From detergent mishaps to zipper positioning and whether shirts should be buttoned up.
Drying clothing could take days and ironing, well, ironing is still laborious.
Modernlaundry appliancesmake it easy to clean upjust add soap, dirty clothes, and hit a button or two.
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn
Even the best washer and dryer are subject to human error.
Those aren’t the onlylaundry mistakes, though.
Here are a few others to avoid making.
Credit: Charles Walton
Forgetting To Empty Pockets
Be sure to check every pocket before putting items in the washer.
Stray tissues lipstick, crayon, coins, or car keys can ruin your laundry and even your machine.
Not Pretreating Stains
Your best bet at removing stains is totackle thembefore they go in the washer.
Dab them gently and pretreat with cool water, laundry detergent, or your favorite laundry stain remover.
Then wash as usual.
Hang them up to dry instead.
Rather, hang them to dry.
Leaving Zippers Open
Be sure to zip up those zippers before throwing garments into the wash.
This way, you’ll avoid having them snag other items in the load.
Keeping Your Shirts Buttoned
If you wash button-up shirts, be sure to leave them unbuttoned.
That’s because the spin cycle can pull at the buttons causing the threads to loosen.
They need motion, detergent, and in the case of dryers, heat.
Using Too Much Detergent
Modern laundry detergents usually only require a small capful.
If you’re not sure what temperature to choose, go with cold.
Too much scrubbing can damage the fabric.
