Washing Your Clothes in Warm Water Isn’t as Smart as You Thought

The hotter the water the better it is at killing germs, right? At least that’s what I always thought.

Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s wrong when it comes to laundry… and here’s why.

The laundry game has changed in the last decade or so: it turns out, washing your clothes in cold water is better for the environment, your wardrobe, and your bank account.

Over the past ten years, companies like Proctor and Gamble have developed new detergents that work just as well in cold water as warm (or hot) water. And companies that manufacture washing machines now make ones that rely largely on cold water.

But what about the clothes?

Washing your wardrobe in cold water is actually better in the long run than using hot water. Certain stains, like blood and sweat, will only come out in cold water. If you wash them in warm water, the stains just set in even further. Warm water also causes dyes to run and some fabrics to shrink. Cold water washes will keep your clothes brighter and in better shape for longer.

And then there’s the most important aspect, the environment. A whopping 90% of your washing machine’s energy goes into heating the water, so switching to cold water washes means a lot less carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. And one more thing that’s sure to grab your attention: washing in cold water will save you money. The average family can save an estimated $200 per year by switching from warm or hot to cold.

So go turn the knob on your washing machine to COLD and help yourself (and everyone else) out in a big way!

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