Washing with Hot or Cold Water
With so many options for detergents and machines, many forget how water temperature affects the washing of clothes. Two lead testers at Consumer Reports, Pat Slaven andEmilio Gonzalez, come clean about what detergents are capable of and when it’s time to turn up the heat.
Old Rules
According to an old rule of thumb, Ms. Slaven says, for every increase of 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) in the temperature of the water, the result is a doubling in the amount of cleaning a washing cycle would do. That is no longer true, says the chemical engineer, who has worked as a detergent tester for the consumer organization for 10 years. Today, “detergents are formulated with enzymes that kick into action even at 60 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Ms. Slaven.
Above 75 degrees, the detergent’s enzymes become less effective, she says. And the added heat can help set stains like blood as well as damage some fabrics and colors. “At home, I mostly use cold water, since hot or even warm water can strip colors,” says Ms. Slaven.
Most cold-water taps in America flow at 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabouts, meaning your detergent “will dissolve and clean while running a cold cycle just fine,” Ms. Slaven says. In certain places, such as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Maine or Alaska, where tap water can be 40 degrees or less, “you’ll want to use a newer machine that automatically adds some hot water to your cold cycle or your detergent won’t dissolve properly,” she says.
Turning Up the Heat
Although washing with cold water at around 65 degrees will clean dirty clothes, it won’t sanitize them, which is important, for example, when washing a baby’s diapers or a contagious sick person’s sheets, says Mr. Gonzalez, a mechanical engineer who has tested appliances since 1991. In new washers, the warm-water cycle typically runs at about 75 to 80 degrees, and the hot-water cycle will run at whatever your hot water tank is set to, usually around 120 degrees, he says. Neither setting is sufficiently hot to sanitize laundry, he says.
Chlorine bleach will sanitize but it can wipe out a fabric’s color. And while non-chlorine bleaches won’t bleed colors, they also won’t sanitize your laundry, Mr. Gonzalez says. Some washing machines have a sanitizing cycle, during which built-in heaters raise the water’s temperature for long enough to sanitize, he says. Other sanitizing options: Place the items in a pot of boiling water, or iron them.
Ms. Slaven says she likes to wash her sheets then let them dry in the sun; the combination of sun and oxygen acts as a natural, mild oxidizer. This is good enough for daily use, she says, “but it’s not going to kill disease-causing bacteria.” In general, most people don’t need sanitized laundry, “they just need clean clothes,” she says.
Dirty Little Secret
Many people, especially in the U.S., typically wear an item of clothing once then throw it in the laundry. “We are washing clean clothes,” Ms. Slaven says. “It’s part of our national psyche.” Both she and Mr. Gonzalez say that if an article of clothing doesn’t show visible stains, hang it up and air it out; if it looks dingy, wash it on a cold cycle.
“As long as you’re using a decent detergent and a decent machine, almost anything washed in water at 65 degrees Fahrenheit is fine,” Mr. Gonzalez says.
Stain-removal Techniques
The following stain removal techniques are intended for washable items only. To make the diluted dishwashing solution mentioned below, mix one tablespoon of fragrance-free and dye-free soap (containing sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate) and 10 ounces of water. This may be kept in a spray bottle to facilitate application. Do not use the enzyme detergent (look on the product label under list of ingredients to see if the detergent contains enzymes) below on protein fibers (like wool, silk, angora or cashmere). Never use acetone on acetate and always wash garments that have been treated with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone). These are simply suggestions and Jiffy Steamer does not warranty the effectiveness of these treatments.
Stain
Removal Technique
GREASE
(oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine)After treating the stain with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone), rinse with isopropyl alcohol and dry thoroughly. Spray the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap solution and soak in an enzyme-detergent before washing.
PROTEIN
(blood, egg)Allow the stain to rest in the diluted dishwashing-soap solution. If, after rinsing in lukewarm water, the stain persists, apply the enzyme detergent and wash as normal.
VEGETABLES & FRUITS
(juice, jelly)Begin by applying the diluted dishwashing-soap solution to the area. Next flush the stain with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Finally, treat the area with an enzyme detergent and wash as indicated by label instructions.
GRASS
Apply a dry solvent to the stain (making sure to do so in a well-ventilated area). Remove as much of the stain as possible by pressing with cheesecloth and dabbing with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse stain with isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry. Apply an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.
LIPSTICK
Begin by scraping as much of the stain off as possible. Apply a dry solvent to the area and dab with a soft brush. Rinse the area with isopropyl alcohol. Continue this process until no pigment remains and allow to dry. Apply diluted dishwashing-soap solution and an enzyme detergent, and wash as usual.
RED WINE
Flush the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap mixture and dab gently with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse with water and apply vinegar, dabbing lightly, allowing the item to sit for a few minutes before repeating the process. If the stain persists, let it sit for a few moments after treating with hydrogen peroxide. A few drops of ammonia may be added to the area if the hydrogen peroxide does not remove all of the stain. Rinse with water, apply an enzyme detergent and wash. If the stain still exists, treat with a powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) and wash again.
WHITE WINE
Rinse the area with cool water and apply the diluted dish-soap solution. After applying an enzyme detergent, launder as usual.
TEA OR COFFEE
Rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar or lemon juice and then, if necessary, apply a stronger bleach. If the beverage contained milk or sugar, treat with diluted dishwashing-soap solution and then wash with an enzyme detergent.
GUM OR WAX
First freeze the substance by placing in a freezer or applying ice cubes, then try to crack off as much as possible. To eliminate the remainder of the substance use an oil solvent or mineral spirits, rinsing with isopropyl alcohol. Allow to dry and use an enzyme detergent.
CHOCOLATE
Remove as much chocolate as possible and apply the diluted dish soap. Treat with an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.
RED SAUCES
(ketchup, BBQ, marinara)Remove as much sauce as possible and treat stain with diluted dish soap before soaking in lukewarm water. Use white vinegar to eliminate any remaining color, then apply an enzyme detergent and wash as normal. If the stain is still present, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, allowing it to sit. Finally, rinse and apply again with an enzyme detergent.
MUSTARD
Rinse the area thoroughly with white vinegar and wash with dishwashing detergent.
VINAIGRETTE
Follow the instructions for a grease stain and then rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar. Use an enzyme detergent.
SOY SAUCE
Spray the diluted dishwashing soap and dab with a soft brush. Rinse with water and then dab with vinegar, allowing stain to sit for a few minutes before rinsing again. Hydrogen peroxide may be used to treat any remaining stain. If the stain persists after that, a few drops of ammonia may be added to the wetted area, which should then be rinsed with water. Apply an enzyme detergent to the area and wash according to garment care instructions. A nonchloronated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) may be used to treat the area if, after washing, the stain is still present. Finally, rewash the garment.
INK
(BALLPOINT)Using a can of aerosol hair spray, saturate the stain and allow it to sit for a few moments before laundering as normal.
(FELT-TIP)First line the border of the stain with petroleum jelly to protect the area around it. Then determine whether isopropyl alcohol or water will more effectively remove the ink by the following test: Dip one cotton swab in water and another in isopropyl alcohol. Apply each to the stain and see which removes more ink. If the water-dipped cotton swab removed more, apply the diluted dishwashing soap to the stain, and then rinse with cold water. If the alcohol worked better, apply isopropyl alcohol to the stain. Use a dry solvent on any remaining pigment, and allow to dry. Flush with the diluted dishwashing soap solution and cold water. Then wash as directed by the garment care label.
MUD
Remove as much mud as possible, then apply the diluted dishwashing soap solution and allow stain to soak. Finally, treat with an enzyme detergent and wash as usual.
With so many options for detergents and machines, many forget how water temperature affects the washing of clothes. Two lead testers at Consumer Reports, Pat Slaven andEmilio Gonzalez, come clean about what detergents are capable of and when it’s time to turn up the heat.
Old Rules
According to an old rule of thumb, Ms. Slaven says, for every increase of 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) in the temperature of the water, the result is a doubling in the amount of cleaning a washing cycle would do. That is no longer true, says the chemical engineer, who has worked as a detergent tester for the consumer organization for 10 years. Today, “detergents are formulated with enzymes that kick into action even at 60 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Ms. Slaven.
Above 75 degrees, the detergent’s enzymes become less effective, she says. And the added heat can help set stains like blood as well as damage some fabrics and colors. “At home, I mostly use cold water, since hot or even warm water can strip colors,” says Ms. Slaven.
Most cold-water taps in America flow at 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabouts, meaning your detergent “will dissolve and clean while running a cold cycle just fine,” Ms. Slaven says. In certain places, such as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Maine or Alaska, where tap water can be 40 degrees or less, “you’ll want to use a newer machine that automatically adds some hot water to your cold cycle or your detergent won’t dissolve properly,” she says.
Turning Up the Heat
Although washing with cold water at around 65 degrees will clean dirty clothes, it won’t sanitize them, which is important, for example, when washing a baby’s diapers or a contagious sick person’s sheets, says Mr. Gonzalez, a mechanical engineer who has tested appliances since 1991. In new washers, the warm-water cycle typically runs at about 75 to 80 degrees, and the hot-water cycle will run at whatever your hot water tank is set to, usually around 120 degrees, he says. Neither setting is sufficiently hot to sanitize laundry, he says.
Chlorine bleach will sanitize but it can wipe out a fabric’s color. And while non-chlorine bleaches won’t bleed colors, they also won’t sanitize your laundry, Mr. Gonzalez says. Some washing machines have a sanitizing cycle, during which built-in heaters raise the water’s temperature for long enough to sanitize, he says. Other sanitizing options: Place the items in a pot of boiling water, or iron them.
Ms. Slaven says she likes to wash her sheets then let them dry in the sun; the combination of sun and oxygen acts as a natural, mild oxidizer. This is good enough for daily use, she says, “but it’s not going to kill disease-causing bacteria.” In general, most people don’t need sanitized laundry, “they just need clean clothes,” she says.
Dirty Little Secret
Many people, especially in the U.S., typically wear an item of clothing once then throw it in the laundry. “We are washing clean clothes,” Ms. Slaven says. “It’s part of our national psyche.” Both she and Mr. Gonzalez say that if an article of clothing doesn’t show visible stains, hang it up and air it out; if it looks dingy, wash it on a cold cycle.
“As long as you’re using a decent detergent and a decent machine, almost anything washed in water at 65 degrees Fahrenheit is fine,” Mr. Gonzalez says.
Stain-removal Techniques
The following stain removal techniques are intended for washable items only. To make the diluted dishwashing solution mentioned below, mix one tablespoon of fragrance-free and dye-free soap (containing sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate) and 10 ounces of water. This may be kept in a spray bottle to facilitate application. Do not use the enzyme detergent (look on the product label under list of ingredients to see if the detergent contains enzymes) below on protein fibers (like wool, silk, angora or cashmere). Never use acetone on acetate and always wash garments that have been treated with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone). These are simply suggestions and Jiffy Steamer does not warranty the effectiveness of these treatments.
Stain
Removal Technique
GREASE
(oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine)After treating the stain with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone), rinse with isopropyl alcohol and dry thoroughly. Spray the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap solution and soak in an enzyme-detergent before washing.
PROTEIN
(blood, egg)Allow the stain to rest in the diluted dishwashing-soap solution. If, after rinsing in lukewarm water, the stain persists, apply the enzyme detergent and wash as normal.
VEGETABLES & FRUITS
(juice, jelly)Begin by applying the diluted dishwashing-soap solution to the area. Next flush the stain with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Finally, treat the area with an enzyme detergent and wash as indicated by label instructions.
GRASS
Apply a dry solvent to the stain (making sure to do so in a well-ventilated area). Remove as much of the stain as possible by pressing with cheesecloth and dabbing with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse stain with isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry. Apply an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.
LIPSTICK
Begin by scraping as much of the stain off as possible. Apply a dry solvent to the area and dab with a soft brush. Rinse the area with isopropyl alcohol. Continue this process until no pigment remains and allow to dry. Apply diluted dishwashing-soap solution and an enzyme detergent, and wash as usual.
RED WINE
Flush the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap mixture and dab gently with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse with water and apply vinegar, dabbing lightly, allowing the item to sit for a few minutes before repeating the process. If the stain persists, let it sit for a few moments after treating with hydrogen peroxide. A few drops of ammonia may be added to the area if the hydrogen peroxide does not remove all of the stain. Rinse with water, apply an enzyme detergent and wash. If the stain still exists, treat with a powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) and wash again.
WHITE WINE
Rinse the area with cool water and apply the diluted dish-soap solution. After applying an enzyme detergent, launder as usual.
TEA OR COFFEE
Rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar or lemon juice and then, if necessary, apply a stronger bleach. If the beverage contained milk or sugar, treat with diluted dishwashing-soap solution and then wash with an enzyme detergent.
GUM OR WAX
First freeze the substance by placing in a freezer or applying ice cubes, then try to crack off as much as possible. To eliminate the remainder of the substance use an oil solvent or mineral spirits, rinsing with isopropyl alcohol. Allow to dry and use an enzyme detergent.
CHOCOLATE
Remove as much chocolate as possible and apply the diluted dish soap. Treat with an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.
RED SAUCES
(ketchup, BBQ, marinara)Remove as much sauce as possible and treat stain with diluted dish soap before soaking in lukewarm water. Use white vinegar to eliminate any remaining color, then apply an enzyme detergent and wash as normal. If the stain is still present, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, allowing it to sit. Finally, rinse and apply again with an enzyme detergent.
MUSTARD
Rinse the area thoroughly with white vinegar and wash with dishwashing detergent.
VINAIGRETTE
Follow the instructions for a grease stain and then rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar. Use an enzyme detergent.
SOY SAUCE
Spray the diluted dishwashing soap and dab with a soft brush. Rinse with water and then dab with vinegar, allowing stain to sit for a few minutes before rinsing again. Hydrogen peroxide may be used to treat any remaining stain. If the stain persists after that, a few drops of ammonia may be added to the wetted area, which should then be rinsed with water. Apply an enzyme detergent to the area and wash according to garment care instructions. A nonchloronated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) may be used to treat the area if, after washing, the stain is still present. Finally, rewash the garment.
INK
(BALLPOINT)Using a can of aerosol hair spray, saturate the stain and allow it to sit for a few moments before laundering as normal.
(FELT-TIP)First line the border of the stain with petroleum jelly to protect the area around it. Then determine whether isopropyl alcohol or water will more effectively remove the ink by the following test: Dip one cotton swab in water and another in isopropyl alcohol. Apply each to the stain and see which removes more ink. If the water-dipped cotton swab removed more, apply the diluted dishwashing soap to the stain, and then rinse with cold water. If the alcohol worked better, apply isopropyl alcohol to the stain. Use a dry solvent on any remaining pigment, and allow to dry. Flush with the diluted dishwashing soap solution and cold water. Then wash as directed by the garment care label.
MUD
Remove as much mud as possible, then apply the diluted dishwashing soap solution and allow stain to soak. Finally, treat with an enzyme detergent and wash as usual.