What Temperature should you wash your clothes?

So you want to wash your clothes and all you end up doing is stare blankly at the temperature options on your washing machine. Cold water, warm water or hot water? Which one’s going to give you the wash you need, without ruining your precious garments, of course? There are pros and cons to all types of washes, but you have to understand what your clothes need and what you prefer before turning that temperature dial.

The washing machine is too often misunderstood. People forget that they actually have options. There is a simple science to it all and remembering which temperature works for which wash makes life that much easier.

Read on and find out more about the intricacies of washing temperature.

Washing with hot water

Generally the rule goes: ‘the hotter the water the better the clean’, and for most clothing this rings true. Most linens and white clothing are washed in hot water to get rid of germs and heavy soil. However, many garments will not come out looking too good after being washed in hot water as it tends to make some shrink, wrinkle and fade. Also, different colours may come out splotchy so it would be advisable to read the labels on your clothing before selecting a water temperature as some do not respond well to hot water.

Washing with cold water

Cold water is another popular choice. The thing with cold water washes is that it is best for delicate clothing and clothes with bright colours that you don’t want to run or fade. The problem is that heavily soiled clothing needs to be pre-washed first before giving it a cold wash if you really want to get the stains out completely. It may take longer but at least you know your clothes will not come out destroyed.

Washing with warm water

Most people like to hit the sweet spot with a warm wash. This is exactly what it sounds like, a mix of hot and cold water. This is probably your best bet if you want to minimize fading and wrinkling while still getting rid of those tough stains. And when it comes to permanent press and jeans, warm water is ideal.