Which Temperature is Best for Washing Clothes?
- Published on Tuesday, 26 January 2016 19:20
- Charles
- 0 Comments
It’s a dilemma that nearly everyone faces. No, we’re not talking about who to vote for in the coming election. In fact, it’s probably more serious than even that: which temperature is best for washing clothes? It’s an issue that faces everyone but doesn’t play favorites. Making matters worse is the matter of all the new and different fabrics introduced that all seem to have different washing instructions. What’s the authoritative source? That’s what follows.
When to Use Hot Water. It’s the bane of everyone’s existence. Using hot water might be bad for the environment, but when it comes to certain clothes, it’s the best. Hot water, or that which is heated to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, is the best to use when special consideration must be given to removing germs as well as heavy soil. Granted, it can fade and damage some fabrics, but without those, hot water does do certain jobs very well, and perhaps even best. Before you touch the hot water button, make sure you read the labels on your clothing to make sure you’ve got it right.
When to Use Warm Water. It used to be that warm water, that which is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, was the all-purpose go-to when it came to making a water temperature selection. When in doubt, choose warm water, they used to say. The truth is that there is a certain amount of wisdom in that reasoning. The truth is that most clothes can be safely washed with warm water. Not only does warm water clean clothes well, but it will do so without any significant fading or shrinking.
When to Use Cold Water. Cold water might be the darling of environmentalists, but whether you’re a tree-hugger or not, you’ll be thrilled to know that cold water is great for use on bright colors that might bleed or on delicate fabrics. Cold water, or that which is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, also saves considerable amounts of energy and is an excellent choice, as practically everyone knows, if you want to be more eco-friendly. If you do select cold water, it would probably be best to pre-treat or pre-soak your clothes, especially if they are heavily soiled.
Just as a rule of thumb you might want to keep in mind that the lower the temperature of the water you use, the less detergent you will need. Below about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, no detergent performs well. Regardless, don’t make the water you use too hot either. Washing clothes that are heavily soiled in hot water can set stains. For those clothes that are heavily soiled, pre-wash them in cool water, and then wash them again in hot water. The water you use to rinse with can always be cold without any harmful inflatable amusement park effects on your load. If you rinse fabrics in cold water, it will keep wrinkling to a minimum, won’t set stains, and will save lots of precious energy.
If the only water temperature you want to deal with is for your bubble bath, why not call the Laundry Center for your next NYC laundry pickup and delivery? Not only will they always use the optimal temperature for getting your clothes cleaner than you have ever seen them, but they will pick up and deliver your clothes for free. If you’re in your bubble bath when we arrive with your laundry, we’ll let ourselves in and leave everything in the front closet.