Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:Procter & Gamble funded a study of wash cycle length that found colder and shorter is better for clothes. Scientists from the University of Leeds—and, it should be mentioned, Procter & Gamble—say the best way to keep clothes looking fresh for as long as possible is to use the coldest, shortest wash cycle. The resulting wash water was evaporated, dried completely, and then weighed. From the study:“[T]here is significantly greater colour loss observed for the 40 °C Cotton Short (85 min) cycle in comparison with the Cold Express (30 min) cycle. These researchers conclude that the best wash cycle is a modified Leviathan: gentler, colder, and shorter.