Laundry Hacks
Every hack is checked against a cited source · open the link to see where it comes from.
Sort by color, fabric, and soil before you wash
Separate whites, lights, and darks, group by fabric and care label, and keep heavily soiled items apart.
- Whites
- Lights
- Darks
Steps
- Wash whites separately; group pastels/mediums together and brights/darks by themselves.
- Sort by fabric so each load needs similar detergent, cycle, and water temperature - check care labels.
- Keep heavily soiled items in their own load; lightly soiled clothes can pick up soil from the wash water.
Source: American Cleaning InstituteWhy it works
Sorting stops dark dyes from bleeding onto lights and keeps loose soil from redepositing on cleaner clothes.
Wash in cold water to save energy
Use the cold setting with cold-water detergent to cut the energy a load uses.
Steps
- Wash clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
- Reserve warm or hot only for oily stains or heavily soiled loads.
- Switching the temperature from hot to warm can already cut a load's energy use in half; cold saves more.
Source: U.S. Department of EnergyWhy it works
Most of a washer's energy goes to heating water, so choosing cold is one of the cheapest ways to cut laundry energy use.
Do not overload the washer
Load clothes loosely, only as high as the top row of holes in the basket.
Steps
- Add clothes in loose heaps spread evenly around the basket - never pack it tight.
- Fill only as high as the top row of holes in the wash basket.
- Balance heavy items with lighter ones so the load distributes evenly during the spin.
Source: WhirlpoolWhy it works
Overloading unbalances the load, causing noise, vibration, reduced spin speed, longer cycles, and poorer cleaning.
Treat stains fast - blot, do not rub
Act before a stain sets, sponge rather than rub, then launder the whole garment.
- Act fast
- Blot, don't rub
- Then launder
Steps
- Treat the stain as quickly as possible, before it dries or sets.
- Sponge the stain - do not rub it, since rubbing spreads it and can damage the fabric.
- After treating, launder the whole garment to remove any leftover stain or remover residue.
Source: American Cleaning InstituteWhy it works
Pretreating before a stain sets greatly increases removal odds, and blotting lifts it instead of grinding it deeper.
Turn dark jeans inside out before washing
Wash denim inside out in cold water to protect the surface color from fading.
- Dark jeans
- Turn inside out
- Cold wash
Steps
- Turn jeans inside out before putting them in the wash.
- This keeps soapy water from contacting the outer surface, which strips dye and causes fading.
- Pair with cold water, which keeps fibers tight and the dye more intact so it bleeds and fades less.
Source: Levi Strauss & Co.Why it works
Detergent strips color along with dirt, so shielding the outer face and washing cold preserves the dark wash longer.
Clean the dryer lint filter every load
Empty the lint screen before each drying cycle to prevent dryer fires.
- Before each load
- Clear the lint
- Safe to dry
Steps
- Clean out the lint filter before you use the dryer, every load.
- Wipe lint from the trap and clean where lint builds up around the dryer.
- Make sure the venting behind the dryer is not crushed or blocked.
Why it works
Failure to clean lint is the leading factor in home dryer fires, and lint is highly flammable.
Good to know: Lint is flammable. A clogged lint trap is the top cause of clothes dryer fires - never run the dryer without clearing it.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)Measure your detergent - more is not cleaner
Dose to the package instructions and adjust for load size, soil, and water hardness.
Steps
- Follow the dosage instructions on your detergent package rather than eyeballing it.
- Use more only for larger loads, heavier soil, or hard water - not by default.
- If you see white residue, suspect too many clothes packed in rather than too little detergent.
Source: Tide (Procter & Gamble)Why it works
Both under- and over-dosing give poor results; excess detergent cannot fully rinse out and leaves residue.
Air-dry to save energy and extend garment life
Hang clothes on a line or rack instead of tumble drying when you can.
Steps
- Air-dry clothes on a clothesline or drying rack instead of the dryer when possible.
- Use it especially for fabrics where clothing manufacturers recommend air drying.
- Check the care label, which may call for line dry or dry flat.
Source: U.S. Department of EnergyWhy it works
Air drying skips the dryer's energy use and avoids the heat and tumbling that wear fabrics over time.
Read the care label before you wash
Follow the label's washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, and warning instructions.
- Find label
- Read symbols
- Wash to spec
Steps
- Find the sewn-in care label, required on garments by the FTC Care Labeling Rule.
- Read the symbols in order: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, then warnings.
- Follow each one - for example, an X through the wash tub means do not wash.
Source: U.S. Federal Trade CommissionWhy it works
Care labels are a regulated, standardized way manufacturers tell you the safe way to clean an item without ruining it.
Zip and fasten clothes before washing
Empty pockets, zip zippers, and hook fasteners to stop snags and tears.
- Empty pockets
- Zip + fasten
- Then wash
Steps
- Empty pockets, zip zippers, and snap or hook fasteners before washing.
- Tie loose strings or place those items in an open mesh bag.
- Put bras or items with wires in a garment bag to avoid tangling with the load.
Source: WhirlpoolWhy it works
Open zipper teeth and loose hooks catch on other garments, causing tears and tangles during the wash.
