Should you use warm water to do laundry in the winter months? Here’s the truth

Should you use warm water for laundry in the winter? The answer hinges on more than old habits. Most modern washing machines are equipped with intelligent heating and adaptive cycles and make winter washes work smarter. As the mercury drops, tap water can get bitterly cold which means your detergent could struggle to dissolve and stains could cling on as tenacious as ever.

Modern machines are designed to bridge this seasonal gap. Top front-loaders from leading brands now sport built-in heaters, variable temperature settings, and sensors that adjust every aspect of the wash to the conditions outside. When you select a warm wash (anything in the 30°C to 40°C bracket), you’re essentially letting your machine optimise both cleaning performance and textile protection. Detergents, especially enzyme-based ones available today, typically activate best at mildly warm temperatures. That means winter laundry doesn’t have to mean dull, faded, or stiff clothes.

Why warm water?

Cold water remains ideal for colours, quick-dry synthetics, and new-age fabrics, helping them retain vibrancy and elasticity. But for cotton towels, heavy linens, or work shirts worn all day, warm water is a game-changer in the winter. It aids in dissolving oils, removing tougher stains, and flushing out bacteria and allergens that tend to hang around longer in low temperatures. It’s hardly about boiling every load. With precise machine heating, even a mild bump in water temp, just enough to thaw the chill, can return noticeably cleaner cuffs and collars.

Eco concerns linger. Won’t heating water inflate energy bills? Not in machines made in the last few years. These use rapid, targeted internal elements that heat only specific batches, often just a few litres at a time, minimising overall consumption. The notion that warm water is reckless with electricity doesn’t hold up against today’s inverter models and BEE-star rated front-loaders. Is warm water always the right choice? Professional textile cleaners and appliance companies note that for woollen wear, heavy blankets, and thermal layers, a gentle warm cycle lifts lint and dirt far more efficiently. Delicate silks and synthetic active wear still fare better on cold washes. Let your machine’s fabric programme and expert guides decide, don’t default to one setting year-round. In winter, don’t be afraid to use warm water for laundry if your washing machine is built for it.