Cold, warm, or hot: which wash temperature do you need

The number on a care label's tub symbol is a maximum, not a target — a garment rated for 40°C is always safe to wash colder, just never hotter. See our laundry symbol guide for what the numbers and dots mean on both the international and North American systems.

Cold — the default for most loads

Modern detergents are formulated to work in cold water, and it's the safest choice for dark and brightly colored items (see our guide to preventing color bleeding) and for anything delicate. It's also the cheapest: according to Energy Star, heating the water accounts for up to 90% of the energy a hot wash cycle uses, and the American Cleaning Institute estimates switching a load from warm to cold saves around 3.2 kilowatt-hours.

Warm — everyday, moderately soiled clothes

A reasonable middle ground for regular workwear, activewear, and synthetic blends that don't need the full lifting power of hot water but could use more than cold offers.

Hot — whites and heavily soiled loads

Best reserved for white cottons, bedsheets, and genuinely soiled items where the fabric's care label allows it — hot water works harder on oils and set-in stains, at the cost of being the roughest option on both color and fabric.

LaundryMax reads the temperature straight off a garment's care label when you scan it, so you're never guessing which setting the label actually allows. See how it works.