Smarter: Things to Never Put in Your Washing Machine

Leather, suede, silk, and linen.
These are all items that should be dry-cleaned and not machine-washed to protect the fabric, says Sarah Armstrong, new product brand manager at the home appliance maker Maytag.

Shoes. 
Leather, wool, velvet, silk, and shoes with cork soles or any kind of beading on them would be damaged if you put them in a washing machine, Sarah says. 

It’s also probably not a good idea to wash your specialized running sneakers in a washing machine either, because it could loosen the adhesives in the shoes or deform the structure of them, says Rich Handel. He leads CR’s testing of washers, and his professional expertise grew out of years of being the laundry point person at home.

Memory foam pillows.
They will probably break apart if washed in a washing machine, says Nelly Martinez, senior brand manager at the home appliance company Whirlpool. Other pillows are typically machine-washable, but always check the care tag first.

Baseball caps.
It’s best to hand-wash and air-dry them to help preserve the color and shape, Sarah says.

Open zippers. 
You should fasten any zippers to prevent them from snagging or tangling your clothes.

Items covered in pet hair.
The mixture of water and pet hair can result in clumps that stick to the sides of the washer drum and clog drain pumps. 

Pet hair can be pretty tricky to remove. Here are our tips on how to get it off your bed.

Items covered in dust, soil, and other powders.
Excess dirt and sand could abrade other fabrics. Dust and powders such as flour, lime dust, milk powder, etc. can build up on the inner parts of the machine and cause damage. Make sure you shake it off your laundry the best you can before you place it in the machine.

Laundry stained with flammable liquids.
Don’t wash anything that has been previously soaked in or spotted with gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents, vegetable or cooking oil, or other flammable or explosive substances. That’s because they give off vapors that could ignite or explode, according to the appliance maker LG. 

That includes putting vodka in your washing machine to get rid of any odors on your clothes. Alcohol, while a great disinfectant, is highly flammable, Rich says. Instead, if you want to remove smells from your clothes, here’s what he suggests.

Also, you should always empty the pockets before you put your clothes in a washing machine. Things like coins, pens, and paper clips could damage your clothing and the washer itself. Yes, yes, I know most of you would already know this, but you’d be surprised by how often people forget this step. 

But there are certain things you can put in a washing machine if you do it with extra care. 

Wool and cashmere.
Check the label first to see if it’s machine-washable. If it is, you might want to use a delicate or cold-water cycle, and turn the clothing inside out to keep it from pilling, Rich says.

Rayon.
It can be washed, but an activewear or delicate cycle is recommended, says Ken Rudolph, senior director of product management for clothes care for GE Appliances.

Waterproof items.
For waterproof, water-resistant, and bulky items, bulky or delicate cycles are recommended. Using other cycles can make the load unbalanced during the spin cycle, causing excessive vibration, Ken says.

It’s also best to not mix waterproof and non-waterproof items in a washer.

Weighted blankets.
While some weighted blankets can be machine-washable, Nelly recommends not washing them if they’re made with things like sand, rice, or beans.

Laundry items with metal attachments.
Underwire bras, belt buckles, and metal buttons might damage the machine or other items in the load. So make sure you remove the metal pieces or put items with them in a mesh laundry bag or pillow case.

Small, lightweight items.
Place things like infant’s socks and nylon stockings in a mesh bag so they don’t get stuck.

Delicate laundry.
You can put more delicate clothing like slips, underwear, and camisoles in a mesh bag. Turn them inside out. 

And as a general rule, it’s always safest to follow the instructions on the label of your laundry item and the washer’s owner manual to guide you before you decide to toss something in a machine, Rich says.

Bonus link: Does your washing machine and dryer make the most compatible set? Here are our recommendations for the best washer and dryer pairings.