Wash in cold water.

I wash everything in cold. The colors do tend to stay brighter I think. Also, avoids accidental shrinkage. It's survival of the fittest around here. If there's an article of clothing that can't survive our laundry methods...it's a goner. Here is an interesting article about fecal bacteria and washing machine contamination. An interesting point: wash underwear in the last load. Also interesting is that we should be disinfecting any surface that comes in contact with dirty laundry. When was the last time you disinfected your laundry basket? Or the floor or counter in the laundry area/room that you throw all the dirty clothes on? Article :http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/a_801-Airing_Dirty_Laundry_Issues
Some interesting points from the study in this article.

•Wash undergarments with one cup of bleach added to the wash water, or
•Before or after washing clothes, run one wash cycle with only bleach and water to disinfect your washing machine, and wash underwear in the last load.
•Wash clothes at a temperature of 140 degrees or higher (difficult for most household washing machines).
•Use protective gloves when transferring wet clothes from the washer to the dryer, or wash your hands immediately afterwards.
•Use a detergent that contains a sanitizer.