Myth, all clothes should be washed at 60 degrees

Short answer: Sixty degrees is only needed in special cases. For everyday clothes forty degrees is enough, and the extra twenty degrees cost both garment life and electricity. It pays to choose the temperature based on what the clothes have been exposed to.

Why many people wash hot

Many people grew up believing that hot water means clean clothes. Sixty degrees feels like the safe choice, because more heat seems to remove more. That may have been true with older detergents, but today things look different. For most clothes the high temperature brings no extra benefit, only more wear on the fabric and a higher power bill.

Forty degrees covers everyday wear

The enzymes in modern detergents work best between thirty and forty degrees. They break down dirt, grease and sweat so it can be rinsed away. At higher temperatures they do not become more effective. For underwear, tops, T-shirts and socks worn for a day, forty degrees is therefore plenty. See bestsellers for women.

Sixty degrees has its cases

There are situations where sixty degrees is the right choice. When someone in the household is ill, it makes sense to wash the clothes and textiles that have been used at a high temperature. The same goes for workwear with organic dirt and for tea towels and dishcloths. Here the heat is part of the cleaning. See bestsellers from Copenhagen Bamboo.

The price of a hot wash

Elastic weakens, colour fades faster and power use rises noticeably. Elastic in waistbands and edges loses its stretch when exposed to high heat again and again, and that damage is permanent. Colours lose their depth and dark items turn dull. Meanwhile the machine uses far more power heating the water. See bamboo hoodie for women.

Soft clothes prefer it warm, not hot

Thin and soft fabrics suffer most from high heat. They lose their drape and can turn stiff or twisted, and the elastic in briefs and socks lasts less long. So it makes sense to keep the temperature down for clothes worn closest to the body. Always check the care label before choosing a programme.

How to sort the laundry

Split the laundry into two piles. One is everyday clothes that have simply been worn. They can be washed at forty degrees. The other is the special cases: tea towels, dishcloths, workwear with organic dirt and clothes from a period of illness. That pile can be washed at sixty degrees if the care label allows it.

Smells that will not shift

Some people wash hot because a smell will not go away. Often it helps more to wash the item more often, to avoid leaving wet laundry in the machine and to let it dry properly. An overloaded machine also rinses less well. Try these things before turning up the temperature.

A simple rule of thumb

Use forty degrees as the standard and sixty degrees as the exception. That way you get clean clothes that keep their shape and colour, and you save power with every wash. Keep high temperatures for the textiles that really need them. It is the easiest way to make your clothes last longer.

Frequently asked questions

Should everything be washed at sixty degrees

No. Forty degrees covers everyday clothes, and sixty should be kept for illness and very dirty workwear. Modern detergents work best at lower temperatures.

What does a hot wash cost

Garment life and power. Elastic weakens permanently, colour fades faster and consumption rises noticeably. This applies especially to thin, soft clothes worn close to the body.

When is sixty degrees right

When someone in the household is ill, for workwear with organic dirt and for tea towels and dishcloths. Always check the care label before washing hot.