A washing machine’s ability to heat water is an extremely useful feature that improves cleaning performance. The process of heating water in a washer is actually quite fascinating when you understand the mechanics behind it. In this post, we’ll explore the step-by-step details so you can appreciate this technology that makes doing laundry more convenient.
The Water Heater
Most washing machines have built-in water heaters that warm up the water to desired temperatures. The specific heating methods vary between models, but they typically use either:
Electric Heating Elements – Electric coils immersed in the water heat up when energized, similar to how an electric kettle works. They can quickly raise water temperature.
Internal Boilers – Small boilers that hold water and utilize internal gas or electric burners to bring it to temperature before it’s fed into the drum.
The heaters turn on automatically when a hot or warm wash setting is chosen. Some machines allow adjusting to exact temperatures while others have set heat options.
How the Process Works
Here is an overview of what happens when you start a hot wash cycle:
First, sensors check if heated water is already available in the internal boiler tank. If not, the heating mechanism activates. For electric heaters, power is supplied to the heating coils. Gas boiler burners ignite and start warming the water reservoir.
Water from the household supply then enters the washer. Detergent is added at this pre-wash phase.
Next, a recirculation pump moves water through the heating system’s intake. The now hot water gets redirected into the wash drum. This cycle continues keeping fresh hot water flowing in during the entire wash phase.
If temperatures drop below the chosen level, heating elements activate again to reheat the water as needed.
Benefits of Washing with Hot Water
Using hot water for laundry has numerous advantages:
Enhances Detergent Performance – Warm water helps dissolve detergents better allowing deeper cleaning chemical reactions.
Sanitization – Heated water between 140-150°F helps kill over 99% of bacteria and microorganisms leaving clothes hygienically clean.
Loosens Tough Stains – Hot water melts and lifts away oily, greasy stains much more effectively.
Prevents Resoiling – Warm water keeps soils suspended so they fully rinse out rather than redepositing on fabric.
While high efficiency detergents work well in cold water, adding heat takes the cleaning power to the next level resulting in brilliant bright laundry.
Closing Thoughts
We never pause to think about the technology that allows our clothes to emerge fresh and spotless after a wash cycle. Now that you know what goes on behind the scenes to heat the water inside a washer, you can better appreciate how this small engineering wonder makes doing the laundry just a little bit nicer.
References
Appliance Assistant. “Do You Really Need to Use Hot Water for Laundry?” Appliance Assistant, 14 Sept. 2022, https://www.applianceassistant.com.
Berendsohn, Roy. “The High Temperature Sanitization Power of Your Clothes Washer.” Good Housekeeping, Hearst Magazine Media, 25 Oct. 2021, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.