Select the Normal cycle for everyday laundry items made of cotton, linen, and durable synthetics, such as sheets, towels, T-shirts, socks, and (non-fancy) underwear. The normal cycle is the ideal casual wash cycle for your everyday, most-loved fabrics like cottons and polyester.
Generally, cold wash cycles are fine for all clothes including delicates and colored clothing. Warm water should be used for clothes that are more soiled and for whites, and hot water for very soiled clothing or items that need to be kept clean, like underwear and towels.
Generally speaking, cold wash cycles are best for delicates, colored, and normally soiled clothing; warm water is best for more soiled clothing and whites; and hot water is best for very soiled clothing or for loads, like underwear and towels, where you want to remove germs and allergens.
Choose the Right Wash Cycle
A regular cycle is best for sturdy and dirty clothes, while the permanent press setting is fine for the average load. Use the delicate cycle for lacy and loosely woven fabrics. Use hot water for white loads, warm water for the average load, and cold water for bright colors.
Cold: The cold setting is ideal for washing delicate items, dark colors, silks, and synthetics. Cold water is gentle on clothing and helps prevent shrinking or bleeding of dyes (1). Warm: The warm setting is commonly used for washing cotton fabrics and everyday clothes that wrinkle easily.
The delicate wash cycle uses high levels of cold water and a low spin speed for carefully tending to undergarments and delicate fabrics that need to be handled with care, like lace, lingerie, or silk neckties. Specialty items like electric blankets or stuffed animals may also benefit from a delicate wash.
Energy-saving tips for your washing machine
Use a cold water or 30°C cycle where possible. You're only likely to need warmer temperatures for particularly dirty clothes, bad stains or underwear. A cold wash will not only save energy but help the planet too.
Use delicate cycles for soft fabrics and heavy-duty settings for tougher stains. Water temperature affects cleaning power and energy use. Warm water is good for most clothes, while cooler temperatures protect delicate items. Extra options like extra rinse or steam clean can boost cleaning effectiveness.
Wash cycles
Sometimes there are more than one rinse and spin cycle to get clothes extra clean. Most washers have a regular (or normal, or cotton) cycle, a permanent press (also called colors) cycle and a delicate cycle. Some have a hand-wash cycle for ultra-delicate items and a bulky cycle for blankets or pillows.
For most loads, washing clothes on the 'normal' cycle will be fine. For fabrics that are prone to shrinking, pick the 'permanent press' option, and for even finer garments, like lingerie, lace, and silk, you should opt for the 'delicate' cycle.
The normal cycle is a long cycle that works wonders for everyday clothes, like t-shirts, underwear, socks, pants, and cotton garments.
The Heavy-duty cycle is for jeans and towels, or heavily soiled clothing. This cycle uses a long wash cycle combined with high-speed agitation and spin. The Bulky cycle is great for pillows, blankets, and rugs. This cycle allows items to soak in water and soap for a short time before starting the wash.
A quick wash cycle cleans clothes effectively, but we only recommend it for lightly soiled clothes, and laundry that is not heavily stained or odorous.
As the name implies, a delicates or wool cycle is typically the most gentle setting, using low agitation, cool water and a low spin speed to prevent your fragile clothes from becoming damaged.
Run a Hot Clean Cycle: Set your washing machine to the hottest setting and start the cleaning cycle. Rinse: After the cycle is complete, run an additional rinse cycle to clear any remaining bleach. Air Dry: Leave the door ajar to let moisture escape and prevent future smells.
Warm washes (40°C) are best for items that have come into contact with body fluids, such as underwear. Wash such garments on warm temperatures with Ariel. Cold washes (15-30°C) should be used for lightly- to moderately-soiled daily items.
The Power Steam program is perfect for lightly soiled cotton, synthetic, and mixed fabrics items, effectively removing stains. The SpinDry/Rinse program rinses your load and spins it dry without detergent.
It can still be helpful to know the outmoded rules of laundry water temperature selection: Cold water for darks, hot water for whites and heavily soiled items, like diapers. Hot water will have a fading effect over time, which is why cold water was historically recommended for darks and bright colors.
Use a Heavy-Duty Cycle & Wash Hot
Depending on the machine, the setting will either read bulky or heavy-duty for heavily soiled clothing. You will want to wash work clothes separately from other laundry. Generally, washing work clothes in hot water is ideal.