Setting the right temperature for laundry means much more than just defining the cleaning power. For example, hot water kills microorganisms and gets rid of all dirt, sweat, and odour from your clothing.
On the other hand, cold water is better for keeping your wardrobe looking and feeling its best for longer. It minimises shrinking and fading and is also great at presoaking multiple protein stains like blood.
So, how do you select the best temperature to wash clothes? Let’s check out in this comprehensive clothing care guide!
When should I use hot water in the washing machine?
Hot water should be used ideally for washing whites, pastels and light prints, cotton diapers, soiled baby items and clothing, excessively soiled work, garden, sport or play clothes; clothing and linens of those sick with any infectious diseases; clothing with oily or greasy dirt and stains; dish towels and dishcloths, bath towels and hand towels, face cloths, pillowcases and sheets as well as other household items like cleaning rags and cloths.
In simpler words, for those wishing to remove every last particle of dirt, sweat, and odour from their clothing, hot water washing is the way to go!
DID YOU KNOW? Professional laundry providers generally use temperatures higher than 145ºF (62.8ºC) for cleaning your fabrics. Other than this, many self-heating washing machines in Europe also offer wash temperatures ranging up to 200ºF (93.3ºC). However, considering the best fabric care practices and safety regulations, FTC has rejected the idea of adding a “very hot” temperature range to care label rules.
When should I use warm water in the washing machine?
In terms of laundry care, warm water is the perfect balance between cleaning your clothing and keeping it fresh for longer. It can be used for washing permanent-press, colourfast brights, dark coloured clothing and many many knits.
Warm water can also be used for rinsing clothing with dirt, dinginess, grayness, or yellowness. If you accidentally toss too much detergent in the washer, start prepping your machine for a hot-water rinse or even a couple of them to effectively clean your clothing and take out all the residing laundry powder.
Some laundry powders like BIORESTORE Re-Tergent also work best in warm water cycles i.e., 40ºC / 104ºF. So, if your cotton clothing has any lint or pilling on it, run a warm water cycle with the recommended amount of BIORESTORE lint remover. Once the cycle is finished, toss the clothing in a tumble-dryer and done! Your clothes will be revived with no extra hassle.
When should I use cold water in the washing machine?
Cold water can be used to wash fabrics with dyes that run or bleed and fabrics that are lightly soiled. It is also useful for soaking protein stains like egg and blood for washing delicates, knits, and other fabrics prone to shrinking or fading,
Cold water is also recommended for rinsing your clothing after it’s been laundered. Most of the latest washing machines enable you to set automatic controls for wash temperature and choosing between cold or warm water rinsing. However, some coin-operated machines at community laundromats may not have the option to select a rinse temperature.
Cold water rinsing is generally sufficient for all kinds of fabrics and clothing. Plus, it is way more sustainable even when you include the quantification that your dryer may take more time to dry clothing rinsed with cold water.
What is “hot”, “warm” and “cold” water temperature on the care label?
A care label is the best guide for ensuring proper fabric care of your clothing. From washing temperature to drying guidelines to ironing instructions, it mentions everything you need to know to give your wardrobe the TLC it so truly deserves.
However, sometimes, the instructions on these labels can be vague. For example, if “hot water wash” is mentioned on the label, it is crucial to know the exact temperature range for that. Otherwise, you may mistreat your clothing with inaccurate washing temperatures and guidelines.
The three most commonly used temperature ranges in laundry are “hot”, “warm”, and “cold”. According to the latest rules and modifications of FTC, hot means temperature between 112°F and 145°F (45°C to 63°C), “Warm” means 87°F to 111°F (31°C to 44°C) and “cold” means up to 86°F (30°C).
How to select the best water temperature for laundry?
This may come as a surprise, but selecting the water temperature for laundry care also depends on your room temperature. Don’t get it? Let me explain!
On a hot day when your hot-water heater is set at 140ºF (60ºC) and your cold tap water is 60ºF (16ºC), if you select the “warm” setting on your machine, you will probably get a temperature of up to 100ºF (37ºC) for your laundry (which feels pleasantly warm to your hand). This will provide a really good cleaning of your laundry.
But if your hot water is at 120ºF (48ºC) and cold is 40ºF (4ºC), even running the “warm” cycle will give you approx. 80ºF (26ºC) for laundry, which is considered “cold” under the FTC care label rules. While this temperature is sufficient for washing lightly soiled clothing, anything with more dirt or sweat in it will come out uncleaned, making you run another cycle to ensure proper fabric care.
Luckily, most machines feature automatic temperature control and heating elements which can help in setting just the right temperature for laundry. However, If your machine lacks these options, it is recommended to invest in a simple thermometer for testing your home water temperatures. You will see significant differences for yourself between what your heater is set for, and what gets delivered at the faucet. Also, check the temperature at the beginning and at the end of the laundry cycle too, as the temperature drops down while clothing is being washed in the washer.
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