Laundry Mistakes to Avoid

You’ve been doing laundry for so long that it probably feels like second nature. Wash, rinse, repeat. Another load done. Even with all that practice, you might still be making some common laundry mistakes. Don’t worry—you’re not alone. Most people make these errors, but the good news is they’re easy to fix. Let’s go over some of the most frequent laundry mistakes and how you can avoid them.

Using Too Much Detergent

If you take a walk around a laundromat, you’ll likely see people using more detergent than necessary. You might think that more detergent equals cleaner clothes, right?

Wrong.

Excess detergent creates more suds, which can trap dirt and cause it to get stuck in hard-to-rinse areas like shirt collars. This trapped dirt can lead to bacteria buildup, leaving your clothes far from clean. Use less detergent, and your clothes will come out fresher when the load finishes.

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Leaving Zippers Unzipped

When you take off a pair of jeans, you probably unzip them first and toss them into the hamper without thinking. Eventually, they end up in the washing machine with the zipper still down. A loose zipper can damage other clothes in the wash, so be sure to zip up all your pants before putting them into the machine.

Leaving Shirts Buttoned

Do you button your shirts before throwing them in the wash? There’s actually no need to do this, and it can even harm your shirts. Fastened buttons can pop off during the washing cycle. Leave your shirts unbuttoned for better results.

Mindlessly Throwing Socks into the Washing Machine

Ever wonder why you seem to lose a sock every time you do laundry? Your washing machine and dryer aren’t eating them—it’s more likely that your socks are sticking to other garments and falling off unnoticed. To avoid this, place your socks in the washing machine first, then layer the rest of your clothes on top. When you transfer the load to the dryer, your socks will still be at the bottom, easy to find.

Going Overboard When Rubbing Stains

Stains are just a fact of life, and you probably have a few pieces of stained clothing in your laundry basket right now. If you’ve been frustrated by stains that seem to get worse the harder you scrub, it’s because you’re rubbing too aggressively. Vigorous scrubbing can spread the stain and damage the fabric. Instead, gently dab the stain with a white cloth, working from the outside in to prevent it from spreading.