Is it mandatory that machine will wash clothes
in warm water?
INTRODUCTION
It is the fact that the laundry
detergents dissolve very fast in warm water and it also reacts very fast with
the stains to remove. Laundry washing machines come with inbuilt heaters, with
the nob to switch on and switch of the heater. It is absolutely not mandatory
to use warm water to wash clothes. Before coming to any conclusion let us
find little science involved.
WASHING MACHINE
I remember when I was in a
school and we had a washing machine with stainless steel tub. We used to put the
tap water on it and get it filled to the desired marked water level. Then we used
detergent and stirred the machine tub till the detergent gets dissolved
and sufficient lather if formed. Then switch on the washer heater and load the
clothes to soak for 10 minutes and then start the washing cycle.
In the old days we used to get the
domestic washing machine with the tub manufactured out of steel for domestic
use. As the competition increased, the manufacturers started manufacturing a
tub made with tough fiber.
TEXTURE
OF THE FABRIC
What
Fibers used to make clothing: Synthetic and
Natural
Synthetics are man-made polymers
like polyester, rayon, Kevlar or acrylic. Fibers are strings made up of
petroleum-based chemical chains. Synthetics made from petroleum products do not
typically shrink in laundry because the washer and dryer do not get hot enough
to mess with their structure.
Natural fibers, on the other
hand, come from animals and plants. The fibers of cotton, wool or silk are
naturally curly and tangled. So when threads made out of this are weaved into
fabric, they are stretched and pulled to make them straight. Given an
opportunity to come to their naturally curly form, they will.
Researchers have found that the
structure of this fabric can affect shrinkage too. Denim jeans are tightly woven
cotton. But sweaters are airy, so they can shrink by as much as up to 30% as per
the researchers. Even the natural moisture content of the fibers
themselves can affect shrinkage. So, over-drying can inevitably cause clothing
to change shape.
Scientists have discovered that
the heat and mechanical energies in laundry process allows them to do that and
you find them shrink after drying.
WATER QUALITY
Water plays a vital role in
washing clothes in the washing machine. The detergents do not easily dissolve
in hard water and if it is not dissolved properly, the residue of the detergent
remains on the washed clothes which gives itching feel to the person wearing
the cloth.
If the water is heated it
becomes soft and the detergent gets easily dissolved in it. Heating the water
enhances its dissolving action on the detergent. If you are getting a soft tap
water, it is not necessary to heat the water for washing clothes.
Everyone does laundry
differently, at different temperatures, different laundry times, different
detergents. Hence, it is always recommended to check the laundry tag before
laundry.
BENEFITS OF USING COLD WATER
AND HOT WATER
Benefits of using cold water in
a laundry wash
1 Cold
water wash is less likely to fade, shrink and develop fewer wrinkles.
2 Cold water wash is best for removing protein stains like food stains
which gets cooked in hot water and becomes stubborn.
3 Blood
and Sweat stains are set on clothes if washed in hot water.
4 Delicate fabrics like silk, lac and dark colored fabric work best with
cold water.
5 Cold water wash reduces the gas and electricity bill as 70 to 90% of washing
bill is generated by using hot water.
6 Cotton and wool absorb a lot of water, which means more fiber contact
and shrinkage. So wash
cotton and wool in cold water.
7 Cold wash eliminates as much as 350 pounds of carbon dioxide emission
annually.
8 Blood and sweat stains set in hot water. Hot water tends to shrink, fade and
wrinkle certain fabrics.
Benefits of
using hot water in laundry wash
1 Use of hot water is recommended for sanitization. If any member of a family is
sick, better use hot water to wash
clothes and bed linen.
2 In cold weather when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
detergent loses its property of removing stains, as it cannot chemically
react with the stains in very cold water.
3 Nylon and polyester absorb less water and are more heat resistant and can be
washed in hot water.
FROM THE
AUTHORS END
1.
Cold water detergents are formulated to work
in cold temperatures.
2. Select the washing machine models with lower water factor.
The lower the water factor, the more efficient the washing machine is.
Energy started labeling machines must have a water factor lower than 6 which
means almost 40% of energy is used and less than 50% of water is.
3. While washing with hot water, micro fibers shed from the synthetic fabric
into the water polluting the disturbing the eco-system.
