Washing Clothes in Cold Water Isn't Always Best—What to Know Before Your Next Load (2024)

FAQs

What laundry detergent works best in cold water? ›

Tide Coldwater is specially formulated to clean in cold water conditions better than the next leading regular liquid detergent in warm. And, with Tide Coldwater, you can save money on your energy bill. In fact, you can save up to 80% of energy in every load.

Cold water is best for preventing fading, so stick to a cold setting on your dark loads. (This is why it's important to separate your clothes into light and dark laundry loads.) While white items do best in hot water, cold water prevents fading in your dark items.

Tide 3-in-1 PODS® Free & Gentle work in any machine, even if you don't normally use an HE detergent, and are designed to dissolve even in cold water. Just place 1-2 Tide PODS® in the washing machine drum before clothing and you're good to go.

There are several reasons why your clothes might shrink in the wash. These include fiber content, excess moisture, and heat and agitation. Fiber content – Certain natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, are more likely to shrink than others.

Turning to Cold and Save

This is why all of Tide detergent are uniquely formulated to work well in cold water which helps save both money AND environment... By switching your wash water temperatures from hot to cold, you can save enough energy in 1 year to charge your smartphone for a lifetime.

It all comes down to your laundry needs and lifestyle. If you value convenience and simplicity, pods might be your pick. If you're after versatility and cost-effectiveness, consider going for liquid detergent. If tough stains and cost per load are your primary concerns, the powder could be the way to go.

One of the most common mistakes that we make when rushing about our daily routine, is to bundle all different types of clothes into the same wash. Mixing socks and underwear with shirts and jackets leads to cross contamination of bacteria.

Separate Light and Dark Towels - Before washing towels, separate the light and dark colors into their own loads. Never wash white towels with dark colors. Since towels are so absorbent, the lighter colored towels can pick up some of the dye color from the darker ones which can cause them to become dingy or discolored.

Sanitizing your towels will require warmer water than what you might normally use—something that could be detrimental to your clothes. Washing your towels and clothes together risks damage to your clothes and potential bacteria transfer—so it's best to keep them separate!

It's specially formulated for cold water conditions, giving you brilliant color protections while using 50% less energy when you switch loads from warm to cold.

Do you just throw Tide PODS in the washer? ›

Unlike liquid laundry detergent, laundry pods go directly into the washer. In fact, Tide recommends putting its pods into the machine first, then loading the clothes on top. "The pod should be placed directly in the drum of the machine, not in the detergent drawer where it can clog the water flow," Mottola explains.

The number of pacs necessary depends on the load size. To guarantee superior performance, add two Tide PODS® pacs into the washing machine drum before you add clothes. Use one laundry pac for smaller loads or three for larger loads.

Common Reasons for Smelly Clothes

Washing machines tend to hold onto stagnant water, especially front loading machines, which can harbor bacteria, limescale, and mold. Leaving the washer door closed traps moisture inside, creating a breeding ground for mildew and bacteria, which can transfer to your clothes.

Washing cotton in hot water can cause shrinkage. While cotton fabrics tend to have a maximum shrinkage capacity, heat can cause your cotton items to permanently shrink. Avoid this by using cold water when washing cotton, or alternating between warm and cold washes.

Denim may seem like a tough fabric, but that doesn't mean you should choose a heavy duty wash cycle. Instead, opt for a delicate or gentle cycle, and use cold water to avoid shrinking or fading. Opt for a mild detergent, especially one made specifically for dark clothes if your jeans are blue or black.

Liquid detergents dissolve more easily in colder water compared with powder detergents, says Mary Gagliardi, an in-house scientist and cleaning expert at Clorox.

Do all® MIGHTY PACS® and all® free clear MEGA PACS™️ work effectively in cold water? The entire portfolio of all^® laundry detergent products are formulated to work in all water temperatures, including cold water.

Liquid detergent dissolves readily at all water temperatures. It's the better option if you prefer to wash your garments in cold water to reduce energy costs. In contrast, powder detergents dissolve well only in hot water. Powder detergents contain a surfactant called alkyl benzene sulfonate.

In most modern washing machines, the 'cold' setting actually uses a mixture of hot and cold water to reach 60 degrees F, the minimum viable temperature. That means that in most cases you can use powder detergent on the cold cycle and get great results while saving energy and money.