With so many different products, devices and methods to remember, completing your laundry successfully can often feel impossible. If you find yourself making regular errors, this might be the blog you’ve been waiting for…
Keep reading to discover 7 common laundry mistakes (and how to avoid them), collated by our WaveMAX laundry experts!
7 Laundry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
1. Failing to Read the Manufacturer’s Care Labels
Believe it or not, clothes are stitched with care labels for a reason. Whether you’re avoiding out of laziness or don’t understand what the symbols mean, passing up on them could be to blame for shrinkage, color leaks and more!
How to avoid this mistake:
Well, that’s pretty simple. It’s time to start reading the care labels that come with your clothes.
If you’re struggling to decipher what each section means, not to worry. You can read our handy guide to understanding care label symbols and exactly what they mean.
2. Overfilling Your Washing Machine
Domestic washing machines come in a variety of sizes, but most of them can only hold a small amount of laundry at one time. By overstuffing them with towels, sheets and clothes, you can risk damaging the machine, or at least failing to get clean results from your cycle.
How to avoid this mistake:
Instead of squeezing as much as you can into your washer at one time, separate your laundry into piles and tackle it in a few installments. As a general rule of thumb, you should only fill about 3/4 of the drum before adding your laundry solutions and hitting start. This gives the fabric enough room to move around and the water enough space to flow—both key for a super clean finish.
TOP TIP: Struggling to tackle all of your laundry at home? Speed up the process at your local Westminster, Broomfield or Thornton laundromat. At WaveMAX, our machines offer a much larger capacity, PLUS you can use more than one washer at a time for extra-large loads.
3. Washing Clothes at the Wrong Temperature
Another mega laundry pitfall that most people don’t even realize they’re doing? Washing clothes at the wrong temperature—both too hot OR too cold. Our laundry piles (or mountains, in some cases…) are made up of several different fabrics, all requiring different levels of care and attention. Selecting the right temperature is essential to avoid shrinking your clothes, or failing to kill off any lingering bacteria.
How to avoid this mistake:
Most clothes can be cleaned sufficiently on a cool wash, but hotter temperatures are sometimes required for heavily soiled or stained garments.
Read our comprehensive guide to choosing the best temperature for your laundry to pick up some top tips!
4. Rubbing a Stain to Remove It
Stain removal 101—rubbing is never the answer. When we spill something on our clothing, sheets or towels, it can be tempting to grab a cloth and start rubbing at it until the problem disappears. The problem is, rubbing can actually make a stain worse, grinding whatever it is you’ve spilt further into the fibers of the fabric.
How to avoid this mistake:
Forget rubbing. Start blotting.
No matter what stain you’re faced with, begin by taking a dry cloth or some tissue and blotting the stain—this will absorb any remnants and make removal more manageable.
After blotting, pre-treat the stain with a stain removing solution—you can find all of our best DIY options in this blog.
Leave to soak for the recommended time (usually around 30 minutes), then wash on a regular cycle.
Repeat if necessary.
5. Using Too Much Laundry Detergent
When it comes to detergent, less really is more. While many people think using more detergent will make their clothes even cleaner, it actually has the opposite effect. By using too much, you can actually clog the fibers in your clothes and promote discoloration—as well as changing how your favorite garments feel on the skin.
How to avoid this mistake:
Always use the amount recommended on the box or bottle. Heavily soiled garments may require an extra splash, but you’re better using laundry boosters in this case to get the job done—products like white vinegar do a great job of elevating results!
Read our detailed blog on the subject if you think you’re using too much laundry soap and discover our expert advice.
6. Washing Your Clothes Too Often
Believe it or not, it is possible to wash your clothes too much, especially garments like sweaters, jeans or jackets. The more frequently you wash something, the shorter its lifespan will be, but you also increase the risk of shrinkage and discoloration along the way.
How to avoid this mistake:
To avoid overwashing your clothes, you should carefully consider whether your garments actually need to be cleaned, or whether you can hang them back in the closet for another wear.
Favorites like jeans can often go weeks without washing (as long as they’re not stained or soiled), and the same applies to plenty of other clothing types too. If you can get away with cleaning less, your garments will look newer for longer, and stand the test of time.
Learn more about this approach in one of our latest blogs: what is the low-wash or no-wash laundry movement?
7. Not Making Use of Your Local Laundromat
Did you know that washing your clothes at your local laundromat can save time and money, as well as making your life a hell of a lot easier? If you’re feeling so overwhelmed by your laundry that you constantly find yourself making common mistakes, it might be time to seek some support from your friendly laundry enthusiasts.
How to avoid this mistake:
If you live in Broomfield, Westminster, Federal Heights, Northglenn or Thornton, head down to WaveMAX at the corner of 84th and Huron. As well as our card-operated washing machines and dryers, we also offer a range of services to make your life easier.
Instead of searching ‘laundromat near me’, learn more about WaveMAX and our unique approach to laundry on our website today.
