Similar to home DIY projects if you get laundry done right then it’s happy days, but if not, you’re left with a mess that means you either have to buy something new or find a way to fix things. To avoid all that drama, however, it helps if you already know some typical laundry errors so that you don’t make the same ones. Don’t spend your nights figuring out how to pay for ruined items or finding another solution, but instead learn about these common laundry errors.
The buttons on your shirts feel stretched or loose
No one wants their best flannelette or dress shirt to look bad, but if your buttons are looking loose and even the buttonholes look stretched and out of place, then it’s time for action. Always unbutton your shirts when placing them in the washing machine, as this is because the threads around that area will weaken over time if the shirt is regularly washed when buttoned-up.
Seeing unusual rips in your clothing
If the material isn’t so expensive or the item is very old, then clothing can simply wear down over the years, but discovering rips in certain items can be because of another reason: zippers. Conversely to the button issue above, it’s recommended to zip up your jeans or jackets when washing, as the zipper can occasionally snag onto other clothing and cause a tear if the force is strong enough. There are special wash bags that you can place items inside so that they don’t disturb other clothing when in the washing machine.
Anything white has turned an odd color
One of the best weapons in your laundry arsenal is knowing how and when to separate your items. Once you learn all this and sorting laundry becomes second nature, then you’ll see fewer instances of white clothing turning a weird color. This happens because colored items, especially new ones, often “bleed” in the wash and the dye can soak into white socks or T-shirts, for example.
Red dyes are notorious for turning white clothing a bright pink, so always separate your things into different colors and also materials, as items like silk or wool can’t be washed together with cotton things. Similar to color bleeding, some items can shrink or become stretched if you wash them on a hot setting. Always wash your favorite wool sweater on a cold setting to avoid ruining it!
Unusual streaks found on the clothing
Unless you used laundry pods, sometimes laundry detergent or powder doesn’t dissolve properly and has come into contact with the clothing item without being rinsed out. Modern washing machines usually release the detergent at the right time in the wash, so it’s often more of an issue with older machines, but it could be the reason if you find white streaks on black or darker clothing.
Stains aren’t removed well after wash
If you spilled something on your shirt, rubbed at it with a cloth and then threw it into the washing machine, then it’s possible you have made things worse and that the stain is still there. It’s always best to pre-treat stains by gently removing as much as possible with a spoon or blunt knife, then using a bit of laundry detergent and gently rubbing at the stain with your fingers, then washing the item. It rarely works to scrub hard at a stain because you could force it deeper into the fabric and make it permanent. See here for stain removal methods for common foods and liquids spilled onto clothing.