Yes, you can do laundry in freezing weather, but you need to be careful about your plumbing, your machine, and how you dry clothes to avoid frozen pipes and stiff, damaged fabrics.

Can you do laundry in freezing weather?

If your washer and plumbing are in a heated space, you can usually do laundry even when it’s well below freezing outside. The real problems start when:

  • The washer is in a garage, shed, or unheated basement.
  • Water supply lines or drain hoses run through cold, exposed areas.
  • You normally dry clothes outside on a line.

In those cases, laundry is possible, but you need a “winter mode” plan.

Biggest risks when it’s below freezing

1. Frozen pipes and hoses

This is the number‑one danger.

  • Supply lines can freeze and burst if they run through exterior walls, garages, or other unheated spaces.
  • A frozen line can stop the wash cycle mid‑way and then leak once the ice melts.
  • Uninsulated outdoor hoses or taps feeding a washer are especially vulnerable.

Think of water in pipes like a soda can in the freezer: it expands when it freezes and can split the container.

2. Clothes freezing instead of drying

If you hang wet laundry outside when it’s below freezing, the water in the fabric can freeze solid before it ever evaporates.

  • Clothes can go rock‑stiff and may be harder on the fibers.
  • They may never fully dry, just freeze, partly thaw, then stay damp.

This is why most winter laundry guides recommend avoiding outdoor drying in freezing conditions and switching to indoor solutions.

Smart ways to do laundry in freezing weather

1. Keep the washer and plumbing warm

If your machine is near the cold:

  • Run laundry only when the temperature in that space is safely above freezing.
  • Close windows and seal drafts around doors or garage doors near the washer.
  • Insulate exposed pipes (foam sleeves, pipe wrap, or even towels as a temporary fix).
  • Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses feeding the washer when not in use.

Some winterization guides even suggest insulation blankets around washers in very cold climates.

2. Choose the right wash settings

  • Use at least a warm cycle (around 30 °C) to help detergent dissolve and work better in cold environments.
  • Avoid interrupting cycles mid‑way, so water doesn’t sit in lines or the tub in a borderline‑cold space.
  • If the room is truly icy, it’s often safer to delay laundry until you can warm the area up.

Drying clothes when it’s freezing outside

Indoor drying is your friend

Most winter laundry advice comes down to: wash as usual, dry indoors.

Good options:

  • Indoor drying rack in a warm room.
  • Shower rod or indoor clothesline in a ventilated bathroom.
  • Tumble dryer located in a heated space.

To help clothes dry faster indoors:

  • Space garments out and avoid overloading the rack, so air can circulate.
  • Use a fan or open a window slightly to reduce humidity, or use a dehumidifier if you have one.

If you must dry outside in freezing weather

Sometimes space is limited, or a dryer is not available. In that case:

  • Expect clothes to freeze first; they will gradually dry via “freeze‑drying” (sublimation), but this is slow and can leave fabrics quite stiff.
  • Shake items well after bringing them in to soften them up.
  • Let them finish drying indoors so they’re not left damp in the closet.

Many people in cold regions still hang laundry outside year‑round, but they accept much longer drying times and stiffer results.

Alternatives if conditions are really harsh

If it’s dangerously cold or your pipes are prone to freezing, it can be smarter to avoid full loads for a while.

Options:

  • Spot‑clean stains instead of washing the full garment.
  • Steam garments (with a steamer or a hot shower running nearby) to refresh them between washes.
  • Prioritize only the most essential items and delay the rest until the cold snap eases.

This “triage” approach is common advice in winter laundry guides to reduce the stress on plumbing when temperatures plunge.

Mini FAQ: Common questions

Will my washing machine be damaged by cold?

  • If the washer or its internal hoses freeze, ice can crack plastic components or seals and lead to leaks later.
  • Keeping the machine in a temperature‑controlled area and insulating nearby pipes is the best protection.

Is it okay to leave wet clothes in the washer in a cold room?

  • Long soaks in a cold machine can make clothes smell musty and may allow parts of the water in hoses to freeze if the room drops below freezing.
  • It’s better to run the full cycle and remove clothes promptly, especially during a cold snap.

Example scenario

You live in a house where the washer is in an attached but chilly garage, and it’s −10 °C outside.

What to do:

  1. Close the garage door and seal drafts with towels or weather‑stripping.
  2. Run a space heater briefly before and during the wash (safely placed, with supervision) so the room stays above freezing.
  3. Insulate visible pipes and disconnect any outdoor hoses when finished.
  1. Dry clothes on a rack inside a heated room or use an indoor dryer.

In that setup, you can do laundry in freezing weather while protecting both your pipes and your clothes. Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.