What Temperature Should You Wash Your Clothes In ?
Doing laundry is one of the most disliked albeit necessary household chores. One way to make your laundry duties easier is by learning how to do it right. If you want to wash your clothes easily and protect them, setting the right washing machine water temperature is critical. The temperature you choose determines how clean your clothes get. The wrong choice of temperature settings also affects the life of your clothes.
So, what temperatures should you wash your clothes in? This depends on the fabric and color of your clothes. Read on to find out more about temperature settings for different types of clothes.
Getting Started
Before you load your clothes into a washer, check the label for care instructions. Every garment comes with specific care instructions depending on the fabric. In addition to the water temperatures, the care label has details on the type of wash (hand or machine), drying, and ironing instructions.
When to Use Hot Water
The most common misconception in laundry issues relates to the use of hot water. Many people believe hot water gets clothes cleaner faster. The idea that detergents work better in hot water seems to support this misconception. However, using hot water could ruin some of your garments.
Use hot water temperatures (130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) for whites, and heavily soiled garments including work clothes, gym clothes, cloth diapers, and sheets. Hot water is also perfect if members of your family have a confirmed case of infection. The hot water settings help sanitize clothes infected with contaminants such as bacteria or fungus. Hot water is also ideal to kill bedbugs and other insects on your linen.
Avoid using hot water on synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester, and vinyl. The heat causes the colors to run and fade. These fabrics might also shrink as the fibers break. When using hot water, make sure you separate your white items from the colored ones to avoid bleeding/running colors.
When to use warm water
Warm washing machine water between 90 and 110 degrees is ideal for most of your laundry needs. Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water including man-made fabrics like polyester, nylon, and rayon items, and spandex. The water temperature is also ideal for natural fibers like cotton.
Warm water also works well for lightly soiled clothes, jeans, or other items in your house with man-made fibers. The water setting helps dissolve powdered detergents easily and you save more energy than when using hot water. If you want to avoid fading, shrinking, or wrinkling, you can never go wrong with warm water.
When to Use Cold Water
When thinking of laundry, cold water is not the first consideration. The misconception that detergents won’t work in cold water means most people overlook the benefits of cold water. When preparing your laundry, consider cold water for delicate fabrics such as lingerie. Using cold water in a washing machine protects your dark or brightly colored garments that bleed.
If you’re unsure of the best water temperature settings for your clothes, always go for cold water. Cold water is highly effective for a wide range of fabrics and colors. If you’re looking for energy-saving in your laundry, use cold water. To increase the longevity of your clothes and prevent wear and tear, use cold water which won’t cause any damage to any type of fabric. However, you can’t use cold water for soiled garments or infected linen.
Doing laundry is not the easiest of tasks. However, if you know how to do it right, things become easier. Choosing the right water temperatures is a simple way to protect your garments.
If you have loads of laundry to do every week, visit one of our laundromats in North Carolina and get assistance from our laundry professionals.