A Guide to Water Temperature for Laundry (2024)

What water temperature should I use for cottons? Does hot or cold water shrink clothes? What temperature should I use to wash delicates? These are common questions we get from our community– that's why we created the Understanding Water Temperature guide to help you understand when to use hot, warm, cold and cool water!

Hot water is generally the most powerful option for deep cleaning everyday fabrics. It should only be used on items that are tagged as hot water-washable, like cottons or other durable fabrics. Be sure to check for manufacturer recommendations before washing.

Does hot water shrink polyester? What about jeans? Aggressive on textiles, we recommend using hot water to launder only heavily soiled or odorous items made from strong fiber like cotton, and durable synthetic fabrics. Never use hot water on delicate fabrics, as it can cause damage or shrinkage to the garment. When everyday items are only moderately or mildly soiled, try opting for warm water instead. When it comes to water temperature, err on the side of caution (the colder the safer) and default to a gentler treatment when unsure.

Does warm water shrink clothes?

Both hot and warm water can cause certain items to shrink. Warm water will shrink them more gradually over multiple washes. Use cooler water to be safe and conserve energy.

What temperature should be used to wash towels?

We recommend washing towels on a hot, long wash cycle to deep clean and remove residue from body oils, makeup, and skincare products. This will also ensure your towels stay bright, free of odors, and fluffy.

Do you wash darks in hot or cold water?

Wash dark clothes separately for best results and to prevent the colors bleeding onto light clothing. We recommend washing most everyday dark fabrics in warm or cold water. Be sure to turn them inside out to avoid fading.

Does cotton shrink in hot or warm water?

Cotton, linen and durable synthetics can be washed in hot water, but it's best to err on the side of caution when it comes to water temperature (the colder the water, the more gentle on clothes). Wash cotton with the Signature Detergent on the normal cycle with hot water to get the deepest clean. To help avoid shrinking your cotton items, alternate cold washes with hot washes, and air dry or low-heat dry when possible.

Because each fabric has a certain maximum shrinkage capacity, hot and warm water will often have the same effect on an item over time. We prefer to use cold water on items at risk for shrinking. To avoid shrinkage, simply use cold water and don't put the item in the dryer, because the heat from the dryer does shrink clothes more quickly and can affect garment construction as well.

What is the right water temperature for colors? Does hot water cause colors to fade?

No, water temperature is not necessarily related to color loss - what matters more is the fabric composition. In theory, you can use any temperature to wash colors, dark or light. However, it's important to be sensitive to fabric makeup and dye process. Cottons and durable synthetics can typically take higher heat, while we recommend laundering washable delicates using cooler temperatures. Most fading typically happens as a result of the high heat and tumbling in the dryer. Normal wear and tear can also cause colors to fade over time.

Hot water is often used to treat dinginess (resulting from fuzz and dirt that make colors look less vibrant). Washing clothes in hot water can help to remove this buildup and brighten colors. To keep clothes brighter for longer, consider skipping the dryer when possible and opting to air dry. Additionally, pretreating stains with Stain Solution and using a deep cleaning detergent like Signature Detergent helps to maintain a beautiful clean. Our Signature Detergent formula is designed to be effective in all water temperatures.

A Guide to Water Temperature for Laundry (2024)

FAQs

A Guide to Water Temperature for Laundry? ›

Generally, cold water works best for delicate clothing, warm water helps clean lightly stained fabric and hot water is most effective for disinfecting and cleaning heavily stained and soiled items.

What is the best water temperature to wash clothes? ›

When to Use Warm Water – For man-made fibers, knits and jeans, use warm water (90°F). Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water. It offers good cleaning without significant fading or shrinking. When to Use Cold Water – For dark or bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, use cold water (80°F).

What temperature is laundromat hot water? ›

Most Laundromats keep their hot water at between 120 and 130 degrees so save money on their utility bills.

What is the best setting to wash clothes on? ›

Select the temperature based on the contents of the load: for whites, select hot water; for colors, select cool or warm. Keep in mind that cotton and synthetic towels of any color will get the cleanest when washed in warm to hot water.

What temperature do you wash colors in? ›

Now that you're ready to set the cycle, do you wash colors in hot or cold water? Colored clothing—particularly bright and bold colors—should be washed in cold water. Cold cycles use cooler water temperatures to help prevent colors from bleeding and fading.

What temperature kills bacteria in a washing machine? ›

60°C is the perfect temperature for killing bacteria, viruses and removing stains. This wash setting is also highly recommended for washing towels and bedding, but obviously this setting is going to increase running costs as the higher the temperature the higher the cost.

What water temperature kills bacteria in clothes? ›

To kill the germs in your laundry, wash your clothes on the hot cycle, then put everything in the dryer for 45 minutes. Wash whites with bleach, and use peroxide or color-safe bleach for colors. Do your laundry in water that's at least 140 F to kill any viruses or bacteria.

What temperature should hotel laundry water be? ›

Hotel Laundry Uses Hot Water at 160°F

It's hotter than a washing machine at a laundromat can handle. It is washed at 160°F. When you wash your sheets and towels at home, take a page out of the hotel laundry playbook and use hot water. ‍For true sanitization and aggressive stain removal, hot water is the only way to go.

What temperature should I wash my clothes so they don't shrink? ›

If you only remember one rule about how to avoid shrinking clothes, remember this: keep it cool. Clothes are much more likely to shrink when exposed to hot water or high dryer settings. Washing clothes in cold water goes a long way toward preserving the “off-the-rack” size.

What temperature is hot water for commercial laundry? ›

DETERMINATION OF LAUNDRY HOT WATER REQUIREMENTS – AVERAGE HOURLY HOT WATER RATE (AHHWR) – Any System Commercial laundry equipment generally uses 2 gallons of 180°F water per pound of cloths or linens washed. This figure is recommended by most machine manufacturers.

What temperature is best for washing? ›

Cold water is perfect for washing delicate items such as lingerie and hosiery. Warm water works well for lightly soiled clothes and synthetic fabrics. Hot water is usually only needed for items that are heavily soiled or stained. Here's a washing machine temperature guide based on fabric types.

What temperature to wash towels? ›

Since most towels are made from cotton, including the ones at Towel Super Center, we suggest setting the wash temperature to at least 40 degrees on the White/Colors cycle. Wash towels separately from the rest of your laundry and check to ensure there are no specific washing instructions on the towel labels.

What is the best cycle to wash towels? ›

Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle. A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric.

What temperature to wash sheets? ›

Water Temperature and Detergent - The best overall temperature to wash your sheets in is warm water. Hot water will fade colors and can be harsh on fine threads. Cold water may not clean your sheets as well as you would like. Choose your favorite detergent or a mild one that will help you care for your sheets properly.

What temperature is a colours wash? ›

A gentle or medium wash cycle should be perfect. Wash your new coloured clothes in cold water with an Ariel detergent made for bright coloured clothes. Ariel Colour & Style Washing Liquid helps keep your colours bright while removing many tough stains and impurities with just one wash, even at 30 degrees.

What temperature to wash jeans? ›

If you choose to clean your jeans in the washing machine, use cold water on a short, Delicate cycle. If you are washing your jeans by hand, use cold water in the sink or bathtub and lay them down flat. Then, rinse them thoroughly with cold water so the water runs clear, ensuring that all the suds are washed out.

What temperature does water get stains out of clothes? ›

Typically, cold water works great on blood, as well as food, beverages and water-based paint, while hot water works best on protein-based stains. Unfortunately, there's no golden rule to stain removal. For example, most food stains should be soaked in cold water, unless it's egg, mustard or a tomato-based product.

Why is water at a high temperature used to wash clothes? ›

As the water molecules move around, they tug at the detergent which in turn tugs at the fatty molecules in the stain, breaking the stain apart. At higher temperatures all of this molecular dancing around occurs with greater speed and energy and the stain is removed from the fabric more readily.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 5965

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.