Laundry pros know that cool washing is the best way to protect clothing, lower utility bills, and help the planet. But there’s a catch: cold water doesn’t always kill as many germs as warm water.
Wondering how to clean clothes more effectively on a cold wash? We have a few tips to ensure you’re sanitizing your clothing, no matter the temperature.
How to Clean Clothes More Effectively on a Cold Wash
Cold water washing: the benefits
Unless a care label calls for warm water or you have a load of only whites, cold water is the way to go. This temperature setting is a safe bet because cold water:
Doesn’t damage delicate materials as much as warm water
Prevents shrinking, fading, and wrinkling
Removes many stains, including ones that warm water can’t (like blood and sweat)
Reduces your cycle’s energy consumption by 70 - 90%
Long story short, if you’re ever in doubt about what a load needs, opt for cold!
Tips for cold water washing
If you’re worried cold water won’t clean your clothing, try these three tips to enhance your machine’s performance.
Use a cold water detergent
Not all detergents perform well in all machine settings. For example, powdered laundry detergent dissolves better in warm water, so liquid detergent is always better for cold water.
Your favorite laundry detergent brand likely has a line of cold water solutions. Biokleen’s Cold Water Laundry Liquid and Tide Coldwater Clean Free HE Liquid Laundry Detergent are both great options!
You can perfect your formula by learning how to make your own laundry detergent.
Select a longer wash cycle
If your machine allows you to adjust the length of your wash, select a longer setting. This gives your detergent more time to get to work, so you can rest easy knowing your clothes are completely cleaned!
Utilize laundry boosters
Finally, you can enhance the performance of your cold water wash with a laundry booster (or two). Laundry boosters come in many forms, but the most useful are:
● Scent boosters
● Laundry whiteners
● DIY laundry boosters
Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the right laundry booster for you!
Want to save money on warm washing? Head to the laundromat!
Some loads will always require warm or hot washing, like when someone’s sick, or something is heavily soiled.
If you still want to reduce your utility bill and minimize your impact on the planet, consider stopping by a local laundromat! You can select a warm setting at no higher cost and help the environment by utilizing a communal space.
Even better, find a laundromat with Ozone—like WaveMAX Laundry in Thornton! Ozone is nature’s disinfectant, and it works best with cold water!
Search ‘laundry near me’ to find your closest WaveMAX, or visit our website to learn more.
