Detergent should clean your clothes—not stain them, right? Unfortunately, in certain circumstances, your clothes might emerge from the washer worse off than they were before. That is, with blue or white stains, a waxy finish or a rough, stiff texture. But why does this happen?

Where Detergent Stains Come From

Detergent failure occurs in one of three situations.

1. The detergent does not dissolve: Some powder detergents do not dissolve as effectively as liquid ones. Sometimes, using cold water causes this too.
2. The laundry water is hard: Hard water, characterized by its high mineral composition, can prevent detergents from fully dissolving.
3. The wash uses too much detergent: Simply putting too much detergent in the wash can lead to stains. Follow the instructions on the package; sometimes half of the recommended dose is sufficient.

There are many ways to prevent and remedy detergent failure. As mentioned, increasing the water temperature is usually a safe measure. Likewise, if the lid does not lock on the machine, try mixing the detergent with the water before pouring your clothes in. Doing so allows the detergent to first dissolve and distribute evenly.

How to Get Out Detergent Stains

If, despite your precautions, your clothes still come from the machine stained, then you can try the following:

• Rub the stains with an ordinary bar of soap, then wash them again in a detergent-free cycle;
• Soak the cloths in white vinegar for 15 to 30 minutes, then toss back into the washing machine;
• Use a grease removal solution on the stains.

Washing Machines 

Most washing machines allow you to select a temperature (cold, cool, warm or hot) as well as a load size (small, medium, large or extra large). In addition to these basic settings, modern machines provide different cycle options.

Delicates: Uses cold water and spins slower to preserve fragile, lightweight fabrics.

Extra Rinse: Adds a second rinse to ensure no residual detergent survives.

Hand Wash: Soaks garments for extended periods and gently rotates them.

Heavy Duty: Tumbles faster and more aggressively to thoroughly clean highly soiled clothes.

Permanent Press: Uses warm water and spins slower than usual to prevent wrinkles from forming.

Pre-Wash: Soaks the clothing before the main cycle.

Quick Wash: Spins quickly to wash lightly soiled items faster.

Rinse and Spin: Cycles without detergent.

Dryers

Dryers are typically less flexible regarding temperature and load size. Sometimes, you’ll find a low-heat setting, but more often the primary control determines dryness (less dry, normal, very dry, etc.). That said, here are a few more options you might find on commercial dryers.

Air Dry: Blows cool air into the dryer.

Delicates: Uses a short, low-heat cycle.

Extended Tumble: Continues tumbling without heat after drying the clothes to prevent wrinkles.

Heavy Duty: Uses high heats to dry heavy fabrics like towels and jeans more effectively.

Manual Dry: Programs the length of the cycle.

Permanent Press: Uses low heat and a gentle tumble to prevent creasing. It also introduces a cool-down period to stop wrinkles from forming after the cycle.

Quick Dry: Uses high heat to reduce the length of the cycle.

No one likes to iron and everyone deals with this tedious chore in their own way. Some iron as soon as they pull their clean clothes from the washer or dryer, while others wait until moments before they need to wear something. Both methods get the job done, but which is better? The answer to this question depends on where you do your laundry.

Washing Your Clothes at Home

At home, it is best to iron directly after cleaning your clothes for two reasons.

1. You can skip the dryer by ironing straight from the wash, conserving time and energy. To iron, you’ll need to spray or steam your clothes anyway, so why not do it while they’re already damp?
2. Damp shirts iron easier than dry ones. Moreover, wrinkles have not had enough time to set. In fact, a cluttered dryer can develop more wrinkles that are tougher to smooth out.

When ironing, always start with your lightest fabrics. These need lower temperatures; leaving them for last gives the iron more time to heat up.

Washing Your Clothes at the Laundromat

If the laundromat does not have an ironing board (or iron for that matter), then you’ll need to wait until you get home. This likely means you’ll have to dry your clothes there. However, if there is an ironing board, you must consider how you will transport those freshly pressed clothes. It would be a shame to crimple those crisp clothes.

If you must iron back home, then watch for how full you pack the dryer (as stated above).

Certain fabrics get damaged when exposed to high heat. For instance, rayon—a popular material in knit styles—can shrink and unravel in the drier. More accurately, it sets in the dryer after shrinking in the wash, not letting the fabric bounce back to the same size or stretchiness.

Hanging clothes to dry avoids unnecessary wear-and-tear and promises numerous ecological benefits (less energy expenditure). Likewise, if hung outside, UV light provides a powerful natural bleaching solution and antibacterial disinfectant. Nevertheless, those who do their washing at the laundromat will find transporting wet clothes difficult. But what’s the alternative—certainly not waiting for the clothes to air dry on premise.

Dealing with Wet Clothes Away from Home

Moving wet apparel is tricky, especially when mixed with dry clothes. Without proper care, you may end up having to re-clean everything. This is because wet clothes begin to smell after neglect. Washing machines do not kill all bacteria, so when given a warm, dark and moist environment, the remaining bacteria flourish.

But how can you prevent bacterial growth? Only with airtight plastic bags. Such bags separate your dry and wet clothes, plus delay bacterial growth long enough for you to get home and deal with the clothes.

Some people recommend wrapping wet laundry in hot, dry towels, but this is generally a bad idea for two reasons: the towel will dampen and spread the moisture; the warmth will encourage faster bacterial growth.

Laundry day—a time of the week most of us dread. What an inconvenience it can be to visit the laundromat, clean and dry your clothes and then transport them back home without wrinkling. In total, the whole ordeal can take upwards of two hours.

But does it have to be this way?

No. In fact, by taking a few extra precautions during the week, you can save yourself tons of time when laundry day rolls around next.

Sort During the Week

Rather than sifting through your dirty clothes on laundry day, keep your light and dark discards separate with different hampers. If you’ve got the space, sort by fabric type and weight too. By splitting as you go, you’ll also end up with more manageable load sizes.

Treat Your Stains as They Happen

Leaving stain treatment until the day of your wash is a bad idea. Firstly, locating those stains in a heap of clothes will take time. Secondly, stain treatment needs to settle, so applying it on the day you wash your clothes may make your efforts less effective. It’s best just to leave your stain removal solution by your hampers and dab the spots as needed.

Wash Your Clothes Often

You’d be surprised how many clean clothes go into the wash every week. We tend to think that an item worn once needs cleaning, but that’s not always the case.

For instance, a pair of jeans can get at least three uses of them. Unless you spill on or sweat profusely in them, then refrain from throwing them into the hamper on day one. Sweaters are another example with a multi-day lifespan.

That said, the clothing closest to the body’s sweat glands (i.e. undergarments and undershirts) needs washing regularly. Same with athletic apparel.

Arrange Your Clothes Strategically

Putting clothes away after a wash sometimes takes the most time. Instead of stacking your clothes in piles, try lining them from front to back in the drawer. Doing so makes it easier to find things—like a filing cabinet.

Shoes can get pretty dirty over time. If you use them for athletic purposes, then you sweat into the fabrics regularly. Even just for leisure activities, you expose your shoes to sundry places—many unclean (i.e. public bathrooms).

Most front-loading washing machines can handle shoes just fine. That said, you should only wash cotton, canvas or nylon sneakers—leather or suede will be destroyed. Before throwing your shoes into the wash, though, you need to prepare them.

Brush Off Loose Dirt

Your shoes will receive a more thorough clean if you first brush off dirt from the soles and sides. Doing so can also prevent staining.

Unlace the Shoes and Take Out Their Soles

Before placing your shoes into the machine, remove their laces. You can still wash them but insert them first into a small mesh bag. This prevents the laces from wrapping around the gears and causing damage to the machine.

Fabric soles can also go into the mesh bag, but you should refrain from cleaning plastics. Hand wash such soles instead or replace them as needed.

Toss in Some Heavy Linens or Towels

To stop the shoes from banging around the machine, add heavy fabrics to the load as a buffer. If the machine has different cycle settings, look for the gentlest one as this will limit the amount of thrashing about in the machine.

Refrain from Placing Shoes in the Dryer

While you can run your shoes through the washing machine, it’s best not to put them in the dryer. Simply, the heat can deform the shoe and make it uncomfortable afterward.

You likely know to sort your clothes by colour and weight, but do you know how to handle the items in each laundry load appropriately? Here are a few rules for washing apparel with buttons, zippers and strings.

Turn Your Clothes Inside Out

Washing and drying your clothes inside out protects them from discolouration—especially shirts with beads, graphics and other sewed or glued accessories. As the clothes swish and tumble in the machine, the friction can wear them down. By flipping them inside out, you preserve the outward facing parts of your clothing, keeping them looking new for longer.

Button Your Shirts Up

Many people worry that fastening their buttons will cause them to loosen or fall off in the laundry. Interestingly, the opposite is true. If you fail to button up your shirts, there is a greater likelihood of them snagging on other clothes and getting damaged. Doing up the buttons also allows you to effectively turn your clothes inside out.

Zip Your Zippers

Zippers can are abrasive in the wash because of their teeth. If washing your denim with lighter, more delicate fabrics, you should keep those zippers fastened for the sake of your other clothes in the cycle.

Tie Lose Strings

Make loose knots with any dangling strings or straps to stop them from wrapping around other clothing. Tangled clothes do not get sufficiently cleaned and can rip or stretch. Worse, loose strings can get caught in the machine and cause an array of mechanical issues.

When doing laundry, you can wrinkle your clothes at any time. For instance, if you fail to separate your loads by fabric weight, the heavy clothes will crush the light ones. In the dryer afterward, these wrinkles can become deeply set and impossible to iron or hang out.

Similarly, stuffing the washer or dryer full results in wrinkles. The less room your fabrics have to move, the sharper their creases. Not to mention, your clothes will emerge less clean and the machine will have worked harder than is necessary.

What to Do with Your Clothes after the Washer or Dryer

The caution put in packing and sorting your laundry will be undone if you scoop your wet or dry clothes into a basket. Instead, place your basket on top of the machine and fold your clothes one-by-one as you retrieve them from the drum. Although a longer process, it will save you from having to iron later.

Ideally, you won’t have much to pull from the dryer. Hanging your clothes is always preferable, plus gravity helps to pull out wrinkles. To prevent your fabrics from stretching, though, you should shake your clothes before hanging them. Doing so sheds any excess water retained by the fabric.

Think cleaning your clothes is enough to keep their colours vibrant and fabrics strong? Surprisingly, how you wash your clothes affects their lifespan more than anything else. Here are a few mistakes you’re likely making every time you do laundry.

Don’t Wash Your Delicates without a Hosier Bag or Dry Them in the Machine

Your delicates can catch and snag on other apparel. To prevent this from happening, clean them inside a hosier bag—a protective nylon mesh. Once safely retrieved from the wash, lay your delicates out to dry. Especially for bras, extreme heat can ruin the elasticity.

Don’t Roget to Fasten Your Buttons and Zip Your Zippers

Loose buttons, zippers and hooks can catch on other pieces of clothing, causing them to stretch or tear. You should also turn heavy fabrics and dark clothing inside out. Doing so prevents chaffing and bleeding onto other clothes in the wash.

Don’t Guess the Amount of Detergent You Need

Too little detergent will keep your clothes from coming out of the wash bright and fresh. Too much of it will result in waste and residue. Residue can harm your fabrics, so do your clothes a favour and read the bottle or box before pouring detergent into the machine.

Don’t Ignore the Care Labels

If you wash all your clothes in the same cycle, you’re likely doing something wrong. All garments come with special cleaning instructors, so check the care labels before grouping your clothes together.

Don’t Let Your Stains Sit Overnight

The longer you take to treat a stain, the more time you give it to settle. In fact, cleaning it prematurely may also cause the stain to set in. Always treat the affected area with a stain removal agent before tossing into the washing machine.

Go to any grocery store or pharmacy and you’ll discover at least half a dozen detergent brands. Understandably, whenever you go to the laundromat, everyone brings a different detergent. For most people, this doesn’t matter—why should someone else’s preferences bother them? However, if you have skin or respiratory sensitivities, then the chemicals and fragrances brought to the laundromat will affect you. Continue reading →