Few laundry questions get asked as often as whether to use hot or cold water on a stain. The honest answer is that it depends on what the stain is made of and what the fabric can handle. Heat speeds up cleaning, since the warmer the water, the better the detergent works, but heat can also cook certain stains into the fibers. Knowing which stains need heat and which need cold saves a lot of fabric and a lot of frustration.
Oily and dye stains usually respond to hot water, while blood, egg and milk need cold water first. Check the care label before you turn the dial, because some materials like wool and silk need much cooler water.
5 steps
Step by step
- 1
Identify the stain
Look at what the stain is before you choose a temperature. Oil, tannin and dye stains lean toward hot water, while protein stains like blood, egg and milk need cold.
- 2
Soak protein stains in cold water
Soak protein stains in cold water before washing. Do not put them in hot water first, because heat sets them into the fibers.
- 3
Check the care label
Look up the temperature on the care label and use the hottest setting it allows. Use hand-hot water for synthetics such as nylon, and just warm water for woolens.
- 4
Wash in the right water
Wash oily, tannin and dye stains in the hottest water safe for the fabric, with detergent. After a cold soak on protein stains, launder in warm, not hot, water.
- 5
Check before drying
Check the item before it goes in the dryer. If a stain is still there, skip the dryer and treat the spot again, since heat sets what remains.
Where hot water helps
Hot water is the standard choice for oily stains like cooking oil, butter, motor oil and collar rings. Iowa State recommends a heavy-duty detergent with hot water for these, and the wash should be as hot as the item will tolerate.
Tannin stains from coffee, tea, beer, soft drinks and fruit juice also respond well to detergent in hot water. Dye stains, like food coloring, are best removed with hot water too, since they are not protein based.
Where cold water is the safer start
Protein stains are the big exception, and they include blood, egg, milk, baby formula and mud. Hot water cooks the protein and makes it harder to remove, so soak these in cold water first.
Iowa State then launders the item in warm, not hot, water. When you do not know what the stain is, treat it with cold water first, as ISU's AnswerLine advises.
Fabric and material limits
Heat is not safe for everything, and the limits depend on the material. UGA's heirloom guide says wool and silk should not be cleaned above 90°F, while cotton and linen can go up to 110°F.
NMSU washes woolens just warm, and uses hand-hot water for synthetics such as nylon. Old textiles need extra care too, since UGA advises against ironing them because heat and pressure are damaging.
Where hot water and heat are unsafe
Blot spills on upholstery with a cloth dampened in cool or lukewarm water, since hot water may set the stain. Heat from a hairdryer, a radiator or direct sun can damage leather, suede and nubuck, so dry them away from heat.
Car paint should not be washed with hot water or when the body is warm. Wood table finishes can also be damaged by steam and heat.
Myths about hot water
The idea that boiling water can pull out a fruit stain comes from a 1932 USDA demonstration, which was limited to white cotton or linen. Current UGA guidance starts fresh fruit stains with cool water and warns that soap will set them.
Hot water is not always better, because it sets protein stains and the heat of a dryer or iron sets any stain that remains. Think of hot water as a tool for the right stains, not a default for every load.
Using hot water with other products
Use one product at a time and rinse in between each treatment, so you never stack products on the same spot. Oxygen bleaches work best in hot water above 130 degrees, so check the care label before you combine a bleach with a hot wash.
Chlorine bleach is only for fabrics that can take it. For mildew, UGA's guidance on non-chlorine bleach in hot water is a safer choice for fabrics that chlorine would damage.
Questions
Does hot water set stains?
It can. Hot water sets protein stains such as blood, egg and milk because it cooks the protein into the fibers. For those stains, cold water is the right first step, followed by a wash in warm, not hot, water.
Is cold water better for stains?
Cold water is better for protein stains and for stains you cannot identify, since ISU's AnswerLine advises treating unknown stains with cold water first. Fresh fruit stains can also start in cool water under current UGA guidance. For oily stains, hot water with a heavy-duty detergent is the recommended approach.
Is warm water a good middle ground?
Warm water is the choice for protein stains after a cold soak, because Iowa State launders them in warm, not hot, water. NMSU also uses just warm water for woolens. Use it when the fabric label or the stain type points that way, not as a default for every stain.
Can I put a stained shirt in the dryer?
Not while the stain is still there. Heat from a dryer or iron sets a stain and makes it more permanent, and Texas A&M warns it may become impossible to remove. Check the item after washing, and only dry it once the stain is gone.
Should I use boiling water on fruit stains?
No, not as a general rule. The boiling water method comes from a 1932 USDA demonstration on white cotton or linen, and current UGA guidance starts fresh fruit stains with cool water. Do not use soap on fruit stains, since soap can set them.
How do I get rust out of cotton?
Rust on boil-safe cotton or linen can be treated by boiling the item in 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar to 1 pint of water until the stain is gone. Rinse thoroughly afterward. Only use this method on fabrics that can handle boiling, since UGA says it suits some cottons and linens.
What heat setting should I use for candle wax?
Candle wax is removed with controlled, low heat rather than water. Place the stain between paper towels or blotting papers and iron at low temperature, changing the papers until no more wax comes out. On carpet and upholstery, UGA uses a warm iron, not a hot one.
Is hot water safe for leather and suede?
Leather, suede and nubuck should stay away from heat sources. Do not dry them with a hairdryer, on a radiator or in direct sunlight. Suede and nubuck should dry away from direct heat.
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Sources
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