question about washing whites

**schellie69** · 05-01-2006, 04:28 PM

I have a question, what water temputure do you wash whites in, I usally use hot to wash and cold for rinse, but I know that some people wash the clothes in cold, I was wondering if the water tempurture really made a differance in utilitiy bills, thank you to anyone that can help me in this matter.

**PrairieRose** · 05-01-2006, 04:35 PM

Pam I use warm to wash things like white t-shirts, etc. in but for underwear, socks, kitchen towels I use hot with either bleach or oxyclean. The hot water may cost me a bit in higher utility bills but it's worth it to me. I am a bit of germ freak...

*edited to add*
I use a cold rinse in all my laundry

**ama** · 05-02-2006, 08:25 AM

The whites is the only load of laundry that I wash in hot. I think its very necessary and with all the others in cold rinse its not a big deal imo.

**miss_thrifty** · 05-02-2006, 05:12 PM

Me too whites only in hot water. And my bed sheets are always light colourd so that I can use hot water. Dont like dust mites lol
Colors are cold unless theyre really dirty then warm. Darks are always cold water if realy dirty i use alittle bleach in kids denim pants, the older ones, takes out lots of stains.
Hot water for all things will keep your elec. bill up. The cold water liquid tide is bad for machine washers if u dont use any hot water at all. the enzymes don't break down fast enough at clog pipes. Its find to use, it cleans well, just use hot water at least twice a week.

**NoDebtMom** · 05-02-2006, 05:42 PM

I use hot for towels, underwear and sheets andwhite socks. I use warm or hot for whites, depending on what the whites are- delicates, shrinkable, etc. I use cold for everything else unless heavily soiled,then I may use warm. My washer does cold rinse for every cycle, so no choice there. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable with every single thing washed in cold because of germs and dust mites, pollen, and that sort of thing.

**YankeeMom** · 05-02-2006, 06:08 PM

I use hot water for my whites. And my whites are *only* white. I separate into four loads. Darks, whites, colors, & bed linens. I figure I only have about 2 loads per week of lights, sometimes less. But it's the dirtiest things in the laundry, socks, underwear, towels

Bed linens get washed in warm for the dark colors, hot for the light colors. Gotta kill those mites some how!

ETA: everything is a cold rinse, my washer doesn't give a choice for that.

**mom2matty** · 05-02-2006, 06:30 PM

I also use hot water for my whites, sheets and towels.

**canadian gardener** · 05-02-2006, 07:22 PM

Hot, but I'm a bit of a fuss pot where germs and laundry are concerned. I wash my delicates in warm. All with a cold rinse though.

**peanut** · 05-02-2006, 09:19 PM

Hmm...I wash everything in warm water with a cold rinse. If it's extra stained, I use a stain remover agent like Shout Gel. I've also been known to boost detergent power on whites by adding washing soda and borax. I must admit, I do sheets in hot water because of dust mites.

**schellie69** · 05-02-2006, 11:47 PM

then i am not alone, i wash whites in hot, and most other things in warm except ds and dh shirts (they have some special shirts that i use cold for and delicate cycle) cold rinse is all i have on my washer,. I use warm so that it helps kill dust mites ect. i never thought about using hot on the sheets but most of mine are dark so will just wash in warm and hang dry. thanks for the help. I really appricate it.