Washing your clothes at the correct temperature at the laundromat is crucial if you want to prevent fading and shrinking. Instead of guessing which temperature you should set your washing machine to, Bright Bubble Laundromat in Rochester, NY, suggests taking a few minutes to familiarize yourself with some basic clothes washing rules. By following them, you’ll keep your garments in pristine condition wash cycle after wash cycle.

Here’s a simple guide for clothes washing from the best laundromat in town:

• Hot Water: While you should always check the tags on your pieces of clothing, you can usually wash more durable whites with hot water. What constitutes hot? Anything higher than 130 degrees. Using scalding hot water at the laundromat ensures that dirty garments like diapers and socks are cleaned thoroughly and sanitized.
• Warm Water: For blue jeans, knits and synthetic fibers, make sure to always turn your water setting down to approximately 90 degrees. This will keep them from shrinking, fading or becoming damaged.
• Cold Water: Any time you’re unsure of the care instructions of a particular fabric, it’s always best to set the water temperature at 80 degrees or below. It’s the only way to guarantee that bright colors won’t run, delicate fibers won’t be ruined and entire garments won’t shrink from a well-fitting pair of pants to child-size.