Stacey Koziel
It’s important that we all do our part to reduce energy use in the home. Not only is it better for the environment, but as a bonus, it can help to reduce your utility bills.
One of the easiest ways to make a difference and save up to $150 a year is by washing more of your laundry in cold water.
Using cold water uses less energy, has less of an impact on the environment, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a little extra money in their wallet? There’s a common misconception that clothes need to be washed in hot water to really be considered “clean”. But that’s not true.
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Hot water can actually be harsh on most textiles, and might even weaken the fabric of certain pieces faster. The only things that really need to be washed with hot water are heavily-soiled items made from strong fabric, like cotton or linen.
Assignment Editor Shea Simmons attended a Tide seminar dedicated to washing in cold water and learned this helpful laundry hack. It’s something that Tide stands by thanks to how much energy it saves and the brand’s specifically formulated detergents.
In fact, according to the laundry giant, switching just one load of laundry from hot to cold saves enough energy to power the average home for an hour.
Turns out, cold water should be your default for laundry—yes, even for things like towels and undergarments. Most of today’s detergents (like Tide) do a great job of cleaning and disinfecting in cold water, making it easy to do something good for the environment while saving money all at once.
