# Washing Machines: Hot, Warm or Cold Water: Does It Make a Difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898 "2019-04-22T18:01:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/1 "2019-04-22T18:01:14Z")
Anyone done any experiments? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/2 "2019-04-22T18:02:51Z")
Generally, the hotter the water, the better it is at getting oil, dirt, scum and whatnot out of your clothes. The reasons for using cold water pertain mainly to protecting the laundry - hot water puts greater wear and tear on the clothing, especially delicate stuff. I use warm water mainly because cold water sometimes doesn’t get the detergent all rinsed out, and then you get itchy skin afterwards from the lingering detergent residue. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/3 "2019-04-22T18:44:46Z")
Never use anything but cold water around here. Uses less detergent and less laundry woes. If I have something particularly greasy or dirty I presoak in a bucket as opposed to in the machine. Works for me. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/4 "2019-04-22T18:50:02Z")
I don’t know how much difference it makes - I guess I’ve never noticed a difference. But then we don’t work in a coal mine. I used to wash everything in the cold wash/cold rinse cycle except for underwear and bath towels which I do in the hot wash/cold rinse cycle. I don’t use the cold/cold cycle anymore. I use warm wash/warm rinse instead. I was told by a washing machine repairman that our Lake Superior water is too cold for detergent to work properly. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I took his word for it. Still do underwear and towels in hot. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/5 "2019-04-22T19:10:11Z")
I use cold/cold 90% of the time, as I’ve never noticed much difference and it’s not as hard on clothes. Anything with body fluids is usually on warm/warm, occasionally hot/cold as are rags, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/6 "2019-04-22T19:54:35Z")
I’m a warm/warm. The washer I have seems to use a computer controlled mixing such that on warm it adds variable amounts from the hot and cold water supplies to reach some target temperature. So the wash temperature is always the same. cold/cold has the problem that during the winter when the supply temperature is cold, the water may be too cold for the detergent to work. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/7 "2019-04-22T19:59:31Z")
For cold wash, liquid detergents are mandantory. The pods won’t open properly and the powder doesn’t dissolve. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/8 "2019-04-22T19:59:52Z")
I use hot for whites, cold for everything else. Bleach for whites, as well. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/9 "2019-04-22T20:14:46Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > For cold wash, liquid detergents are mandantory. The pods won’t open properly and the powder doesn’t dissolve. I’ve started using these as they take up less space in my house. I’ve been using [Kirkland (Costco) brand](https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Ultra-Clean-HE-Laundry-Detergent-Pacs%2c-152-count.product.100307201.html) and they say all water temperatures are fine. I haven’t noticed any issues. > [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I use hot for whites, cold for everything else. Bleach for whites, as well. I don’t bother separating by color anymore except on the first wash or two for something dark. I don’t wear white or much red, but my undershirts remain white. I instead separate by garment type. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/10 "2019-04-22T22:34:55Z")
Cold/cold with liquid detergent. I used to use hot on whites, but I don’t bother with that any longer. Our clothes seem to come out as clean as you could want. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/11 "2019-04-22T23:27:57Z")
I use cold/cold, liquid detergent. Clothes are clean, colors don’t run. Exceptionally dirty or greasy items get washed separately with hot/hot I think changes in how dyes are formulated and made have, mostly, removed the need to sort for color these days. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/12 "2019-04-23T00:08:39Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Never use anything but cold water around here. Uses less detergent and less laundry woes. If I have something particularly greasy or dirty I presoak in a bucket as opposed to in the machine. Works for me. YMMV. Same, I do cold water for everything and pretreat if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/13 "2019-04-23T02:10:41Z")
Cold for everything except when I wash my white socks and my junk towels which are also white. They’re at least ten years old. Not worried about my white gym socks, they only last a few months anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/14 "2019-04-23T17:51:07Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > Same, I do cold water for everything and pretreat if necessary. Another cold/cold washer here. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I instead separate by garment type. I, too, separate by garment type - all of my dirty garments go in the washer, everybody else’s stay in their laundry basket. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/15 "2019-04-24T11:50:03Z")
Cold water for pretty much everything, and usually a quick wash cycle. Neither of us is doing anything that involves large amounts of dirt - the worst is probably my sweaty gym gear, and cold water does fine with that. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/16 "2019-04-24T14:06:17Z")
Cold/ cold here. I’ve never had a problem with detergent dissolving. We figure that it saves the water heater running so much. I’ve still had red garments stain things. I keep them separate or throw them in with blue jeans and let them fight it out. My biggest laundry lesson is to not bleach socks. It completely ruins the elasticity, making for socks that look like spats. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/17 "2019-04-24T14:12:01Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Cold/ cold here. I’ve never had a problem with detergent dissolving. We figure that it saves the water heater running so much. > > I’ve still had red garments stain things. I keep them separate or throw them in with blue jeans and let them fight it out. > > My biggest laundry lesson is to not bleach socks. It completely ruins the elasticity, making for socks that look like spats. I remember bleaching our white socks when we were first married. A few times I even soaked them in a bucket of bleach and water! Not a good idea. When pulling them on there would be a ripping sound from all of the elastic giving away. Then you’d end up with a baggy sock around your ankles. We don’t even wear white socks anymore. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/18 "2019-04-24T14:18:27Z")
Our washing machine has five temperature settings, all with cold wash. The settings are hot, warm, colors, cold, and tap cold. The first four are apparently thermostatically controlled and add varying amounts of hot/cold water to reach a specified temp. In general, shirts get “Colors” and the “normal” cycle, and everything else gets “warm” and the normal cycle. Kid clothes usually end up warm, "whites’ cycle, with auto-soak, since we’re forever washing out grass stains, mud and food. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/19 "2019-04-24T23:49:42Z")
We do warm/cold for underwear, socks, jeans, and towels. Cold/cold for shirts. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898/22 "2019-04-25T07:12:09Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Cold/ cold here. I’ve never had a problem with detergent dissolving. We figure that it saves the water heater running so much. > > I’ve still had red garments stain things. I keep them separate or throw them in with blue jeans and let them fight it out. > > My biggest laundry lesson is to not bleach socks. It completely ruins the elasticity, making for socks that look like spats. shout sells a "color catcher "sheet that actually works > **[Shout® Color Catcher - Protect from Color Bleeding | Shout®](https://www.shoutitout.com/en-us/products/color-catcher-dye-trapping-sheet)** > > Washing mixed colors and whites is easy with Shout® Color Catcher. Sheets absorb and protect clothes against color bleeding and help preserve original colors. it even takes the color out of things like the whites i turned blue when i tossed them in with new jeans yeah were getting thread targeted spam …JC had a atmb post n it earlier … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machines-hot-warm-or-cold-water-does-it-make-a-difference/832898.md?page=2)