Why Water Temperature Matters When Washing White and Colorful Laundry (2024)

The rules of laundry care may seem overwhelming at first—all those symbols on the tag!—but it's easy to remember the right temperature for washing different loads: whites on warm, colors on cold.

Keep your everyday clothes, linens, and delicates looking bright and new with advice from laundry experts about how—and why—setting your washer to the proper temperature can benefit your wardrobe in the long run.

Why Water Temperature Matters for Your Clothes

Make no mistake about it: The correct water temperature is crucial to your laundry. "Water temperature determines the strength of the cleaning process, and selecting the appropriate water temperature for a particular fabric is essential to minimizing damage over time," says Gwen Whiting, the co-founder of The Laundress. "The correct water temperature ensures a more effective cleaning and can reduce the chance of color bleeding, warping, or damage to the fabric."

Wash Whites in Warm Water

While the common wisdom is to wash all white clothing in hot water, this isn't always the best course of action: Certain fibers can shrink and weaken in hot water (above 130 degrees Fahrenheit).

However, other fabrics won't get a deep, thorough cleaning in anything considered too cold—between 60 and 80 degrees Farenheit. The trick? "Wash white linens in lukewarm water, which generally falls between 90 to 110 degrees," says lifestyle and laundry expert Cheryl Nelson, the founder of Prepare with Cher.

Lindsey Boyd, co-founder of The Laundress, explains that warm water can effectively lift the accumulation of dirt, body oils, and stains while minimizing the risk of shrinkage. "Both hot and warm water may cause certain fabrics to fade or shrink," she notes. "However, hot water shrinks items to their maximum shrinkage capacity after one wash, whereas warm water will shrink them more gradually over multiple washes."

To ensure your white clothes get a deep, thorough clean in warm water, Nelson recommends washing them on the gentle cycle of your washing machine with similarly-hued fabrics. "Don't wash them with colorful fabrics or else the colors may bleed," she says. "And don't put too many items in the washing machine, as this can cause the fabric to twist or pull."

Wash Colors in Cold Water

Colorful fabrics are made with dyes that can fade, bleed, or transfer in hot and warm water. Wash bright and dark colors in cold water, says Whiting; go warmer, and dye transfer becomes more likely.

"If you have stains on colorful fabric, you can pretreat the item as you would with white linens," she says. To give these garments a deep cleaning, Nelson recommends washing them on the gentle cycle with as much cold water as possible so they can move around freely in the machine. "To keep the longevity of your vibrant colors, it also helps to turn your bright linens inside out before washing," she adds.

If a white garment sneaks into a load of brights or a red shirt ends up with your whites, don't fret, says Boyd. "If you notice some dye transfer, you can soak the white linens in a basin or sink of hot water with two capfuls of a bleach alternative and wash as normal with hot water," she says.

When in Doubt: Wash in Cool Water

While most fabrics composed of densely woven fibers (like cotton and linen) can typically be washed in warm water without the risk of shrinking or fading, Nelson says that it's smartest to use cool water if you're not sure of the care requirements.

Hot water can also put excessive wear-and-tear on delicate fabrics, like cashmere, wool, and silk. "Not only can cold water minimize the chance of damage, but it requires less energy, so it's great for the environment and saving money," she says.