Every grandma alive will scream, “Hot water gets whites whiter!” Grandma is partially right, but she’s also the person who shrinks wool sweaters into doll clothes. The truth? Hot water can set stains like a vengeful ghost, bonding that coffee spill to your shirt forever.
For everyday white gym socks and t-shirts, use warm water. Save the scalding-hot wash for bedding and towels—things you want sanitized, not just white. And please, please check that stubborn stain before you crank the heat.
