Cold wash - keeping textiles in shape for longer

You've often heard that cold washing is good for the environment and your laundry, but don't know exactly what that means? If you want to wash cold, how many degrees Celsius should you set on the washing machine? Cold washing at up to 30 degrees Celsius is gentle on fabrics and textiles; at washing temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and above, textiles wear out more quickly and colours can fade. Sometimes prints get unsightly tears and T-shirts and cuffs wear out more quickly due to the heat. Cold washing at a low temperature is gentle on the fabric and ensures that clothes last longer and don't need to be replaced as quickly. This makes cold washing particularly sustainable in many respects.

According to an EU Ecodesign Directive, washing machines have had to have a cold wash programme with a maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius since 1 December 2013. In many newer machines, the temperature can also be lowered independently of the programme. Older washing machines often only offer 30 degrees Celsius as the coldest wash programme. With such machines, you can also wash lightly or normally soiled laundry in the wool or delicate wash programme. Alternatively, delicate textiles such as silk or wool can of course be washed by hand. If the care label shows a hand symbol, you should prefer hand washing. Incidentally, the cold wash symbol is usually a tap, both on the care symbols in the laundry and on the washing machine for the cold wash programme.

Washing machines consume the most energy when heating the water. This is why choosing a lower washing temperature can save almost 40 per cent of electricity consumption. The energy savings are particularly high with a cold wash at a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius; you use up to 70 per cent less electricity. This means you are helping to protect the environment and saving money at the same time. The German Association for Personal Care and Detergents has found out that a wash load at 60 degrees Celsius costs 27 cents, at 30 degrees Celsius 8 cents and at 20 degrees Celsius only 2 cents.

You don't have to worry about cold washing and hygiene: Nowadays, clothes are changed and washed frequently, so much less bacteria and dirt get into the washing machine than in the past. Modern washing machines and high-quality detergents get laundry hygienically clean even at low temperatures. Special enzymes in detergents suitable for cold washing ensure that germs and even stains are removed even at low temperatures. You can pre-treat stubborn stains so that they disappear reliably. Unpleasant odours are eliminated in the washing machine anyway, so a wash at a low temperature is always enough just to freshen up your clothes. However, to protect the washing machine from a build-up of dirt and germs, you should run a 60-degree wash at least once a month. Towels and white bed linen, for example, are ideal for these wash loads.