Ideally, your clothes would be washed according to what it says on the tag. But, looking at each item of clothing is unrealistic in the real world. When it comes down to it, you lump all like colors together and wash them at whatever setting the washing machine was left at last time. While you don’t have to read every tag, there is a better way to do things than just tossing them in.
Cold water
Cold water will cause the least amount of damage to your clothing, whether that is shrinking, fading, or color bleeding. But, it may not remove stains as well as warm or hot water can. If there is a pesky stain, try moving up to warm and then hot if it remains.
Cold water is best for dark or brightly colored clothes and delicate fabrics.
Your clothes can be washed in cold water the majority of the time unless you live in a state where the cold water is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When it is that cold, the detergent will not dissolve properly. If you live in most states, your cold water will be warm enough to get the job done.
Cold water will also save you money on your energy bill. If you are looking to be eco-friendly, cold to warm water would be the best for you.
Hot water
Hot water is excellent for removing stains, bacteria and other fungus or insects. It is especially suitable for whites that you wear close to your body, underwear or other intimates.
If your clothing has stains, it is best to rinse them in cold water before they are washed in hot water to prevent the stains from setting.
If you need to sanitize bedding or clothing because a family member is sick, col water won’t do the job. Hot water will do the trick to get rid of the germs lurking in those fabrics.
Although hot water is good for sanitizing and getting rid of germs, it is not wise to wash your clothes in hot water all the time. It will fade the colors faster, shrink some fabrics and set in certain stains.
Important to remember
It is essential to check the tags of the clothing if you’re unsure what temperature to wash it in. Make sure to wash like colors with each other to prevent bleeding colors from transferring to lighter colored fabrics.
