Mums are a popular fall flower—they come in beautiful fall-inspired hues from rusted orange to sunset red. They also start to bloom in fall, when all the summer flowers disappear.
10.09.2024 - 19:59 / thespruce.com
Sometimes, we want to refresh our clothes and linens beyond just setting a normal washing machine cycle.
So, people have turned to boiling their laundry—a practice with some history—to try and brighten the whites and fend off bacteria. However, while boiling your laundry might seem well-intentioned, it could actually cause more harm than good.
So, before filling a pot full of water and placing it on the stove, here’s what experts say about what boiling your laundry does to your clothes.
Boiling laundry seems like it can give laundry a more effective clean and kill germs. Indeed, it can sanitize and remove stains.
“People think boiling laundry is useful because it kills bacteria and viruses, removes tough stains, and ensures a deep clean,” says Lina DaSilva, the founder of Toronto Shine Cleaning.
However, putting clothes or linens in boiling water to clean them is no longer necessary, even if it is a laundry method with historical precedent.
“While this was historically a routine practice dating back to Medieval times—the practice of boiling clothing pre-dates laundry machines,” says Kathy Cohoon, Operations Manager at Two Maids. “The push button ease we have with technologically advanced washing machines negates the need for boiling,” Cohoon adds.
Cleaning laundry uses three types of energy: mechanical (movement and friction), thermal (water temperature), and chemical (detergents).
“It used to be that thermal energy was the main one available to people doing their laundry,” says Jessica Ek, Senior Director of Digital Communications at the American Cleaning Institute.
Now, with washing machines increasing mechanical energy and the evolution of modern cleaning agents, there isn’t as much of a need for laundry to
Mums are a popular fall flower—they come in beautiful fall-inspired hues from rusted orange to sunset red. They also start to bloom in fall, when all the summer flowers disappear.
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When you picture the perfect fall-styled front porch, it’s safe to assume there are a few staples: a few pumpkins, gourds, and some potted mums.
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