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Can’t figure out how to soak cottons in my Miele washer

wishy washy

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Joined
Jul 14, 2025
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6
Just got a Miele washer and the manual's not much help. I want to soak some really dirty cottons, but the only option I see is "Cottons with pre-wash." Is that the same thing as a soak cycle with Miele machines, or am I missing something?
 
Just got a Miele washer and the manual's not much help. I want to soak some really dirty cottons, but the only option I see is "Cottons with pre-wash." Is that the same thing as a soak cycle with Miele machines, or am I missing something?
"Cottons with pre-wash" isn't the same as a soak cycle but you can get a similar effect by adding detergent to the prewash compartment and pausing the cycle after a few mins to let it sit. Some Miele models also have a "Soak" option in the settings menu. Have you checked under additional wash options?
 
"Cottons with pre-wash" isn't the same as a soak cycle but you can get a similar effect by adding detergent to the prewash compartment and pausing the cycle after a few mins to let it sit. Some Miele models also have a "Soak" option in the settings menu. Have you checked under additional wash options?
New Miele owner here too and still figuring things out! Thanks for the tip! I'll try the pre-wash pause trick. Quick question though, if I do that, do I need to add detergent to both compartments or just the pre-wash one?
 
New Miele owner here too and still figuring things out! Thanks for the tip! I'll try the pre-wash pause trick. Quick question though, if I do that, do I need to add detergent to both compartments or just the pre-wash one?
You'll want to add detergent to both compartments for effective cleaning. The machine uses and then drains the pre-wash water before beginning the main cycle. A normal amount of detergent in the main wash compartment is therefore still needed for the actual wash.
 
With Miele, "Cottons with pre-wash" isn't exactly a soak. It's more like a short wash before the main cycle. True soaking isn't always listed, sometimes you have to add extra rinse or use a specialty program to mimic it.
 
“Cottons with pre-wash” isn’t a true soak on Miele washers. To mimic a soak, add detergent to the pre-wash compartment, start the cycle, and pause it after a few minutes so the clothes sit. You’ll still need detergent in the main wash compartment since the pre-wash water drains before the main cycle. Some models also have a dedicated “Soak” program in the settings.
 
Thanks everyone, this cleared it up for me. The pre-wash pause trick works for what I needed, so I’m marking this one resolved.
 
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