Why you should stop washing clothes in hot water

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Many are looking for ways to save money these days, and if you’re one of them, you might not expect one of the methods to be in your laundry room. But if you’re still washing clothes in hot water, you could accidentally be costing more money.

Washing clothes in hot water is no longer necessary thanks to advances in detergents and washing machines.

If you’ve ever heard heavily soiled towels, sheets, sportswear, or other items washed in hot water, chances are it’s from a parent or grandparent. Hot water was considered better for cleaning for a long time, and there is still some truth to that. Hot water molecules remove stains and dirt faster than cold ones because they move faster during the washing process, and it’s also great at killing germs!

Now, however, both appliances and laundry detergent can do the same thing without hot water. Newer washer models are more efficient at cleaning than old-school top-load washers with built-in agitators. Newer models are high-efficiency and built to have lower wash temperatures that meet Department of Energy standards, so they have to be better cleaners.

These new high-efficiency washers also mean upgrades for detergents. Remember how we mentioned that hot water molecules move faster and are therefore better for cleaning? Well, Consumer Reports spoke with Tracey Long, North American fabric care communications manager for P&G, who explained that modern detergents have become a mixture of surfactants and enzymes that work together in cold water to achieve a equivalent performance.

So is there a time when you should use hot water? If you, a family member, or a roommate have been sick, that’s the time to switch that cycle to hot. Otherwise, cold and warm washes should be fine, and thanks to no longer needing to heat the water, you’ll save energy costs to boot!

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