Five terrible laundry habits you need to stop – or 'damage' your clothes and machine – The Mirror
If you do any of these five things whilst doing your laundry you could be damaging your clothes or the machine itself, so you should consider stopping these bad habits immediately
We all know that laundry can sometimes feel like a seemingly never-ending task, and because we do it so often, most of us probably aren't even thinking that much about what we are doing as we whack the clothes and sheets into the washing machine.
However, if you do any of these five things, you have some seriously bad laundry habits that could well be damaging your machine and your clothes too. Some of these might seem pretty harmless, and they are definitely common errors to make on laundry day, but if you don't nip these habits in the bud you might end up having to fork out more money in the long run.
The experts from Laundryheap explained to The Express that by making some simple tweaks you can ensure the longevity of your washing machines and your clothes.
First things first, empty your pockets properly before you clean your clothes. You need to make sure you do this thoroughly every time you go to do the laundry and don't necessarily trust your children if they absolutely swear they've already done it. Tissues will end up making a mess over your clean clothes as they disintegrate in the cycle, but the real danger is metal objects like keys or coins.
From damaging the internal drum or cracking the glass window to getting stuck in the pipes themselves, this could be seriously costly leaving you either needing to buy a new machine or with a huge plumbing bill.
Secondly, the experts advise ensuring you are using the correct amount of detergent, and this is one that many people are guilty of doing. "It's impossible not to love laundry detergent as it's the reason why our clothes end up smelling fresh.
"Unfortunately, using too much laundry detergent can result in residue marks on your garment. Once the residue sticks to your clothes, it can attract dirt. If you're guilty of this laundry habit, now is the best time to stop."
The laundry experts also recommend that you stop overloading the machine with every cycle. While it might be tempting to run your machine when it's as full as possible to save money on your energy bills, in the long run, it isn't cost-effective, because your items won't be as clean, and will need washing more often.
"Overloading the washing machine is a common habit because people want to finish all their laundry in one load but it will only ruin their laundry. This is because the more clothes inside the machine, the less likely the laundry detergent will circulate all around them," the experts explained.
The fourth habit that they implore you to give up, is burying your head in the sand when your machine seems like it might be faulty. They advise that it's important to take good care of your machine to ensure it has a long life, and bad odours, weird noises, or mould need to be tackled as soon as you spot them.
Finally, the experts recommend that you stop washing everything together. Different items in your home have different washing requirements like temperature, and even if you think you are saving time and money now, you may end up having to replace things that may be damaged by doing this incredibly common habit.
"The temperature setting solely depends on what kind of material you are washing. As a rule of thumb, towels, and bedding should typically be washed in warm or hot settings. Whereas fabrics such as cotton and wool need to be washed at lower temperatures to protect their shape."
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