Did you know that about 90 percent of the energy your washing machine uses goes toward heating the water and that many clothing labels recommend washing in cool or cold water?

ACI wants you to know that washing in cold water saves energy and your clothes because proper temperatures can help your duds last longer and keep colors from fading.

What’s also kind of cool is that today’s detergents – thanks to better technology – actually work better in cold water. There are even some stains (think: grass, makeup and blood) that should only be washed in cold water, since hot water could make the stains permanent.

Want to learn more? ACI worked with a number of like-minded organizations, as well as The Sustainability Consortium to create a technical brief on the benefits of using cold water for everyday laundry. And, here you can find even more information on how washing in cold water can save you cold, hard cash.