Warm Water Laundry Facts

Drains Energy

• Most of the energy used by a washing machine goes to heating the water to warmer temperatures. In fact, according to Practically Green, a green lifestyle website, nearly 90 percent of a washer's energy is devoted to heating. As a result, washing your laundry in warm water can increase your energy expenses as well as your household's production of greenhouse gas emissions. Washing the majority of your laundry in cold water can help you save money and has a more favorable impact on the environment.

Sets Stains

• Washing your clothing in warm water may set particularly stubborn, protein-based stains such as blood, grass or urine. The higher temperature can bake the stain onto the fabric so it becomes permanent. It's often best to wash items with these types of stains in cold water before the stains have time to set.

Better for Light-Colored Items

• Warm water can sometimes cause dark or brightly colored clothing items to fade when washed. The higher water temperatures encourage clothes to release their dye so they bleed when washed. Over time, your clothing may lose enough of its dye to take on a faded, worn appearance. Cold water is recommended when washing darks and bright colors.

Doesn't Kill Germs

• If you are concerned about your clothing or linens having bacteria, warm water alone is not enough to kill it. Washing in hot water, which is around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, can kill off various types of bacteria without any additional products. Warm water, however, is not hot enough to get rid of bacteria on its own. You must add a disinfectant product to a warm water cycle to kill all microorganisms and germs.

Requires Less Detergent

• Washing in warm water typically requires less detergent than washing in cold water. The higher water temperatures help dissolve and loosen stains on their own. In particular, stains such as oil and grease are extremely difficult to rinse away with cold water. As a result, you must often put additional detergent in the washer to get clothing clean when not using warm water.

May Cause Shrinkage

• While you may assume that you only have to worry about the dryer shrinking your clothes, washing with warm water can actually cause your clothing to shrink. The higher temperatures cause the fibers to contract so the item becomes smaller. If you have items you suspect might shrink, wash them in cold water to be safe.