Should You Use Hot or Cold Water for Your Laundry?

The invention of the washing machine has made washing one’s clothes significantly faster, easier, and more convenient. Gone are the days when it would take an entire weekend to wash a whole family’s laundry. Now, you only need to toss the dirty clothes in the washing machine, make sure the appliance has soap and other essential compounds for keeping clothes clean and smelling fresh, and then wait for the load to finish before you move them into a dryer.

A washing machine may be an investment, but it’s one that many Filipino families consider well worth the cost. Maybe you want to buy top load washing machine for your home as well and wash your family’s clothes in one go. That’s certainly a smart decision, especially if you want more time to rest, watch television, and create memories with people that matter most to you during your days off. A washing machine can certainly help you do all these things. To maximize the use of this appliance, however, you need to make a few choices, including whether to wash your clothes in hot or cold water.

How Does Water Temperature Affect Your Clothes?

Different fabrics and types of items made of fabrics have different needs, and this is a consideration that is usually programmed into your washing machine. For instance, a machine can have different recommended settings for everyday clothes, denim jeans and jackets, and bed covers. Among the many variations in the washing cycles, these settings can also change the temperature used for washing and rinsing the clothes. This is because some fabrics are best cleaned using hot water, while others are better suited for washing in cold water.

Washing your clothes with hot water has its advantages. Hot water works well for loosening stains on heavily soiled items. Certain stains and detergents more readily dissolve in hot water, making it easier to clean the fabric. It’s also a good choice if you intend to disinfect your clothes, which can be necessary if someone in the family is sick or if you have a baby that uses cloth diapers. The downside of using hot water is that it takes energy to heat the water, which means that washing with hot water can increase your electricity consumption. Also, delicate fabrics like silk and wool can get damaged, and colorful clothing can lose their vibrancy when washed at higher temperatures.

Cold water is most often used for regular washing. It’s more economical to do so because it doesn’t require extra heating, plus cold water is often enough to deal with everyday stains and dirt on one’s clothes. Washing your clothes in cold water is also a safer option if you are worried about shrinking, fading, and wrinkling, as the cool temperature is less likely to have a negative effect on the clothing fibers.

Should You Wash Your Clothes in Cold or Warm Water?

Unless your clothes are heavily stained or you want to sanitize certain pieces for future use, then it’s perfectly fine to wash your regular clothes in cold water. Also, take note that some stains like blood, egg whites, and other sticky items can worsen and set into the fabric when washed with hot water. If you’re dealing with these kinds of stains, choose a setting that skips exposure to high temperatures.

When in doubt, you can always check the clothing care label for precise instructions. Do this whenever you’re washing a piece for the first time, and test the detergent you’re going to use in a hidden corner to see if the fabric has the tendency to bleed. If color bleeding poses an issue, then use cold water on your laundry and wash the garment with like-colored fabrics to prevent staining and possibly ruining other pieces in your wardrobe.

Do You Need the Hot Water Function in Your Washing Machine?

Since the Philippines is a tropical country, there’s little need to wash clothes in warm water to aid the drying process. As such, many households don’t really consider whether or not it’s best to wash their laundry in cold or hot water when the chore needs to be done. However, it’s still a good idea to understand why water temperature matters when doing the laundry. This way, when you’re faced with a particularly finicky piece of cloth or fabric, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision on how to clean it in an efficient and economical manner.

If your laundry load typically involves heavily soiled garments and stinky clothes, perhaps it’s a good idea to invest in a washing machine that is capable of using hot water. If you’re not dealing with plenty of stains and dirt regularly, though, then you might not need to use this particular function. Consider this information when shopping for a new washing machine for your home so that you can get the right appliance for your needs.

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