Yes, washing clothes in cold water generally makes them last longer by being gentler on fabrics, preventing shrinkage, and preserving colors, reducing wear and tear compared to harsh hot water, with modern detergents being effective in colder temperatures for most loads.
Cold Water Washing Helps Clothes Last longer
Hot water is more damaging to clothing fibers, leading to them wearing out faster and shedding more microfiber particles. Washing in cold helps protect your fabrics to keep them looker newer longer.
Hot water can be harsh on fabrics, causing them to fade, shrink, or lose their shape over time. Cold water, on the other hand, is gentler and helps to preserve the quality and color of your clothes. By washing everything in cold water, you can extend the lifespan of your garments, saving you money in the long run.
Using cold water instead of warm for the rinse cycle will save you $0.15 per load. I advocate using cold/cold for washing and rinsing most non-soiled clothing. When clothing is moderately soiled (with sweat or food, for example), I'll use warm/cold for a load.
3 Tips: When Cold Water May Not Work
Take fabric: Knits and synthetic fabrics (such as spandex, nylon, polyester, and rayon blends) are easier to wash in warm water. If sanitizing is the goal—say you or someone in your family is sick—washing clothing and bedding in hot water can help stop the spread of germs.
Although washing on cooler cycles is environmentally savvy, it doesn't make odor removal from clothing any easier. This is because soiling and residues tend to harden in the cold water.
While 30°C is generally considered a “cold” wash, some organisations, such as the EU's Ecodesign Initiative, believe that 25°C or even 20°C is the perfect temperature for a cold cycle. The colder you go, the more energy you'll save and the less harmful synthetic microfibers you'll shed.
Avoid hot water – high temperatures will cause cotton to shrink, so opt for a delicate cycle or a cold wash to avoid your favorite cotton items from shrinking.
While you can wash dishes in cold water and soap to get them relatively clean, especially if you efficiently scrub them, in general it is better to use hot dishwashing water.
Wash with the hottest water temperature setting listed on the care label. Polyester blends are best washed using warm water, while cotton can tolerate hot water. Hotter water kills most germs and also takes care of dust mites that thrive in bedding. Wash at least once every other week.
We recommend using cold water for sensitive, delicate fabrics like lingerie, eveningwear, and woolens. It's important to launder these items using a fabric-specific detergent like the Wool & Cashmere Shampoo for knits and woolens, and the Delicate Wash for delicate items like bras and eveningwear.
Hot water helps to effectively kill bacteria and dust mites and more thoroughly disinfect fabrics to ensuring proper sanitization. Warm water lifts grime better and helps deep clean better than cold. Heavily soiled items, towels, bedding, whites, extra-germy things, and knits are better washed with warm or hot water.
Certain fabrics, like wool and cotton, are more prone to shrinking because their fibers constrict when they're exposed to the heat of the dryer. Before washing, separate out any fabrics that may be susceptible to shrinking, so you can wash and dry them in a different manner, such as with a cooler temperature setting.
People think they have to use hot water to get their clothes clean. This isn't true! In fact, washing clothes in cold water can actually be more effective than soaking them in hot water.
Things You Should Never Wash in Cold Water
Not only that, but cold water washing can increase the longevity of clothing. Heat can reduce the lifespan of clothing due to shrinking, fading colors, and bleeding, particularly for darker clothes. Hot washes can also set in wrinkles and stains.
Can you unshrink cotton? You may be able to help stretch your garment back to its original size by trying to relax the fibers that tightened up from heat or agitation. Try using some lukewarm water to rehydrate the fibers and a bit of hair conditioner to soften them up, making the fabric flexible again.
If your towel continues to smell after a longer wash, it usually signifies that bacteria is still in your washing machine - or hiding somewhere on your towel. By running the cycle again with bleach or washing your towels for a second time, you can remove any stubborn bacteria left behind.
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.
Cold water is better for sweat-based smells and prevents color fading. Best approach: Try cold water with vinegar or baking soda first for workout clothes and items with sweat odors. Use hot water for musty or mildew smells. Always check the garment care label before using hot water, as some fabrics shrink or fade.
However, the general rule of thumb is to put towels through a regular cycle at a medium-hot temperature, just hot enough to kill off any bacteria and remove loose towel fibres. However, you should check the care labels for product-specific instructions. Dark towels should always be washed with a warm water setting.
Does cold water kill germs? The cold-water process will remove dirt, stains, and some bacteria from a load of laundry, but it doesn't kill germs.
If you're not going to separate your laundry by color, then it's best to use a cold-water wash cycle. While separating your laundry is still recommended, cold water washing will limit most color transfer. However, your whites will slowly lose their luster if you do this regularly.