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Using Cold Water for doing Laundry

by Jenna
(Albuquerque)

I use cold water for all my laundry. It helps to prevent fading from colors, keeps designs in tact, and also is lowering my electricity bill because I do not have to use the electricity to use hot water.

I also heard that cold water is better to reduce global warming because we do not use that extra electricity to heat the water. Plus with cold, the colors don't run so I do not waste my time sorting colors.

Comments for Using Cold Water for doing Laundry

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Worried about being sanitary?
by: Anonymous

If you are worried about cold water being clean only use hot water for your towels. Unless you are rolling around in poop all day I don't think you need to worry about your clothes being sanitary. I only do the towels in hot water due to the bacteria that might grow on the wet towels between my showers and when I was them.
Some people say to re-use towels but I was told by a doctor that you can get ring warm from that. So I wash every towel in hot water.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sanitary?
by: Kate

I don't shower, wash my hands, wash my dishes or mop my floors with cold water. It's just not sanitary. Hot water breaks up a lot more dirt than cold water and kills a lot more germs. No, hot water isn't appropriate for every load, but neither is cold.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cold water
by: Anonymous

At what temperature does cold water become ineffective for cleaning clothes? I use cold water when possible, but when the water temperature is so low, I wonder how effective it is.

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starstarstarstarstar 		Cold is the way to go
by: Anonymous

Cold Water is just safer. There is no worry of fading or bleeding. This is especially important if you live with a woman... Plus you save some cash on your bills from not heating the water.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Have been using cold water for years
by: Cat

I have been using cold water for many years. I think it cleans just fine. Nothing has ever turned colors on me while using cold water. I always use liquid detergent. The powder doesn't dissolve enough in the cold water and clothes end up slimy.
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starstarstarstar 		Cold Water works great
by: Anonymous

I wash almost all my loads of clothes on the cold water cycle. It has the added benefit of saving my electricity but it is great for not having colors bleed and my clothes seem to last longer. It also works on certain stains (blood) to get them out better. When you are a little tight on money and have children it keeps their clothes lasting a bit longer.
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starstarstarstarstar 		do it for all my laundry
by: Anonymous

I run all my laundry using cold water. Not only does it save money on the electric bill, my clothes don't fade in the wash.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Mixed white color loads - use cold water
by: Anonymous

When you do a load of both white and colored clothes, the colored clothes will not bleed if washed in cold water.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cold Water Washing
by: Anonymous

I too have used only cold water on my clothes for years. I believe it prolongs the life of my clothing and keeps the colors looking their best.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Clothes are just as clean.....
by: Anonymous

I have used only cold water for years - even when I had kids at home. It started when I got tired of pink school shirts and spotted underwear from mis-sorted laundry.

I use liquid laundry soap and let the water fill a bit before I drop the clothes in to avoid any possible diluting issue.

No more worrying about what the temp the water was on the last time....it's always cold.

Nothing bleads! If something's dingy - a little clorox II and you are good to go.



Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Be Careful!!
by: E Wolf

I also use only cold for my normal washes, but I found that if you use powder detergent it might not completely dissolve. Then you end up having to rewash that load which would increase your water bill in the long run. Switch to liquid or use a higher end powder when using cold water.
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starstarstarstarstar 		I didn't know
by: Anonymous

I didn't know the cold water kept your colors from running. This is an added benefit. We have been doing it for some time now just to save energy costs.
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starstarstarstarstar 		I agree
by: Anonymous

I also use cold water to wash all the laundry. Colors don't bleed and I don't use extra electricity to have hot water. If something is dingy I just add a bit of bleach to whites and it all comes out great
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		using cold water is fine
by: Anonymous

I've found over the years that using a cold water cycle is fine for almost everything. I'll use warm for whites, and once in awhile hot for a heavily soiled load, but most of the time, I'll use cold wash/cold rinse.

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