Expert tips for newer, fresher ways to think about doing laundry. Photo / 123RF
Expert tips for newer, fresher ways to think about doing laundry. Photo / 123RF
Washing machines, detergents and fabrics have changed, and so have the rules about washing.
Think back to when you were taught to do laundry: You probably learned a set of hard-and-fast rules – separate your wash by colour; hot water for whites and cold water for darks– that you’ve followed ever since. If formal laundering lessons were not part of your education, many of those rules probably made their way into your brain through osmosis.
But times have changed, as have our washing machines, laundry detergents and even the fabrics we wear, and the way we do laundry must change, too. With the help of experts, ahead you’ll find outdated washday practices that you may still be using, and tips for newer, fresher ways to think about doing laundry.
Myth: More detergent equals more clean
Overusing detergent is the most common laundry mistake people make, and one of the hardest bad laundry habits to break. But it’s well worth it to be a stickler about proper detergent dosing, because the overuse of laundry detergent has a number of drawbacks and absolutely no benefits – even though it may feel like using more detergent will get clothes and household goods cleaner.
The truth is that using more detergent than necessary will leave residue on fabrics that lends a dingy appearance and a stiff feel. Towels, in particular, often develop a sour, mildewy smell when excess soap builds up in the fabric over time. Residue from detergent can also cause respiratory and skin irritation, leading to rashes and exacerbating conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Using more detergent than necessary will leave residue on fabrics that lends a dingy appearance and a stiff feel.
Myth: Laundry stripping is ideal for deep cleaning
Laundry stripping, the viral technique that calls for soaking items in a combination of laundry products that can include borax (also known as sodium borate), laundry detergent and washing soda, may seem like a good idea, but Frej Lewenhaupt, a textile engineer and the co-founder and chief product officer of Steamery, says “it’s harsh on fabrics. The process involves a strong solution of borax and harsh chemical washing detergent, which can weaken the fibres over time, especially if done frequently”.
He notes that laundry stripping is not suitable for all materials: delicate fabrics, like wool or silk, or certain coloured textiles may be harmed by the process. Instead, Lewenhaupt says, “use the right detergents, avoid fabric softeners and maintain proper washing habits to reduce the need for harsh treatments like laundry stripping”.
Bleach is useful for sanitising and disinfecting. Photo / 123RF
Myth: Boiling clothes, sheets or towels will get them cleaner
Boiling fabrics to sterilise and clean them was a common practice rendered obsolete by modern laundry machines and detergents. Because of social media’s obsession with laundry hacks, however, the practice is making a comeback. Unfortunately, boiling clothes and household goods will do more harm than good, leading to shrinking, fading and colour loss, as well as damage to seams and elastic. “Boiling clothes is often too harsh for modern textiles,” Lewenhaupt says. “I recommend gentler methods like steaming, which sanitises and refreshes garments without causing damage.”
Improvements to washing machines and detergent formulas changed the way we do laundry, reducing the need for products and techniques that are harsh on fabrics and lead to fading, stretching and other damage. Among these changes is a move to wash everything in cold water – but some nuance is called for. While it’s true you should wash most things in cold water, there are times when washing clothing or household goods in hot water is necessary, such as when someone in the home has been sick with a highly contagious illness like norovirus. As laundry expert Zach Pozniak put it: “Cold water is going to do a wonderful job cleaning most of your clothes – keep the hot-water washes for when you need it, like when something’s really dirty or something’s really stinky or you need to sanitise something because someone is sick.”
While it’s true that you should wash most things in cold water, there are times when washing clothing or household goods in hot water is necessary. Photo / 123RF
Myth: Always wash whites in hot water
The flip side of the “wash everything in cold water” coin is the old “always wash whites in hot water” rule. Instead of automatically washing whites on the hottest temperature setting, Wendy Saladyga, a fabric care expert and manager of technical performance at Henkel, says: “It’s important to always consult the care label before washing whites.” Lewenhaupt adds that cold-water cycles, which are typically around 80F (26C), are ideal for washing activewear, clothes made of synthetic blends, and delicate items, in particular.
Myth: The proper loading order is water, detergent, clothes
If you learned to do laundry in a top-loading washer, you may need to update the way you load a machine – especially if your washer is a front-loading model. The proper loading order for most top-loaders is water first, then detergent, then clothes. But many machines call for switching the order to detergent, laundry, then water. To determine the right loading order, consult the manufacturer’s instructions and, if your machine has dispensers for detergent, fabric softeners and other laundry boosters, use those, as they are designed to release those products at the optimal point in the washer’s cycle.
Myth: You must separate loads of laundry by colour
Separating loads of wash by colour has been the standard for so long you may not even know there are other ways to think about separating laundry! There are, and they are worth knowing about because certain fabrics and clothing types require different products and washing techniques to ensure they come out looking and smelling their best.
Towels, fleece and other lint-prone fabrics should be laundered together, regardless of colour, and should never be washed in the same load as athletic gear and other clothing with stretch in it. Similarly, bulky garments like jeans or sweats should be washed together, separate from delicate items like undergarments, sweaters or fine cotton garments.
Myth: Chlorine bleach is the best way to whiten whites
Chlorine bleach was once the go-to for keeping white clothes and linens stain-free and bright white. But as Lewenhaupt points out: “Synthetic chemicals like chlorine, bleach and phosphates are harmful to ecosystems and pollute our oceans; these ingredients may also irritate sensitive skin.” Its harshness extends to fabrics, as bleach can break down and destroy fibres.
Today, there are better options for caring for whites, including whites detergents formulated with optical brighteners, and oxygen bleach, a gentler and slower-acting laundry booster that relies on hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate and/or sodium perborate, rather than chlorine, to remove stains and brighten whites.
Should you use fabric softener in every load of washing? Photo / Freepix
Myth: Chlorine bleach is the best stain remover for underarm stains
Another drawback of using chlorine bleach on white clothing is that it has a chemical reaction to protein stains, including those ugly sweat stains under the arms of shirts, that can leave them looking more yellow than they started out. The next time you need to salvage a white shirt befouled by “pit stains”, try gentler oxygen bleach or an enzyme-based product formulated for use on protein stains instead.
Myth: Fabric softener should be used in every load of wash, and dryer sheets in every dryer load
Liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets deposit a coating of electrically charged compounds that help to fluff and soften fabrics and neutralise static electricity, reducing static cling or shock. However, this coating can compromise the performance of certain fabrics, including towels, fleece, microfibre, fabrics with stretch or moisture-wicking properties, and flame-resistant fabrics often used in children’s sleepwear. Before using any form of fabric softener, check the care tag for instructions.
Myth: Hair spray removes ink stains
There’s some good science behind this now-outmoded stain-removal tip: rubbing alcohol is an excellent ink stain remover, and hair-spray formulas used to include alcohol among the ingredients. Nowadays, however, most hair sprays do not contain alcohol because it is so drying and damaging to hair. Given that, when faced with an ink stain, skip the hair spray in favour of rubbing alcohol or a commercial stain remover formulated for use on ink stains.
Myth: Silk and wool must be dry-cleaned
Many wool or silk garments are labelled dry-clean only, leaving the home launderer with the false impression that those materials cannot be exposed to water. Not so, say our experts! “There are a few ways to properly wash and care for wool and silk at home to avoid dry cleaning,” Lewenhaupt says. “Hand-washing is usually best, and when washing, it’s important to use a compatible laundry detergent that is specially developed to care for these materials.”
In addition to hand-laundering, “wool is naturally antibacterial and odour-resistant, so you can air it outside in between uses to minimise washing,” he says, adding that both wool and silk garments can be refreshed between washes by steaming, “as it targets bacteria without damaging the textile fibres”.
