There’s nothing quite like the scent and feel of freshly cleaned clothes. But if you’ve noticed your completed laundry isn’t always up to snuff, there may be some common laundry mistakes at play. Shirts with thread pulls, whites looking more like greys, or a lingering smell you just can’t shake, there’s a reason — and a solution! — for that. To avoid accidentally ruining your clothes, take note of these laundry tips and never shrink a sweater again.
1. See the Signs
First, get familiar your washing machine’s controls and symbols. Knowing that there’s a wool or a sportswear cycle will help take out the guess work for clothes that need particular care. Single action controls, such as spin, drain and rinse, come in handy when you need to customize a cycle for a specific purpose (ie. wringing out swimsuits). Knowing when and where you can use short wash cycles and cold water to reduce your energy use is also a bonus.
Next, get a laundry symbol and meanings cheat sheet and pop it on the wall in your laundry room or on your clothes hamper. Every item of clothing will have a tag indicating the best methods of care using universal laundry symbols. Follow them closely to avoid ruining your clothes. The “hand in a tub” symbol means it must be hand washed… don’t be tempted to throw it into the washing machine!
Laundry Symbol Guide Magnet Chart, Amazon, $31.
2. Colour Coded
One of the most common laundry mistakes is tossing in a bunch of dirty clothes without sorting them into similar colours and materials beforehand. When darker items are washed with lighter ones, dye can transfer during the wash cycle, turning once-white tees into dingy greying ones. Also, lint from items that shed easily, such as piled cotton towels or acrylic sweaters, can attach itself to “sticky” corduroy or fleece.
To avoid ruining your clothes, front-end load your laundry effort by creating a hamper or sorting system that groups like-loads together. Taking the time to pre-sort lights, darks, delicates, etc., will save you money (no replacement tees!) and energy (no extra stain-removing loads!) in the long run.
Steele Canvas Laundry System, Rejuvenation, $278-$743.
3. Zip It Up
A lot of laundry mistakes happen before a single shirt is shoved into the washing machine — this tip is no different. Before jeans, dresses or jackets go into the laundry sorting system, make sure all zippers are done up. If left undone, sharp zipper teeth (especially metal zippers) can rub against other fabrics as they spin together and cause pulls, pilling and sometimes full-on tears.
Now, it’s also good to note that the opposite is true for buttons — make sure those are all undone before hitting the wash button. Cuffs and collars tend to get pretty grimy and could use the extra exposure to soap, water and mechanical agitation. If washing with more delicate items, consider investing a few zippered wash bags. They are designed to protect more fragile materials from the wear and tear of other clothes and the washing-machine cycle.
Slibb Washing Bag Set, IKEA, $3 (2 bags).
4. Clean Machine
Wash after wash, our machines tumble, spin and scrub out dirt, grease, grime and all sorts of, well, gross matter from fabrics. We like to think it all washes away down the drain, but that innocence could lead to the smelliest of laundry mistakes — a dirty washing machine.
Water, soil and detergent residue build up in the inner workings of the washing machine and breed bacteria. Then, that odorous bacteria growing in the tub and hoses transfers to our “clean” laundry, causing a nose-crinkling smell. Fight the fumes and flush the pipes by using a washing-machine cleaning tablet at least once a month.
Grab Green Washing Machine Cleaner Pods, iHerb, $16.
5. Soap Stars
When it comes to laundry detergent, too much of a good thing is actually a bad thing. Washing machines work with friction — as the clothes in the tub rub together, dirt is knocked off. If there is too much laundry detergent, clothes become slippery and the dirt-scrubbing effect is lost. Following the exact amount of detergent recommended for the size of the load will avoid this laundry mistake. Single-load laundry strips, such as Tru Earth Eco Laundry Detergent Strips, are also a foolproof option — no measuring needed!
The laundry detergent itself, of course, also plays a key role in the cleaning process. The surfactants in detergents lift body-oil residue and smelly bacteria buildup from fabrics. Nellie’s Laundry Soda uses a plant-based surfactant in their super concentrated, water-free formula (liquid detergents are mainly water).
If you’re feeling a little experimental, toss in a Terra Wash + MG laundry sachet — it’s good for a year’s worth of washes. This very cool detergent alternative was developed in Japan using non-toxic, eco-friendly magnesium. Its chemistry changes pH levels in the water, effectively removing mold, odour, dirt and bacteria without soap. And that means no more giant plastic bottles, ever.
