First, it was our gas stoves. Now washers and tumble dryers join the eco-menaces, spewing microplastics into our water and air. Is it time to rethink our laundry habits? (Spoiler alert: probably not).

The stakes can feel high when you are faced with choosing what temperature to wash your clothes—and with reason. Maintaining a garment's structure and the vibrancy of its hues often requires some ...