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.