Use warm water for everyday colored and moderately soiled loads

Select warm water (90-110°F / 32-43°C) for colored everyday clothes, permanent press fabrics, and moderately soiled items. This is the most versatile temperature setting for general family laundry.

Why It Works

Warm water balances cleaning power with fabric protection. It activates detergent more effectively than cold water while causing significantly less color fading and shrinkage than hot. For typical daily soil -- office wear, school clothes, casual items -- warm water cleans thoroughly without the risks of hot.

Tips

• Modern cold-water detergents have narrowed the performance gap, making cold viable for most colored loads
• Warm is a good compromise for mixed loads when you cannot separate further
• Permanent press cycles use warm wash followed by a cold rinse to reduce wrinkling