cycle is also good for removing lightly stained clothes.

Soak Cycle: This is the more heavy duty cycle. Used to remove bad stains and caked on mud. Kits after a muddy game of football would find there way in here.

Prewash cycle: This again is for heavily soiled laundry to remove caked on mud and gravel before the main wash.

Extra quick cycle: this option is for slightly soiled laundry to give a once over.

Super rinse: This rinse is helpful for people allergic to detergents. The extra rinses, usually two for synthetics, one for cotton ensures the removal of excess detergent. Super rinse is not suitable for delicates.

40 AA: Good for washing cottons or synthetics lightly or normally soiled. It is also an energy saver and achieves the AA class in energy efficiency.

Easy ironing: A pretty self explanatory cycle it prevents clothes becoming too tangled and creased which makes ironing easier.

3D sensor wash: A high tech cycle, motion sensors around the drum detect where clothes are bunching up and the drum rotates accordingly to accomplish a more even wash.

3D Tumble wash: Similar to the 3D wash, the drum rotates on various axis so the clothes are more dispersed, hence a more all round wash.

Intensive wash: Another popular term for a cycle, ideal for heavily tarnished clothes.

Rapid 15: This is a quick 15 minute cycle for a small load of lightly stained clothes; ideal for those work clothes that mysteriously got stained the day of your big meeting. Tub cleaning cycle: This cycle is used to clean the machine itself. After a lot of low temperature washes, because no hot water is being used, detergent is allowed to build up. The cleaning cycle removes this and other residue from the outside of the drum, keeping the inside clean.

I hope these explanations aid the future washer and perhaps prevent more cashmere sweaters being turned into cleaning rags. As for myself I am venturing off into the wonderful world of small kitchen appliances with a new stainless steel microwave.