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Frugalista

Wash laundry in cold water

All Practically Green: 12,309 or so people have DONE this action so far.

All Practically Green: 1,402 or so people have ADDED this to their action plan so far.

Why is "Wash laundry in cold water" green?

Ninety percent of the energy used in doing laundry—including the costs associated with making detergents and the energy used by the machines—is making water hot. To drastically reduce your laundry’s footprint, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, conserve non-renewable resources, and save money, turn the dial to cold. Modern detergents are just as effective at washing clothes and removing stains in cold water as they are in warm or hot water. Some detergents from natural products companies are even specifically formulated for use with cold water. Bonus: using cold water makes your clothing last longer.

There might be a few instances when you want to use warm or hot water. If you or your kids are allergic to dust mites, washing in warm or hot will kill them. And if your whites are turning gray, an occasional warm water wash with hydrogen peroxide is in order. If you’ve been ill, or have oily stains, hot or warm water might be in order as well.

How to: Wash laundry in cold water

Turn the dial to cold. Some washers default to warm for the “normal” cycle so unfortunately you might have to remember to select cold water every time you wash. Get to know your washer. And be careful when selecting modes other than normal; the setting could switch to hot water.