November 2007
Washing wisdom: Beyond the basics
Illustration by Mark Collins
Despite all the added features and cycles, it’s still possible to ruin your favorite shirt. Besides the obvious--sorting laundry,
reading care labels, following manufacturer’s instructions--here are some tips from our experts.
Use the right detergent. All front-loaders and some top-loaders recommend high-efficiency detergents for best results. Not sure which to use? Check your machine’s manual. Using the wrong detergent can cause oversudsing or poor results. Detergents called “free and clear” or “dark-formula” often don’t have optical brighteners, which can make dark clothing look faded.
Delay adding bleach. Chlorine bleach loses effectiveness if added to the wash too soon, so wait 5 minutes or so into the wash cycle. Consider a washer with an automatic bleach dispenser that will release the bleach at the proper time.
Maximize color, minimize lint. To preserve the like-new appearance of colored fabric, use cool water on the delicate cycle and liquid detergent. Wash towels and sweatshirts separately from fabrics that attract lint, such as corduroy, and from permanent-press items likely to pill. Turn any garment you want to protect inside out, and use net bags for delicate items.
Don’t overstuff the washer. Clothing needs room to move so that it can be properly cleaned and rinsed, especially in a top-loader. You can fill the drum of a front-loader, but don’t jam in clothes.
Pre-soak heavily soiled items. Soaking garments in oxygen bleach brightens colors without fading. Leave overnight or at least two hours to help lift stains. Or put items in your machine if it has a pre-soak cycle. Squeeze water from items, then launder. But don’t soak silk, fragile items, or garments that bleed.
Don’t toss stained garments into the dryer. Often it’s hard to tell whether stains have been removed when laundry is wet. So hang-dry garments that were stained. Otherwise the dryer’s heat will set the stain.
Make a cheat sheet. Create a chart of washer and dryer temperatures and cycles for commonly washed items. That way everyone in the family will know what to do. Getting them to do the laundry is another matter entirely.
Use the right detergent. All front-loaders and some top-loaders recommend high-efficiency detergents for best results. Not sure which to use? Check your machine’s manual. Using the wrong detergent can cause oversudsing or poor results. Detergents called “free and clear” or “dark-formula” often don’t have optical brighteners, which can make dark clothing look faded.
Delay adding bleach. Chlorine bleach loses effectiveness if added to the wash too soon, so wait 5 minutes or so into the wash cycle. Consider a washer with an automatic bleach dispenser that will release the bleach at the proper time.
Maximize color, minimize lint. To preserve the like-new appearance of colored fabric, use cool water on the delicate cycle and liquid detergent. Wash towels and sweatshirts separately from fabrics that attract lint, such as corduroy, and from permanent-press items likely to pill. Turn any garment you want to protect inside out, and use net bags for delicate items.
Don’t overstuff the washer. Clothing needs room to move so that it can be properly cleaned and rinsed, especially in a top-loader. You can fill the drum of a front-loader, but don’t jam in clothes.
Pre-soak heavily soiled items. Soaking garments in oxygen bleach brightens colors without fading. Leave overnight or at least two hours to help lift stains. Or put items in your machine if it has a pre-soak cycle. Squeeze water from items, then launder. But don’t soak silk, fragile items, or garments that bleed.
Don’t toss stained garments into the dryer. Often it’s hard to tell whether stains have been removed when laundry is wet. So hang-dry garments that were stained. Otherwise the dryer’s heat will set the stain.
Make a cheat sheet. Create a chart of washer and dryer temperatures and cycles for commonly washed items. That way everyone in the family will know what to do. Getting them to do the laundry is another matter entirely.
