Ever since I was a little boy, my mother told me that the only real way to get clothes clean was by using hot water. The only thing you ever wanted to wash in cold water were, as she put it, "delicates," because the hot water and the movement in the machine damaged and shrank the material.
It turns out I am not the only person who believes this. A common myth in laundromats across the earth is that the best way to get clothes clean includes washing them in hot water. Well, I am here to clean up that misconception!
There have been several tests performed to gauge the effect of hot or cold water on laundry. One test used a well-known detergent on rags stained with grease, ketchup, grass stains, and other typical stains found on clothing. The test results found that cold water was a more effective cleaner than hot water. Cold water removed more stains than hot water, leaving only grease behind.
If I ever have a grease stain on my clothes, I prewash it, using a little detergent and washing by hand until the grease stain is gone. By doing that, I have just evened the odds with washing in cold water.
But this gets better the more you know. Ninety-five percent of the cost to wash clothes comes from heating the water! By washing in cold water alone, the average price per load is only $11.00 per year, as opposed to about $225.00 per year washing in hot water.
Consider this: washing with hot water wastes as much electricity as keeping your refrigerator door open 24/7 for an entire year!
From an environmental standpoint, this becomes a no-brainer. Using less energy is good for the grid as well as for the wallet, and if you throw in a product like Biolkeen cold water laundry detergent, which is completely biodegradable with no chemicals, colors or preservatives, you have the total green package for any washer out there.
I personally have not washed my clothes in hot water for years. My clothing has always come out as clean as the next person's, and I never have to worry about anything shrinking.
So, forget about hot water washing, save some money in your pocket, take a little less power from the grid, and use an environmentally friendly detergent, Because Action speaks louder than words!
