How to Choose the Best Water Temperature for Laundry
While most people know how to choose the basic laundry wash cycle for a typical or heavy load, there are other steps to ensure that your washing machines provide the highest levels of efficiency. There are three laundry tips to consider when completing your loads of laundry:
First, you want to choose the appropriate agitation on the wash cycle for soiled clothes or heavily soiled items.
The next step is finding laundry detergents that suit your specific washing needs and are appropriate for your skin, including hypoallergenic formulas.
Lastly, and the most commonly forgotten step, is choosing the correct water washing temperatures that follow the care labels on your garments and linens.
Most clothing items will have instructions on the best method of washing your pieces and laundry symbols that tell you whether to use hot or cold water. Following these instructions before starting your load allows you to choose the right water temperature that will turn your dirty clothes into the fresh, clean laundry everyone loves.
Choosing HOT Water and Why
Choosing hot water for laundry cycles provides optimal cleaning potential for clothes and bedding. It is important to make sure the fabric can withstand the hot temperatures for washing clothes. Hot water temperatures can sanitize and kill germs which is beneficial for heavily soiled items. Hot water can dissolve detergents easier allowing for optimal and efficient wash cycles. Hot water is ideal for garments including bath towels, kitchen towels, cloth diapers, workout clothes, and cleaning rags or cloths. These items are often stained or have high levels of germs and bacteria that need a laundry routine with hot water to kill any germs and provide an efficient clean. However, hot water has the potential of shrinking some fabrics or clothing! It may also set in stains that are protein based.
Choosing COLD Water and Why
Choosing cold water for washing machine temperatures is ideal for delicate loads that require a soft and gentle wash cycle. When using cold water, it is important to have a longer wash cycle while using an ample amount of laundry detergents. There are specific laundry detergents that are made for cold water wash cycles that work as stain removers and effectively kill germs. Choose a cold water cycle when washing delicate clothing items including pantyhose, lingerie, wools, or washable silks. Any dyed clothing pieces that might bleed in the wash cycles will need to be placed in cold water. Lastly, if you have protein stains including blood stains on your clothing or heavily soiled items, the best care instructions for an effective wash cycle is to ensure the temperature of the water is cold.
To have the best clothing care for your laundry routine, the most important thing to remember is to follow the care instructions on your clothing and linens labels. Finding the appropriate temperature for laundry will ensure that your garments look brand new after multiple washes.