Common laundry mistakes almost everyone makes

When we need to wash a whole bunch of clothes quickly, we sometimes throw them all into the drum of the washing machine and turn on a short program. However, clothing care experts say that this approach will work once or twice, and then things will start to deteriorate because different fabrics need a different approach to cleaning.

OBOZ.UA asked what other typical mistakes people most often make when doing laundry. Check if you do something from this list.

Not checking the pockets

There may be coins, keys, headphones, paper napkins, and other small items in the pockets of jeans or sweaters. At best, such items will simply get wet and break into small pieces that will stick to things. At worst, a coin or other hard object will damage the clothes or even the machine itself during the rapid rotation of the drum.

Those who keep cats are also advised to check whether the animal is in the drum. Some furry animals like to spend time in washing machines, so you need to take them out before using the appliance for its intended purpose.

Not checking the labels

Sewn-in labels always contain all the main care instructions. Special markings on them indicate the water temperature, spin speed, bleach use, and the correct approach to drying and ironing. If you violate these recommendations regularly, your clothes will spoil much faster.

Not straightening the sleeves and legs

When folded with the sleeves and legs tucked in, clothes don't wash well because soap solution and clean rinse water don't flow through them. This is especially true if you load a lot of clothes at once. Ideally, you should turn all your clothes inside out and put them in the drum with the sleeves and legs open. This will protect the outer part of the garment from friction and rapid wear, as well as ensure a high-quality wash.

Not fastening all the zippers

Buttons, zippers, hooks, velcro, and other fasteners can catch on other items and damage them during the wash. That's why experts strongly recommend that you fasten all buttons before washing.

Washing clothes and bedding together

Bed linen requires a separate approach to washing. Since it comes into contact with the body for a long time, its hygiene needs to be monitored especially carefully. That's why bedding is often washed at higher temperatures and longer cycles. This may not be acceptable for clothes.

Overloading the machine

If you fill the drum with things to the brim, water circulation and balance will be disrupted. The former will lead to poor cleaning due to uneven access to soap solution and rinsing, while the latter can damage the machine itself, as it can start vibrating and jumping around too much during operation. If you're not ready to weigh your laundry before washing (and almost no one is), just make sure that the items in the dry state take up no more than three-quarters of the drum volume and that you can freely put your hand inside and turn it 90 degrees.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA shared which clothes should never be washed in the machine in order not to spoil them irrevocably.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.