You’re Doing Laundry Wrong: 7 Tips to Help You Clean Clothes More Expertly

livemint.com:

Laundry is a relatively easy chore, or so you might think. As we reported more about high-tech washing machines, new clothes movers and steam-cleaning closets, experts kept sharing information that challenged deeply held cleaning doctrine. It turns out, most of us probably do a number of things that make our washes less effective, harsher on our clothes and harmful to the environment.

Those who want to avoid these mistakes should heed these lessons well. 1. You’re avoiding care tags like a situationship.

Every once in a while, you have to override the care tag. (Note to the discounted H&M sweater I bought in 2014: You aren’t getting dry-cleaned.) But, if you like your clothes and want them to last, it’s best to know what those laundry symbols are actually asking for. Such symbols are notoriously inscrutable, but a quick Google can help.

2. You’re not getting your clothes ready for the rumble. Your favorite pants are about to go on a Tolkienian journey.

Prepare them. Zip up zippers so they don’t snag, unbutton shirts, turn your clothes inside out to protect the outsides and put delicates in a lingerie bag. When you empty the washer, shake your clothes out before putting them in the dryer to help pre-empt wrinkles, rather than just tossing a crumpled-up wet ball in there and asking the machine to do its best.

3. You never wash the washer. Most washers have a self-cleaning mode, but to truly remove grime from inside the spinner, run your washer with a cleaning tablet from a brand like Affresh ($13, Target.com) about once a month.