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Laundry seems like a simple process: just throw all your clothes into a washing machine, let them dry, and all your articles of clothing will be good as new. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple, and if you’ve ever had a white T-shirt that starts looking a whole lot more colorful, you’ve experienced how easy it is to damage clothing. This issue is why it pays to know how to separate laundry correctly.
You may have the inclination to throw everything into the washing machine and deal with the consequences, but this decision will damage your clothing. Without knowing how to separate clothes when washing, your clothes will not last as long and won’t maintain a fresh, clean look for very long, either.
When you know how to separate clothes for washing, you will get the most out of your clothing and the most out of the money you spend on them. Here are some tips on how to sort laundry and how to separate clothes to wash.
What to Consider Before Sorting Laundry
Before you start sorting clothes, there are a few things you’ll want to check to keep in mind. Most critically, you should read your clothes’ labels to group them appropriately before washing them.
Symbols such as “dry clean only” or “hand wash” aren’t just there for show: These symbols let you know how to handle your clothing for the best long-term results. If you see either of these indicators, you shouldn’t ever put these in your washing machine.
If you decide to wash your clothes with towels to limit the number of loads you do, you might want to reconsider.
How to Separate Laundry Colors
Once you’ve correctly sorted clothes by their label, you can start sorting clothes that can be machine-washed by color. Next, you’ll need to know how to separate colors for laundry.
Separating laundry colors is essential for keeping your clothes the right color and ensuring they last. Many people who sort their laundry by colors believe that you only need to separate the lights and darks, but there’s more you can do for the best results.
Below is how to separate clothes to wash by color:
- Dark clothes
- White clothes
- Cooler colors
- Warmer colors
Clothes sorted by color this way achieve the best results by minimizing the potential bleed-over of other colors. While simply sorting by lights and darks will help, sorting this way will provide your clothes with a much better outcome.
Certain colors also react better to different water temperatures when washing. Generally speaking, lighter colors work better with hot temperatures, while colors that will bleed more will see better results with cold water. Warm water will work well with any shades in-between.
While colors may react better to hot or cold water, hot water will always clean clothing better than cold. If you have a stain that won’t come out on a dark shirt, you may want to crank up the temperature on the next wash.
Sorting Laundry By Fabric Type
Sorting your laundry by color is essential for the best results, but it’s not the only thing to consider. The fabric of the items you put in your laundry is just as critical (if not more critical) than how you sort by color. If you want to know how to separate laundry the best way, you’ll want to consider the kinds of fabric you’re washing.
With so many different fabrics that can make up someone’s wardrobe, there are many requirements for washing fabrics correctly. Unsurprisingly, the materials of exercise clothing have vastly different needs than a pair of denim jeans.
If you’re unsure of the makeup of your clothing, the attached labels will tell you what you need to know. With this information, you can get the best detergent for fabric needs and ensure your clothing lasts longer.
How to Sort Out Delicate Clothing
Another category of clothing is your less rugged clothes. “Delicates” need a much gentler wash cycle than most other forms of clothing. Dress clothing, lacy clothing, and similar articles of clothing will require a wash on the “gentle” or “delicate” cycle.
For delicate clothing, you’ll also want to use cold water and find a detergent that is more considerate of this fragile clothing. Also, if you can find a mesh laundry bag, this will minimize the risk of softer clothing getting snagged or otherwise damaged.
Sorting By the Kind of Laundry
Another way people often sort laundry is by separating it by type. Clothing in one pile, rugs in another, and towels or washcloths in another. There are several good reasons to do this.
The fabric of non-clothing laundry will often be different and have different washing needs. Here are a few reasons why you may want to separate your clothing from your non-clothing laundry.
- Clothes don’t often get as dirty as rugs, mats, and towels, as they are often used to keep other things clean.
- Clothes tend to get wrapped up by these larger fabrics in the wash and may not clean as effectively, so it’s good to sort clothes separately.
- Because they get so dirty, rugs and mats require an extra-intense cleaning than your T-shirt or pants.
Bedding is another category of fabric that you should clean separately. It makes sense to keep the sheets you sleep on extra clean as you’ll be spending eight or more hours a day with them. Fortunately, most machine washers have a separate setting for sheets.
Use the Right Appliances and Detergent for Your Wash
Once you’ve got all of your clothes sorted as they should be, the last step is to have the right cleaning supplies and equipment for the job. A quality washer with numerous settings will go a long way toward giving your clothes the best wash possible.
If you have a lot of delicates that need soft cleaning, a washer with a gentle setting that uses cold water will be worth the investment. You should also get a variety of detergents that can give any load of laundry the cleaning it needs without causing damage.
Proper sorting and the right supplies ensure your clothing stays clean and fresh for as long as possible.
A Professional Dry Cleaning Service for Your Sorted Laundry
With certain kinds of clothing, a machine wash isn’t your best option. When figuring out how to separate laundry, you may have encountered some with “dry clean only” labels. When you see these warnings on your clothes, you’ll want a professional dry cleaning service to handle your more specific cleaning needs.
For the best dry cleaning service in the East Bay, look no further than Martinizing Dry Cleaners. Our team will give your clothing the respect it deserves and provide you with impeccable dry-cleaning services. To get the best out of your clothing, call us at (925) 528-4688 or message us at (925) 309-5298 today.
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