Maintaining the quality and longevity of your clothing requires proper laundry practices. Avoiding common mistakes can make a significant difference. Here are the top five laundry mistakes and how to prevent them:
1. Overloading the Washing Machine
Filling the washer beyond its capacity restricts movement, leading to ineffective cleaning and potential mechanical issues. Clothes need space to move around to get clean.
Solution: Adhere to the manufacturer’s load recommendations, ensuring clothes have ample room for thorough washing and rinsing.
2. Neglecting to Sort Laundry
Mixing whites with darks can result in color bleeding, causing light-colored garments to become discolored. Wash your whites and light-colored clothing separately from your darks and reds to prevent colors from bleeding onto others.
Solution: Separate laundry into whites, lights, and darks. Additionally, consider sorting by fabric type to prevent damage to delicate items.
3. Using Excessive Detergent
Contrary to what some believe, extra detergent won’t make your clothes cleaner. In fact, it can actually have the opposite effect. Using extra detergent can leave a soapy residue on your laundry, attract dirt, and irritate sensitive skin.
Solution: Follow the detergent manufacturer’s guidelines for the appropriate amount, adjusting for load size and soil level. For high-efficiency machines, use detergents specifically formulated for HE washers.
4. Forgetting to Pretreat Stains
If you forget to pretreat your stains, there is a good chance they won’t come out in the wash. Ideally, you’ll pretreat the stain immediately after it happens.
Solution: Apply a stain remover or a small amount of detergent directly to stains as soon as possible. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before washing to enhance stain removal effectiveness.
5. Not Cleaning the Dryer Lint Trap and Vent
Neglecting to clean the lint trap and vent can lead to reduced dryer efficiency and poses a fire hazard. Dryer fires caused by lint buildup cause hundreds of fires across Canada every year.
Solution: Clean the lint trap after every drying cycle. Regularly inspect and clean the dryer vent to ensure proper airflow and reduce fire risks.
By addressing these common laundry mistakes, you can enhance the cleanliness of your clothes, extend their lifespan, and maintain the efficiency of your laundry appliances.