Hints from Heloise

Thu., Dec. 27, 2007

The Spokesman-Review

Dear Readers: Are your clothes getting as clean as possible? There are some things you can do to make sure that you and your washing machine are doing the best job possible. Read on. A lot depends on water temperature – did you know that?

“Hot water – removes dirt from heavily soiled clothes and kills more germs than cold water, but it can fade the dyes in some colored clothes and may cause wrinkling.

“Warm water – usually gets lightly soiled clothes clean and is safe for most colored clothes, but it doesn’t kill germs unless a disinfectant is added.

“Cold water – requires cold-water detergent to get clothes really clean. You also can dissolve detergent powder in hot water before adding it to the wash water in a pinch.

Whatever water temperature you choose, remember to use the right water-level setting for the clothes to move around, the detergent to work and the clothes to be rinsed completely. – Heloise

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