Many food or beverage stains, such as chocolate, jam, baby food, beer, and dairy are more easily removed with cold water soaks and washes. Cold water is also recommended for urine and blood stains. Other stains, especially oily or greasy ones, do better in warm or hot water.
Hot water removes stains by breaking down and dissolving the stain-causing substances. Cold water has a different mechanism – it prevents the binding between proteins from the stain and the fabric, making it better for protein-based stains like baby food or blood.
One of the most common stain questions is how to remove blood stains. Typically, cold water works great on blood, as well as food, beverages and water-based paint, while hot water works best on protein-based stains.
Effective Stain Removal: Hot water is excellent for tackling stubborn stains like oil, grease, and food spills. The higher temperature helps break down the molecules of the stains, making them easier to remove during the wash cycle with laundry detergent.
Cold water has it's own wins though; it's much more environmentally friendly, cost efficient and a little kinder to fabrics. However, if your goal is to remove stains or you chase a more 'sanitising' clean, anything 40 degrees + will work much better.
Protein stains such as dairy, blood, egg, glue, and white deodorant marks should always be washed in cold water. Hot water can actually cook the protein, causing it to absorb into the clothing fibres, and making it almost impossible to remove.
The heavy-duty or stain removal cycle works best for tough stains. If your washer has a pre-wash or steam function, use it for added cleaning power. Hot water settings are ideal for greasy stains, while cold water helps with protein-based stains. For delicate fabrics, stick to a gentle cycle to avoid damage.
When choosing hot or cold water for blood stains, selecting hot could cause the stain to “cook” into your clothes while cold water works to remove the stain. Although many stains respond best to a rinse or soak in cold water, then a wash cycle in warm or hot, this is not always the case.
Launder according to the fabric care instructions. Regular stains should come out in cold water but for extra dirty clothing or very tough stains, use the warmest setting safe for the fabric.
Removes Stains
Vinegar is a great solution. "Especially on white fabrics, vinegar can tackle stubborn stains by being added directly to your laundry or used as part of a pre-treating soaking solution," says Morgan LaLonde, laundry brand manager for Whirlpool.
But in the case of poop stains, cold water proves more beneficial. It helps prevent the stain from setting into the fabric, creating a solid bond. Aim the water on the reverse side of the stain to push it out of the fabric rather than through it.
Soak the item of clothing in warm water, then apply a few drops of dish soap on the stain. Hold the material around the stain and start rubbing the sides against each other to work up a lather. This will help the fabric absorb the soap. Let it sit for about an hour or so before putting it through the washing machine.
Warm water is a good choice for effectively cleaning clothes without damaging the material. This temperature will work best for most loads, including lightly soiled cotton, synthetic blends, linen fabrics and manufactured fibers.
OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover works in any temperature water, but best in warm to hot water. Do NOT use boiling water.
Stains from fruit, including tomato sauce, disappear when boiling water is poured over them. Run the fabric, inside out, under cold water to flush out as much of the sauce as possible. Apply liquid laundry detergent to the stained area and let it soak in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Rinse the fabric with cold water.
Sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide or rub bar soap into the stain and scrub by hand in cold water. Apply laundry pre-treater or rub in liquid laundry detergent, and wash the remaining stain in warm water with a fabric-safe bleach until the stain is gone.
Many food or beverage stains, such as chocolate, jam, baby food, beer, and dairy are more easily removed with cold water soaks and washes. Cold water is also recommended for urine and blood stains. Other stains, especially oily or greasy ones, do better in warm or hot water.
Possible agents include hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar applied with a sponge. You can also use lemon juice on white fabrics. Rinse well. Repeat with detergent followed by mild bleaching agent until the stain no longer appears.
Many types of stains can be easily removed with cold water. Using hot water can potentially “bake in” stains by causing molecules to coagulate and bond with the fibers of the fabric. However, you may need to pretreat oily stains with warm water to dissolve the oil molecules before throwing them into the wash.
When water is heated, its molecules move faster due to the high level of kinetic energy in them. Higher kinetic energy makes hot water an effective solvent. The higher the kinetic energy in molecules, the faster they will agitate the surfactants. This makes the stains come off much easily.
White vinegar
This is great for a wide range of stains, including blood, sweat, and any general yellow marks on white clothes. Try gently rubbing the vinegar onto the stain before putting it straight in the wash. White vinegar can also be mixed with baking soda.
Amongst all the golden rules for stain removal, acting quickly is by far the top of the list. The longer you leave the stain, the harder it will be to remove. As soon as the stain lands, we recommend getting onto it. How quickly and speedily you get to the stain determines how successfully it is removed.
A second rinse bath produces a much cleaner final product by rinsing off the soil that is redeposited during the first rinse. Often times, the second rinse tank includes a heated facility water inlet which constantly overflows the second rinse tank with small amounts of water to ensure water cleanliness.
Sponging is one of the most frequently used methods of applying many stain-removing agents, including water. Sponging is another technique in which clean absorbent pads are used.