Do You Actually Need To Separate Laundry? Or Is It A Waste Of Time?
I have spent many Sunday afternoons sorting laundry into three or four distinct piles across the living room floor. It always seemed like such a strict law of the universe that whites could never be washed with colors. But now that I have an even busier schedule, I find myself staring at the basket and wondering if it really matters. Is mixing everything together a laundry sin or just a smart shortcut? The answer is actually a little bit of both.
The Magic Of Cold Water Washing
We used to rely on hot water to get everything clean, which made colors run like crazy. But modern washing machines and detergents are actually designed to work perfectly in cold water now. This is a massive win for lazy laundry days because cold water keeps the dye locked inside the fabric fibers. If you switch your dial to cold you can honestly throw a navy blue shirt in with your light grays without ruining everything you own.
Separating By Weight Matters More
I honestly think this is the secret laundry rule that nobody talks about enough. Mixing heavy fabrics like denim jeans with thin fabrics like t-shirts is a recipe for disaster. The heavy items beat up the delicate ones during the spin cycle which causes friction. That friction is exactly what creates those tiny mysterious holes in your favorite soft shirts. If you want your clothes to last longer, you should really try sorting by how heavy the fabric feels instead of by color.
Watch Out For The New Red Shirt
While I am all for mixing things up, there is one major exception you cannot ignore. Brand new clothes still bleed dye the first time they get wet. Red and dark blue dyes are the absolute worst offenders here. If you just bought a vibrant new top you absolutely need to wash it on its own or with old dark towels for the first cycle. It is much better to be safe once than to turn all your white clothes pink.
Why Towels Need Their Own Wash
Towels are the biggest bullies in the laundry basket. They are made of heavy loops that produce a massive amount of lint and they take forever to dry. If you wash them with your regular clothes, you will end up with fuzz balls stuck to everything you own. Plus you will have to overheat your regular clothes in the dryer just to get the towels dry. Keeping your linens in a separate load saves you so much time and frustration.
The Danger Of Metal Zippers
I learned this one the hard way after ruining a nice sweater. Metal zippers and buttons act like little saws when they are tumbling around in the washer. They can easily snag on a delicate blouse or scratch the fabric of your favorite leggings. It is best to wash anything with hard hardware in its own load. If you must mix them, make sure you zip everything all the way up and maybe turn the item inside out to hide the zipper teeth.
Keeping The Really Dirty Stuff Separate
Sometimes it is less about the color and more about the level of mess. If you have gym clothes that are soaked in sweat or cleaning rags covered in grime, you should not wash them with your nice work clothes. These items usually need a heavy duty cycle with hot water to really get clean. Your delicate office wear cannot handle that kind of heat and agitation. It is better to keep the heavy grime contained in its own sanitizing load.
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You definitely do not need to sort your laundry into five different perfectly color coded piles anymore. The machines are smart enough to handle a mixed load if you are careful. Just keeping the heavy towels and the brand new items separate will solve ninety percent of your problems. Give yourself permission to take the shortcut on the rest. Life is too short to spend it all sorting socks on the living room floor.
Bliss Donahue-Power
