Con: Hot Water Can Damage or Discolor Clothing Hot water can cause bright colors to run and fade, and can shrink certain types of fabric. Hot water can also damage certain synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and vinyl. The heat breaks down the fibers and can ruin the fabric.
Hot water is more damaging to clothing fibers, leading to them wearing out faster and shedding more microfiber particles. Washing in cold helps protect your fabrics to keep them looker newer longer. Extending the life of clothing can also help reduce the amount of textiles being added to landfills.
There's a big reason the tub cleaning cycle uses HOT water to clean, hot water dissolves accumulated filth out of the machine. Constant hot water on all your clothes will wear out the fibers, over time. Hot water temperatures that range from 135-150F plus, will wear out the colors and fibers in your clothes.
Hot water (and to a lesser degree, warm water) opens up the fibers in clothes to release the dye, while cold water keeps them closed, trapping the dye inside to prevent bleeding. Choosing the cold setting on your washing machine will eliminate most problems with color bleeding, and may also help clothes last longer.
When to Use Warm Water – For man-made fibers, knits and jeans, use warm water (90°F). Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water. It offers good cleaning without significant fading or shrinking. When to Use Cold Water – For dark or bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, use cold water (80°F).
Blood is full of proteins, and when exposed to hot temperatures, a protein will vibrate until it breaks the bonds that hold it together, causing the protein to clump. At that point, water loses the ability to wash them out, which is why you should always use cold water when cleaning blood from cloth.
Soaking socks in hot water can lead to shrinking, fading, and permanent wrinkling (nobody likes that). Using cold water helps preserve the quality of your socks by thwarting color fading and fabric fiber shrinkage.
Not all stains respond to warmer water. For example, blood and sweat can actually set into fabric in hot water. Also, hot water tends to shrink, fade, and wrinkle certain fabrics. By not heating the water in your washing machine, you may reduce your energy costs with every load.
Towels should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric according to the care label. Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.
Washing Dark Colors
Cold water is best for preventing fading, so stick to a cold setting on your dark loads. (This is why it's important to separate your clothes into light and dark laundry loads.) While white items do best in hot water, cold water prevents fading in your dark items.
60°C is the perfect temperature for killing bacteria, viruses and removing stains. This wash setting is also highly recommended for washing towels and bedding, but obviously this setting is going to increase running costs as the higher the temperature the higher the cost.
New garments often have excess dye that hasn't fully set, and this dye can easily transfer to other items in the wash. Which is why, before washing new clothes, soak them in a mixture of water and white vinegar or salt. This helps set the dye and reduces the likelihood of it bleeding during future washes.
*** Tide is designed to work powerfully in cold water temperatures, giving you a great clean in every single load. ***In non-HE washer, 8 loads/wk from hot to cold, avg electricity rate (13.3c/kWh). ****Tide Power PODS® in cold vs. leading bargain detergent in warm.
Wash jeans in warm water: Most of the time when you have something that you want to wash gently you wash it in cold water. But that's not the case when you are washing denim jeans. Warm water will help the color stay in the jeans and help keep the jeans from shrinking. Hot water is too hot and can destroy the fabric.
The washing process can agitate or loosen dyes and hot water temperatures are typically known for causing color bleeding. Turning your clothes inside out before washing can help to reduce fading.
Con: Hot Water Can Damage Delicate Fabrics
Hot water can set stains on delicate fabrics and can cause them to shrink, fade, and permanently wrinkle. These fabrics are sensitive to temperature and cleaning solutions, so use a detergent made for delicates.
What temperature water do I mix it with? OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover works in any temperature water, but best in warm to hot water.
When to Use Warm Water – For man-made fibers, knits and jeans, use warm water (90°F). Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water. It offers good cleaning without significant fading or shrinking. When to Use Cold Water – For dark or bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, use cold water (80°F).
Generally, your socks should be washed after being worn only once. Socks are constantly in direct contact with your feet. This leaves them vulnerable to bacteria and dirt. Wearing your socks multiple times will cause the dirt to really build up.
Use warm to medium hot water on a normal washing cycle
However, the general rule of thumb is to put towels through a regular cycle at a medium-hot temperature, just hot enough to kill off any bacteria and remove loose towel fibres. However, you should check the care labels for product-specific instructions.
Certain fabrics, especially delicate ones like silk, lace, Cashmere, or certain synthetics should avoid being washed in hot water at all costs. According to Dills, these materials can be damaged from the heat and cause them to lose their shape or texture.
Simply mix one part baking soda with two parts cold water in a bowl and dab onto the stain using a cloth. Leave for thirty to forty minutes, or overnight if it's particularly stubborn, then wipe off all the remaining residue with a clean, damp cloth.
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 second step, rinsing, involves washing the fabric under cold running water. This step might seem counterintuitive; one commonly hears about hot water being the superior choice for cleaning. But in the case of poop stains, cold water proves more beneficial.