Good laundry results come from a handful of habits: reading the care label, sorting sensibly, using the right amount of detergent, treating stains before heat touches them, and keeping your machines in good shape. This guide walks through each step and points to deeper articles on specific topics.
Safety basics before you start
A few safety points apply to almost every load.
- Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaners. Combining chlorine bleach with ammonia or with acids such as vinegar can release toxic gases. If you want to use more than one product, use them in separate loads, rinse the machine between them, and never pour them together. When in doubt, use only one product at a time and follow the label.
- Ventilate. Open a window or run a fan when using bleach or other strong products.
- Keep products out of reach of children and pets. Detergent pods, liquid detergent, bleach, stain removers and fabric softener sheets can be harmful if swallowed or if they get in the eyes. Store them high or in a locked cabinet, and keep the washer and dryer doors closed when not in use so that children and pets cannot climb inside.
- Check for pets before closing the dryer. Cats in particular sometimes climb into warm machines. Look inside before you start a cycle.
- Wear gloves when handling bleach or strong stain removers, and follow the product’s directions.
If someone swallows a laundry product or gets it in their eyes, contact your local poison control service or emergency services right away.
Read the care label first
The care label tells you the washing temperature, whether bleach is allowed, how to dry and iron the item, and whether it needs professional care. When the label and general advice disagree, follow the label. If you are unsure whether an item can go in the machine, our guide to dry cleaning vs a washing machine explains how to decide.
Sort your laundry
Sorting protects both colors and fabrics. Common ways to divide loads:
- By color: whites, lights, darks and bright colors. New dark items can bleed dye, so wash them separately at first.
- By fabric weight: keep heavy towels and jeans away from lightweight or delicate pieces.
- By soil level: very dirty or greasy work clothes are better off away from everyday items and baby clothes.
- By care need: delicates and anything with lace, beading or loose threads go in their own load or in a mesh bag.
Washing like items together also means you can pick the right cycle and temperature for each load.
Prep clothes before washing
A minute of prep saves a lot of snagging and lost items.
- Empty pockets, including tissues and pens.
- Zip zippers, fasten hooks and close touch fasteners so they do not catch other clothes.
- Tie drawstrings loosely so they do not pull through.
- Turn dark clothes, printed T-shirts and sweaters inside out to reduce fading and pilling.
- Put socks, bras and fine knits in zippered mesh bags.
- Shake out rolled cuffs and balled-up socks so they can get clean.
Choose water temperature and cycle
Many everyday loads do well in cool or cold water, which helps limit fading and shrinking and uses less energy. Hot water can help with heavily soiled whites and items you want to launder more thoroughly, but check the label first. Our article on whether hot water cleans better than cold goes into when each makes sense.
As a general guide, a regular cycle suits sturdy, dirty fabrics, a permanent press setting suits many mixed loads, and a delicate cycle suits lace and loosely woven items. Your machine’s manual will describe what each setting does.
Use the right amount of detergent
More detergent does not mean cleaner clothes. Too much can leave residue, leave clothes feeling stiff or dull, and contribute to odors in the machine, especially in high-efficiency (HE) washers. Use the dose printed on the bottle, adjust for load size and soil level, and use an HE detergent if your washer is an HE model. If you have hard water, you may need slightly more detergent or a water-softening booster, as the product label directs.
Fabric softener is optional. Heavy use can build up on towels and athletic wear and reduce absorbency, so use it sparingly or skip it for those items.
Do not overload the washer
Clothes need room to move so that water and detergent can circulate. A common rule of thumb is to fill the drum loosely, not packing it to the top. Smaller or medium loads often come out cleaner, and an unbalanced overloaded drum can also strain the machine.
Treat stains early
- Act quickly. Scrape off solids with a dull edge and blot liquids rather than rubbing.
- Pre-treat. Work a small amount of liquid detergent or a stain remover into the spot and let it sit for the time the label suggests.
- Use cool water first for protein stains such as blood, milk or egg. Hot water can set them.
- Check before drying. Heat from the dryer can set stains. If a stain is still visible after washing, treat it again and air-dry until it is gone.
- Test first. Try any stain remover on a hidden area to check for color loss.
Dry with care
- Clean the lint filter before or after every load.
- Match the heat to the fabric. High heat is a common cause of shrinking and wear.
- Shake out wet items before loading to reduce wrinkles and drying time.
- Do not overfill the dryer. Air needs to circulate.
- Take clothes out promptly to limit wrinkles.
Drying times that creep up are often a sign of a restricted vent. See dryer vent cleaning benefits and how often to do it for warning signs and safety information.
Delicates, wool and “dry clean” labels
Some items labeled “dry clean” can be hand washed, but not all can. Silk, wool, rayon and linen are often hand-washable in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, but structured jackets, suits, beaded or sequined pieces, leather and suede generally need professional care. Always check the label, and test a hidden spot if you are unsure. For lightly worn items that mainly need wrinkles removed, see our tips for steaming clothes and the comparison of steaming vs dry cleaning.
Bedding and towels
Many people wash sheets about once a week, or more often if they sweat at night, have pets in bed, or have allergies. Towels are typically washed after several uses, since they stay damp and can pick up odor. Pillowcases collect skin oils and hair products, so see how to clean pillowcases for specifics. Pillows, comforters and other bulky items have their own care labels, and large items may need a larger machine. Give bedding enough space to move in the washer, and dry thoroughly to avoid musty smells.
Keep the washer and dryer in good shape
- Leave the washer door or lid open between loads so the drum can dry out.
- Wipe the door seal on front-loaders, where moisture and residue collect.
- Run a cleaning cycle or follow the manufacturer’s directions for cleaning the drum periodically.
- If you clean the machine with a product, use only one product at a time. Never combine bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners.
- Empty the dryer lint filter after each load and have the vent checked and cleaned regularly.
Common laundry mistakes
- Skipping the care label.
- Overloading the washer or dryer.
- Using too much detergent.
- Drying stained clothes before the stain is gone.
- Washing new dark items with whites.
- Leaving wet clothes in the machine, which can lead to odor.
- Mixing cleaning products, including bleach with ammonia or vinegar.
- Ignoring the lint filter and vent.
When is the worst time to do laundry?
There is no single worst time, but a few situations are best avoided. Do not start a load right before leaving the house if a machine fault could cause a leak, and avoid leaving clothes in a wet pile for long. If you are charged time-of-use electricity rates, running machines at peak times may cost more, so check with your utility. Otherwise, the best time is simply when you can move the load to the dryer and fold it promptly.
Fold and put away promptly
Folding clothes soon after drying reduces wrinkles and makes it clear what is clean. Plan for the time it takes to fold and put things away, not just the machine time, and the chore feels finished sooner.
FAQ
How do I get better at doing laundry? Start with the care label, sort loads, measure detergent, treat stains before heat, and keep up with machine maintenance.
What are common laundry mistakes to avoid? Overloading, over-dosing detergent, drying stains, skipping the lint filter and mixing cleaning chemicals.
Is it safe to mix bleach and vinegar in the wash? No. Do not mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners, because harmful gases can form. Use one product per load and follow the label.
Can children or pets be around laundry products? Keep all laundry products stored out of reach and the machine doors closed. Seek help from poison control or a medical professional if a product is swallowed or gets in the eyes.