Washing Your Clothes in Freezing Conditions
As temperatures begin to drop, some areas see temperatures that stay below freezing for days or even weeks at a time. It can be difficult to find the motivation to even get dressed let alone do chores like washing your clothes. But is it possible to wash clothes when it’s freezing outside? Read on to find out!
Cold or Warm Water?
The short answer is yes, you can still do your laundry – although you may want to avoid washing with cold water in freezing temperatures. Cold water will cause garments to freeze almost instantly, making your laundry more damaged than clean. It’s best to opt for warm or hot water when washing fabrics in colder months.
Choose And Sort Wisely
If you have a lot of muddy, dirty clothing that has been sitting outside in the snow, it is advisable to sort the items into two separate loads. An extremely dirty load should be washed using a heavy-duty cycle to ensure that you get all the dirt and debris out of the fabric. The second load with lighter dirt should then be washed on a regular cycle with warm water.
Air Dry
While running your dryer can easily help you get your clothing dry in minutes, this is not the best option if it’s freezing outside. Not only does it take a lot of energy but also poses a fire hazard as the lint builds up in the hot dryer. You may want to opt for air drying, assuming you have space for it. If not, you can hang the items near a space heater or fire place – just make sure to keep the clothing away from any direct flames or extreme heat sources to avoid any accidental fires.
Tips For Washing Clothes In The Cold
- Wash With Warm Or Hot Water: As mentioned above cold water will cause garments to freeze and ruin your laundry.
- Remove Stains Before Washing : Cold temperatures can make it difficult to remove tough stains before they set in. Make sure you pretreat any obvious spots and marks before washing.
- Cotton Clothes First : Cotton fabrics can withstand hot temperatures while others may shrink. If you have clothes made of different fabrics, it is best to wash the cotton items first.
- Use Detergents For Washing : If you’re washing on cold or warm settings, use a detergent specially formulated for cold or warm water.
The bottom line is that yes, you can wash clothes in the cold. Just make sure to use warm water, choose the right detergent, sort your loads wisely, and air dry or hang the items near a heat source for best results.