Opinions differ when it comes to washing temperatures: some swear by high temperatures, others by low ones. But does it really make a difference whether you wash your laundry at 30 °C or 40 °C? The answer is surprising: the effect of the seemingly minimal difference is enormous.
Washing laundry: at 30, 40 or 60 °C?
We used to learn at home economics school that lightly to normally soiled clothes should be washed at 40 °C, heavily soiled laundry at 60 °C – or even 90 °C. However, this rule no longer applies to modern detergents. However, this rule no longer applies to modern detergents. Nevertheless, it seems to be more persistent than any grass stain. Reason enough to get to the bottom of the question.
Why lower temperatures are enough
From ancient times to the middle of the 20th century, the washing result actually depended significantly on the washing temperature. This was due to the soaps, surfactants and bleaching agents used, which were able to dissolve the dirt molecules better the hotter the water was.
Since the 1970s, however, manufacturers have increasingly relied on detergent combinations with enzymes. Development in this area has progressed considerably. Modern detergent enzymes are not only more environmentally friendly, they also develop their full washing power at low temperatures.
Washing your clothes at 30 °C now achieves the same washing result as at 40 °C. So there is no difference between 30 °C and 40 °C in terms of washing results. In other respects, however, there is!
Save money with 30°C washing
Your laundry may not care whether you set the machine to 30°C or 40°C. But your wallet and the environment don’t!
On average, a washing machine requires twice as much energy for a washing temperature that is 10 °C higher. This is because the appliance uses more than three quarters of the energy to heat the water. This is particularly noticeable in the higher temperature ranges between 60 °C and 90 °C.
However, even in the lower temperature range, you can save a lot of electricity with a lower setting: If you lower your washing temperature from 40 °C to 30 °C, you reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions by 35%. If you previously always washed at 60 °C and now wash at 30 °C, you save a whole 67 % on electricity costs! At current energy prices, this will pay off considerably at the end of the year.
When it pays to wash at 60°C
Even if modern detergents achieve satisfactory results at 30 °C, some items of laundry are better washed at 60 °C. Especially if there is a risk of infection: “Boil washing is only necessary if infectious diseases are rampant in the household or if special hygiene is required, for example for relatives in need of care,” explains Stiftung Warentest.
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It is also better to wash towels, bed linen or dishcloths at 60 °C, as athlete’s foot, mites or germs could settle here. Otherwise, there is generally no hygienic need for washing temperatures above 30 °C.
Save around 35 to 67 % on energy costs! Who would have thought that washing at lower temperatures would have such an effect?
Source: freundin
