Water guidelines
Selecting water temperatures
WASH WATER
TEMPERATURE+ SUGGESTED FABRICS
COMMENTS
HOT
l Work clothes
l Best cleaning for heavily soiled items
54°C (130°F)
l Sturdy whites/colourfast
l Removes oils, perspiration, greasy
or above
pastels
soils and stains
l Diapers
l Prevents graying or yellowing
WARM
l Dark/noncolourfast colours
l Best for moderately soiled to lightly
32-44°C
l Permanent press items
soiled items
(90-l 10°F)
l Nylon, polyester, acrylics,
l Safe for most fabric finishes
silks, woollens
l Less fading and dye bleeding
l Knits/delicate fabrics
l Reduces wrinkling
COLD
l Extra-sensitive colours
l Best for very lightly soiled items
21-32°C
l Noncolourfast items
l Saves hot water
(70-90°F)
l Hand washables
l Best rinse water temperature
+ The washer features cold rinses for all wash temperatures. In addition, on some models,
warm rinses are available with hot washes and warm washes. Warm rinse water provides
better water extraction than cold rinse water, but may increase wrinkling when line drying.
In cold climates, warm rinse water also provides a more comfortable temperature for
handling the wash load.
Checking hot water
Water hardness
temperature
Many poor washing results can be traced to
Your hot water should be 54°C (130°F) or
the hardness of the wash water. To check
above. If you do not know your hot water
your water hardness:
temperature, you can check it easily. You
l City water - ask the city water company.
may need to raise the temperature of your
water heater. To check your hot water:
l Well water - ask the local water authority.
1. Fill a pan with the hottest water available
Ask for the mineral content in grains/gallon
from the faucet that fills your washer.
or parts/million. If your water is more than
NOTE: If you do not have a faucet at your
8 grains/gallon or more than 137 parts/
washer site, collect the water from the
million, you should consider:
faucet closest to your washer.
l Installing a water softener.
2. Place a candy thermometer or cooking
l Using more detergent.
thermometer in the water to check the
l Using a packaged water conditioner.
temperature.
l Not using soap.
NOTE: In wash-water temperatures colder
than 21 “C (7O”F), detergents do not dissolve
well. Also, soils may be difficult to remove,
and some fabrics may retain wear wrinkles
and may have increased pilling.
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