Clean ‘em in Cold

(Family Features) Washing clothes in cold water as a way to save energy and money is a hot topic in households across the country. Simply turning the setting down from hot to cold water when doing your laundry can save up to 14 percent on annual energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 80 percent of energy used to wash clothes comes from heating water, so switching from hot to cold helps save 17 cents a load, or more than $60 a year. With more than 105 million households in the country, that adds up to more than $6 billion in savings.

However, even fans of energy conservation complain that using a cooler wash cycle often comes at the cost of residual stains and less bright whites. New research suggests that adding bleach is critical when washing whites in cold water. Due to the decrease of detergent performance in cold, bleach is needed to reach the optimum cleaning level. By adding it to white or bleach-safe loads of cold water wash, you’ll boost the cleaning power to bring out whiter whites, help prolong the life of fabric, and perhaps most importantly, help the environment and keep energy costs down.

Harold Baker, associate research fellow at Clorox, Inc., helped develop energy-conscious laundry technology. He says, “The problem is that most detergents don’t perform as well in cooler temperatures – we have found that you need an extra boost.” Bleaches formulated just for cold water can keep white garments and linens looking their best.

Washing in cold water not only helps conserve energy, it works to prolong the life of fabrics.  Fibers break down less quickly in cold water versus hot. Also, bleach can lift soils better than detergent in cold water.

Baker says there are many ways families can save money and conserve energy in the laundry room. Some of his favorite energy-saving laundry tips include:

• Only wash full loads of laundry to save water and heating costs
• Dry heavy and light fabrics separately to keep drying times down, and set a timer to avoid over-drying
• Switch the dryer load immediately to leverage the leftover heat and increase the efficiency of the dryer
• Clean the dryer lint filter every time to ensure nothing is blocking air flow and hampering heat efficiencies

For more tips from Dr. Laundry, visit drlaundryblog.com.