Hot water washes kill bacteria and sanitize clothes. They can also do irreparable harm to some clothing items. Here are some things best kept out of hot water washes.
Delicate Items
Silk, lace, wool, and other delicate items need to be washed in cold water. Hot water washes cause shrinking, tearing, fading, and size distortion. For extra protection, wash them in a mesh laundry bag.
Dark Items
Washing dark clothes in hot water can cause fading and color bleeding onto other items in the washing machine. You can possibly ruin an entire load of laundry. Washing in cold water and turning clothes inside out preserves colors.
Blood and Wine Stained Items
Washing blood-stained or wine-stained items in hot water sets the stain. It will be there forever. Other stains like mustard and ketchup are almost as bad. Spot treat all stains with cold water and bar soap, liquid laundry detergent, or laundry presoak–then wash according to instructions.
Athletic and Workout Items
It is natural to want to throw stinky sweaty clothes into hot water. Don’t. Excessive heat can shrink, stretch, or ruin the elasticity of sports clothing. Your washing machine may have a dedicated setting for sports equipment. If not, opt for cold water washing.
Jeans
Unless you are trying to shrink, fade, or change the shape of your jeans, keep them out of hot washes. Jeans don’t need to be washed after every wearing. Spot-cleaning them–if necessary–and washing them less often helps them last longer.
Leather and Faux Leather
Never wash leather or faux leather in hot water. It becomes brittle, cracks, and loses its shape. Wash in lukewarm water using gentle detergent. Unless the garment is machine-washable leather, many experts recommend hand-washing only.
Memory Foam
Memory foam becomes soggy and can fall apart in hot water. Even when washed in cold water, it may get damaged by the agitation and spinning in the machine. Using a steam cleaner eliminates potential damage and improves hygiene.
Read the Tag
All new fabric items have washing instructions attached. Read and follow the instructions to prevent damage. Many items recommend cold wash and rinse on delicate cycles.
