Laundry is one of those areas where we all tend to cut corners to speed up the process. After all, as long as you have clean clothes for the week, what’s the big deal?

Right?

Wrong. There’s more to clean laundry than tossing your clothes into the washing machine, chucking them into the dryer right afterward, and then stuffing them away. In fact, without exercising proper care, you may not be able to enjoy your favorite clothes for much longer.

Let’s take a look at five laundry mistakes you should correct to ensure your clothes’ longevity.

Not Reading Your Clothing Labels

While this seems obvious, it’s a step a lot of us skip. But the labels are there to help you take better care of your clothes.

Most labels will tell you a garment’s fabric contents, which is vital because this determines the best and safest way to wash it. These labels often even go as far as laying out specific washing instructions so that there’s absolutely no need for guesswork.

Think of it like this: you paid for those instructions, so you might as well use them.

Using Too Much Detergent

A common misconception about detergent is that more is better. However, too much can cause major problems, such as discoloration and stains. It can also lessen your machine’s washing power by hindering its ability to drain properly, which may leave dirt and unpleasant odors on your clothes.

Pay attention to the recommended amounts. You can also completely avoid the hassle of measuring it out by using pre-measured products, such as pods or strips. Just make sure your choice is eco-friendly!

Overloading Your Washing Machine

A washing machine’s techniques aren’t complicated. The drum tumbles around and shakes, causing your clothes to rub against each other and scrub the dirt away.

When you overfill your machine, it hinders this process. The clothes are not free to move around and soak in water and detergent, which means your clothes will retain dirt. You may feel the need to put your clothes through multiple cycles to get them clean, wearing out the fabric. On top of that, overfilling puts additional strain on your machine, and that will reduce its effectiveness over time.

To avoid this, fill the drum loosely; this will permit the clothes to move freely and allow the machine to drain properly.

Waiting Too Long Before Folding

Have you ever removed your clothes from the dryer and just… given up on life? Hours later, you’ve binged watched an embarrassing number of Netflix movies, and your clothes are still lying in the hamper.

Tough as it is, you need to power through! Fold and put your clothes away as soon as possible to avoid wrinkling. You can speed up the process with folding boards.

Using the Wrong Wash Cycle Settings

The wash cycle determines the machine’s speed and intensity, affecting how aggressively it washes your clothes. Choosing the wrong one may result in rough treatment of fragile fabrics or gentle handling of items requiring more pressure.

Here’s how a quick rundown of how to choose between them:

Normal Cycle

• The longest cycle and the most intense option
• Use for items made of sturdy fabric like cotton and linen, and heavily soiled clothing

Permanent Press Cycle

• Similar intensity as the normal cycle, but with a slower spin to avoid wrinkling clothes
• Use for synthetic fibers such as knits, nylon, and polyesters

Delicate Cycle

• The shortest and gentlest cycle
• Use for extremely sheer fabrics, lingerie, pantyhose, lacy items, and the like

Don’t Be A Lazy Launderer

We get it; you’ve got better things to do than wash your clothes. But shortcuts don’t always result in large gains; in fact, they are quite counterproductive where laundry is concerned. Slowing down and going through the process just a bit more carefully will make your clothes last for years.

Over to you - what lazy launderer habit do you need to break?

Comment down below!