Laundry mistakes you are probably making and how to avoid them

There are laundry basics that you probably already know. Those would be separating darks from lights and others. Even though doing laundry is not the most complicated task around the house, there are some things to be kept in mind. Here are some common mistakes you might be also making. Keep reading to find out why those are not good for your laundry, and how to properly avoid them.

1. Using fabric softener for all your clothes – Fabric softener is good for keeping your fabrics soft and fluffy. However, it is not suitable for everything that is being cleaned in the washing machine. In fact, it will keep your towels nice and fluffy but damage them as well. Fabric softener leaves a thin layer of residue on fabrics which will prevent your towels from being as absorbent as they usually are. If you are worried about the softness of your towels, add 1 cup of white vinegar to your load along with the laundry detergent. Do this every other load and rest assured that your towels will be soft and smell nice.

2. Putting stained clothes in the dryer – If you have some stains on your clothes that have not come off, do not put them in the dryer. Instead, try to spot-clean them until they have been completely removed. The heat from the dryer may actually set the stains and make them permanent. It is best to pretreat your stains, especially if oily, coloured, or heavy. Wash them in the laundry machine according to the instructions on their fabric care label and always make sure that the stains are completely gone before tossing them in the dryer.

3. Spot-cleaning – Whenever you decide to pre-treat any stains on your clothes, you should make sure the approach you take on is suitable for the fabric and the stain as well. There are different products and cleaning solutions that you should carefully choose between, depending on the type of grime that the stain is made of. You can certainly not use the same product for an oily spot as you would for a coloured one, for example.

4. Creating oily spots – If you ever took a fresh load of clothes out of the laundry and noticed small oily spots all over them, the reason may be your fabric-softening sheets. Those can sometimes leave greasy spots on your clothes, especially if you are using an off-brand product. To get rid of those spots, rub them with soap, then wash the clothes once more without using detergent or fabric softener.

5. Checking your pockets – If you do not check your pockets before loading the clothes in the washing machine, you may end up with lots of small paper bits and residue left from receipts, tickets, money, coins, and other items that may be in there. Spare yourself the time and effort of removing kleenex bits from your fresh laundry by simply checking your pockets.

6. Using the wrong detergent – If you have a high-efficiency washing machine, avoid using a regular laundry detergent. The reason for that is that high-efficiency machines use less water and have a different tumble cycle than normal machines. Whenever you use an all-purpose laundry detergent, you will probably cause your clothes to come out soapy and possibly even prevent your appliance from working properly. However, it is safe to use a high-efficiency detergent in a traditional washing machine.

7. Not cleaning your washing machine – Whenever you are cleaning extremely soiled garments in your laundry machine, there will be hairs, soil, and other grime left behind. You should be cleaning the drum, gasket, and door of your appliance after every load. To remove the dirt from your machine, run a rinse cycle with 1 cup of white vinegar in the detergent dispenser.

8. Leaving zippers unzipped – Before tossing any jeans or jackets in the washing machine, take the time to zip all zippers. If you skip this step, the metal teeth of the zippers can damage other fabrics and garments during the tumble cycle.

9. Overpacking the machine – Each machine has a different capacity. Try not to overload it, since stuffing it with clothes will prevent it from cleaning properly. Whenever the pieces inside do not have enough space to move around freely, they will not be able to get cleaned properly. By filling your laundry machine to the appropriate level, you allow water and detergent to circulate through the entire load of fabrics, thoroughly cleaning all of them.

10. Using too much detergent – If you believe that using more detergent means that your clothes will end up being cleaner, you are wrong. By adding more detergent than recommended, you are preventing your machine from being able to rinse it out properly. Whenever that happens, your clothes will end up being covered with a soapy residue that will attract even more dirt. What is more, excessive amounts of detergent may damage your appliance and cause trouble in the future.