Making a mistake when washing in your home laundry once or twice is inevitable, such as forgetting to check pockets before washing or accidentally mixing whites with darks. But when these mistakes are consistently repeated, they lead to ruined clothes and household linens, wasted time, and costly repairs. In the long run, these errors add up, turning what should be a simple household task into a source of frustration and unnecessary expense.
To ensure your next load of laundry leaves the washing machine with a crisp smell and, most importantly, is thoroughly clean, take note of these common laundry mistakes and our suggestions as to how to avoid them:
1 | Overloading the Washing Machine
Why This Is a Mistake
When you overload your washing machine, you essentially limit the space your clothes have to move around during the wash cycle. Clothes need room to tumble and agitate in the water for the detergent to effectively do its job. Without enough space, the detergent can’t circulate properly, leading to poorly cleaned items and potentially lingering odors. Additionally, the extra weight from an overloaded machine causes wear and tear on a machine’s components (such as the drum and motor), which shortens its lifespan.
Effects on Your Clothes & household linens
- Inadequate Cleaning: Items may come out of the wash still stained or with lingering odors because they weren’t able to move around and get fully cleaned.
- Fabric Wear and Tear: Overloading causes clothes and linens to rub against each other excessively, leading to pilling, fraying, and other signs of wear.
- Uneven Detergent Distribution: Detergent might not dissolve properly, leaving residue on your garments, sheets and tablecloths, which can irritate your skin and cause fabrics to deteriorate faster.
What to Do Instead
To avoid the pitfalls of overloading, follow your machine’s recommended load capacity. This information is usually found in the user manual, and it’s essential to ensure your clothes come out clean and your machine stays in good working order. A good rule of thumb is to fill the drum about three-quarters full – this allows enough room for movement and ensures every item gets the attention it needs.
For larger items, such as bed linens or heavy coats, consider washing them in smaller loads or taking them to a laundromat with larger machines. And if you’re ever unsure, don’t forget Parkway Custom Drycleaning is here for your larger and more delicate pieces.
2 | Using Too Much Detergent
Why This Is a Mistake
Using too much detergent creates excess suds that make it harder for your washing machine to rinse out all the soap. Those extra suds trap dirt, bacteria, and residue, which get redeposited on your clothes and bedding instead of being washed away. Over time, this buildup not only affects the cleanliness of your items but will lead to problems with your washing machine and dryer, such as mold growth and unpleasant odors.
Effects on Your Clothes & household linens
- Residue Buildup: Excess detergent leaves a soapy film on your clothes and household linens, which attracts dirt and causes fabrics to feel stiff or scratchy.
- Skin Irritation: Detergent residue left on clothes, sheets and pillow cases can irritate sensitive skin, especially for those with allergies or conditions like eczema.
- Fabric Damage: Over time, the buildup of detergent residue weakens fabric fibers, leading to faster wear and tear.
What to Do Instead
The key to cleaner clothes isn’t more detergent – it’s using the correct amount. Always follow the detergent manufacturer’s guidelines for dosage, and consider the size of your load and the level of soil. For most loads, a smaller amount of detergent will do the job just fine, especially if you use a high-efficiency washing machine.
If you’re unsure, it’s better to start with less and add a bit more if needed. This approach not only keeps your clothing items cleaner and softer but also helps extend the life of your washing machine.
3 | Ignoring Care Labels
Why This Is a Mistake
Care labels are provided by the manufacturer and designer to direct the consumer and commercial dry cleaner as to how to properly care for clothing and household linens. Ignoring care labels often leads to restoring clothes and household linens in ways that can damage fibers, colors, texture, and overall structure. Each fabric has specific care instructions – what works for your sturdy jeans might be too harsh for a delicate blouse or a cozy blanket. Care labels provide guidance on everything from water temperature to drying and ironing methods.
Effects on Your Clothes & household linens
- Shrinkage: Washing or drying at the wrong temperature causes clothes to shrink, leaving you with a shirt that’s suddenly too tight or a blanket that no longer covers your bed.
- Color Fading: Ignoring care instructions leads to faded colors, especially in dark garments like jeans or brightly colored shirts.
- Fabric Damage: Using the wrong wash cycle or detergent weakens fabrics, causing them to fray, pill, or lose their softness.
What to Do Instead
Taking a few seconds to read and follow care labels makes a big difference in how long your clothes last and how well they hold up over time. Before tossing anything into the wash, check the label for washing and drying instructions, including recommended water temperatures and drying settings. While it might seem like an extra hassle to separate and handle each item according to its label, doing so dramatically extends the life of your clothing.
And don’t forget Parkway – many care labels recommend against washing and suggest dry cleaning for safe restoration. Parkway’s spotting and pressing professionals have decades of experience cleaning and finishing all types of garments and linens. Also, Parkway has developed an expertise in wet cleaning – which is a method of using water even when the care label suggests otherwise. Parkway has restored countless items using a combination of hand spotting, wet cleaning, and/or dry cleaning. Our team will assess your item and determine the best way to restore it.
4 | Not Separating Clothes by Color and Fabric Type
Why This Is a Mistake
Different fabrics and colors require different washing conditions. Dark clothes like black jeans are notorious for bleeding color, especially when washed with lighter items. Fabrics also react differently in the wash – heavy fabrics like towels can be too rough on delicate items, causing them to wear out faster. Ignoring these differences leads to everything from dull colors to fabrics that just don’t feel the same anymore. Plus, if you’re trying to be environmentally friendly, mixing loads leads to unnecessary rewashes and wasted resources.
Effects on Your Clothes & household linens
- Color Bleeding: Dark or vibrant colors bleed onto lighter clothes and household linens, leaving you with faded jeans or a formerly white shirt or bed sheet that’s now a dull pink.
- Fabric Damage: Mixing heavy items like jeans with delicate fabrics causes the latter to stretch, pill, or tear. Delicate items also might not get as clean when washed with bulkier fabrics.
- Increased Wear and Tear: Rougher fabrics cause friction against softer fabrics, leading to quicker degradation, especially for items like sweaters or fabrics that require more delicate handling.
What to Do Instead
Wash whites, darks, and colors separately to prevent color bleeding, and group together similar fabrics to ensure they get the right level of care. For instance, delicate fabrics should be washed on a gentle cycle or even hand washed, while more durable fabrics such as towels and denim can handle a more rigorous wash. If you have items that require special care, such as those labeled for dry cleaning only, it’s worth using a professional cleaning service – Parkway Custom Drycleaning is here for these reasons!
5 | Using the Wrong Water Temperature
Why This Is a Mistake
Different fabrics respond differently to heat. Hot water is great for sanitizing and removing tough stains, but it also can shrink or damage delicate fabrics. On the other hand, cold water is gentle and great for preserving colors, but it might not be enough to remove heavy soils or kill bacteria.
Effects on Your Clothes & household linens
- Shrinkage and Damage: Washing delicate fabrics in hot water causes them to shrink or lose their shape, which is especially common with materials like wool or certain synthetics.
- Color Fading: Hot water causes colors to fade faster, especially in dark or bright clothes, leaving your garments looking dull and worn.
- Stubborn Stains: Cold water might not be effective at removing certain types of stains, such as oil or grease, which set into the fabric if not properly treated.
What to Do Instead
Shrinkage and Damage: Washing delicate fabrics in hot water causes them to shrink or lose their shape, which is especially common with materials like wool or certain synthetics.
Color Fading: Hot water causes colors to fade faster, especially in dark or bright clothes, leaving your garments looking dull and worn.
Stubborn Stains: Cold water might not be effective at removing certain types of stains, such as oil or grease, which set into the fabric if not properly treated.
Preserve the Quality of Your Clothes – Schedule a Pickup with Parkway Custom Drycleaning for your more delicate and cherished items!
Whether you’re in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, or the Maryland suburbs, Parkway Custom Drycleaning is here to restore your cherished garments and all your household linens and fabrics.
Not only do we handle shirt laundry and dry cleaning, we also care for your table linens, bedding, wedding gowns, leathers, suedes, furs, and more. We even offer specialized services such as cleaning fine oriental carpets and area rugs, as well as drapes and blinds including taking down and rehanging your curtains and shades.
The best part – we offer pickup and delivery to our customers in Washington, DC, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Simply send us an email or give us a call at 301-768-7658.
