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How do you choose the best laundry temperature? And does it impact the quality of your wash?

In this blog post, you’ll learn the effects of cold and warm water on your laundry – an easy temperature guide.

How do you determine what the right water temperature is for your laundry?

So, let’s start with the basics. How do you determine your laundry temperature?

The easiest way to determine the best temperature for your wash is… you guessed it, reading the care labels. The label is there for a reason, so take the time to go through the information provided, then pile the items requiring similar water temperature together.

Once you’ve finished checking the labels, sort the piles by colour and fabric type – Sorting clothing helps you control lint and colour bleeding.

Does water temperature really impact the quality of your wash?

Not only does water temperature determine how clean your laundry items will be, it determines the longevity of these items too.  If you use cold water to wash seriously dirty items, you may need to rewash them to get them clean – causing you to waste precious water.

In turn, washing polyester or nylon fabrics in hot water may cause shrinkage. So it’s important to follow the care label instructions.

Still a bit unsure as to which fabrics are washed in what temperature? 

Here are a few tips to help:

Hot water

Items you can wash in hot water include:

• White cotton clothes
• Dirty clothes such as sports or work uniforms
• Tea towels and other cleaning cloths
• Bath towels, bedding and pillowcases

Hot water is a great disinfectant so generally great for those items that need a hard clean.

Warm water

Clothing you can wash in warm water include: 

• Everyday wear
• Fabrics such as nylon and polyester
• Jeans
• Black clothing

Whenever you are unsure of what temperature to use to get your clothes clean, use warm water. Warm water helps reduce wrinkles in your clothes too and reduces the risk of shrinking or colour bleeding.

Cold water

Wash these items in cold water: 

• Items with wine, blood or coffee stains
• Bright coloured clothing
• Dark clothing

Washing, especially stained clothing in cold water, helps prevent stains from setting. 

Finally, always rinse in cold water, regardless of what temperature you used for the wash cycle. When rinsing clothes, cold water is perfect for all types of fabric. That’s not all! Cold rinsing saves energy and helps reduce wrinkling in your clothing too.

Knowing the best laundry temperature can be confusing, but by using this quick and easy guide, you’re on your way to being what some might call, a ‘laundry guru’.

Perhaps you’re looking to buy a commercial washing machine? At Dependable Laundry Solutions, we are one of the most trusted commercial laundry equipment suppliers and have been serving Australians for over 40 years. 

Contact us at Dependable Laundry Solutions today.