Washing all your laundry together can save time, but unfortunately, it can also cause damage.
Here’s what you gotta know before you roll the spin cycle.
Jacob Fox
Laundry can be tedious and time-consuming, making it feel like a never-endinghousehold chore.
Credit:Jacob Fox
Ahead, we’ve outlined the factors to consider before tossing everything into the spin cycle together.
Today,cold water is the standardfor laundering items, regardless of color, with a few exceptions.
Heavy fabrics can cause damage to delicate items when washed together in the same load.
Credit:Jacob Fox
Additionally, heavy and bulky items like towels typically require more drying time than do lightweight or quick-drying fabrics.
Over-drying should be avoided because it can weaken and fade fibers, and it cancause the garment to shrink.
This is especially true of cleaning rags, which should never be washed in the same load as clothing.
Credit:Jacob Fox
Avoid Cross-Contamination
Closely related to issues of soil levels in laundry are cross-contamination concerns.
One of those times is when washing heavily soiled items, such as dish towels or cleaning cloths.
That means longer, hotter cycles are required to machine dry towels.
