The setting will keep your clothes fresh and looking good for as long as possible The colder and shorter the cycle, the less damage you’re going to do (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

UK scientists have discovered the optimal washing machine setting to keep your clothes fresh for as long as possible.

In a study conducted, perhaps unsurprisingly, with Procter & Gamble, the University of Leeds recommends using the coldest, shortest wash cycle.

The detergent manufacturer collaborated with design school instructor Lucy Cotton on a study examining how machine washing causes fabrics to release microfibers. These lost fibres can cause premature garment ageing and weaken fabrics, reports Popular Mechanics .

Dozens of t-shirts of different colours and materials were put through washe

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