Do you soak your clothes in hot water before washing them? Trust us, you’re not the only one. A lot of homeowners even use hot water for cleaning the dishes and floors. This is because hot water is more effective for cleaning than cold water.
In this blog, we will help you understand the scientific reason behind the usage of hot water for cleaning and other household purposes. We will also get you acquainted with hot water benefits for washing dishes and floor surfaces.
Table of Contents
Why is hot water ideal for cleaning?
When water is heated, its molecules move faster due to the high level of kinetic energy in them.
Higher kinetic energy makes hot water an effective solvent. The higher the kinetic energy in molecules, the faster they will agitate the surfactants. This makes the stains come off much easily.
On the other hand, cold water has a compact molecular structure. This means that cold water has lesser kinetic energy. Hence, it does not prove to be an effective solvent.
Additionally, the nature of hot water is to expand. This means that there is more space between the molecules. This allows more room for dissolved solvents.
With an increased amount of solvents, hot water can dissolve more material than cold water. This is why hot water is the first choice for cleaning hard-to-wash stains such as dirt, grease, and oil.
Besides that, hot water transfers heat when it comes in contact with anything. This makes hot water more effective at lifting dirt.
To understand this better, we need to look at how detergents interact with cold water and hot water.
While cleaning dirt, hot water provides more solvent content in its molecular structure. This means that a lot of detergent molecules can bond with dirt and separate it from the clothes.
Hot water cannot bond with any insoluble dirt, making it a better medium to clean than cold water.
Therefore, hot water is more effective for cleaning purposes than cold water as it has higher kinetic energy, extra space between its molecules, and is more compatible with detergents. Now, let’s move on to other hot water benefits for domestic activities.
The use of hot water for different cleaning purposes
Hot water reacts differently with different aspects of cleaning. Let's see how hot water reacts in different situations!
In this section, we will catch up on some house cleaning tasks and check whether hot water is required for them. So, let’s get started!
Dishwashing
While cleaning the dishes, the major challenge is removing the oil stains. In this case, hot water is more suitable. This is because oil losses its grip on the dishes as heat causes oil to expand. So, any greasy substance can be cleaned off using hot water. But the most effective way to get rid of oil stains is washing it with hot water in combination with a strong detergent.
Kitchen surfaces
When it comes to kitchen surfaces, the efficiency of hot water in cleaning will depend on the type of cleaner that you’re using. In case your cleaner is made of natural ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, or lemon, using hot water is more suitable. This is because hot water makes these ingredients more aggressive in removing dirt.
On the other hand, if you are using a chemical-based cleaner, then hot water may not be preferable. Hot water when combined with bleach can deactivate certain compounds, making it less effective in removing dirt.
Laundry
The usage of hot water is highly recommended for washing clothes. This is because hot water improves the efficiency of the detergent and expedites the process of stain removal. It not only reduces the time taken for washing but also the amount of detergent used. However, before using hot water for washing clothes, one should also consider the type of fabric and the kind of stain. For instance, hot water may not be suitable for woollens, but is highly effective formaterials such as denim, cotton, and linen. Hot water may not be able to clean blood stains, butworks wonders in removing stains like wine and ketchup.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, hot water is more suitable for cleaning purposes. It is a very effective solvent. When combined with a cleaning compound, hot water becomes a powerful catalyst for the removal of stubborn stains such as dirt and grease. Thus, hot water is one of the biggest domestic necessities and you must ensure a consistent supply of hot water in your home. So, wait no more! Install a Racold water heater today.