If you have a pile of laundry to get through, we all want to tackle this chore as quickly as possible. And while throwing clothes and items into the washing machine might seem easy to do, experts say you could be making this common laundry mistake.
In fact, this mistake could slowly damage your washing machine or shorten its lifespan. I’ve been writing about the mistakes that could be damaging your washing machine for years, but when I heard from laundry experts about this washing machine no-go, I realised I’d been doing my laundry wrong this whole time. Making this mistake probably won’t kill your machine, but it could shorten its lifespan and lead to expensive repairs to even replacing with another one of the best washing machines altogether.
So, if you want to get the most out of your machine, avoid this costly, laundry mistake that you’re probably making.
Washing towels and bed linen together
Grouping dirty towels or bedsheets together is a common habit, with many believing that it might save time or water consumption. However, experts strongly advise against this, and suggest washing these items separately.
Firstly, these items have different thickness, materials and weights. Not only does the thickness of the towels potentially damage your bedding, but can slowly damage your washing machine drum. “If, like many of us, you group dirty towels, sheets and duvet covers into one washing load, you might be causing unnecessary damage to your washing machine,” states Matt Ayres, an appliance expert at RDO Kitchens & Appliances.
“Once water is added during a wash, the weight of these items significantly increases, meaning you’re likely exceeding your machine’s recommended weight limit. Over time, loads that are too heavy can damage the bearings and drum shaft.
Towels, sheets and duvet covers also form a single ball when washed together which can bounce around during a wash, causing damage to the drum and internal parts of the machine.”
These can lead to long-term problems with your washing machine such as dealing with a shaky washing machine or one of the reasons your washing machine won’t spin.
In addition, towels and sheets tend to have different wash and dry cycles. So by separating your wash cycles into different loads based on their temperature setting and materials, this will ensure that both items are cleaned properly — without the risk of wear-and-tear. “If a towel becomes tightly wrapped in a sheet, it won’t dry properly resulting in mildew and mould,” agrees an expert from 2ULaundry. “Additionally, if towels or other pieces of clothing are getting caught in sheets, they’re not rubbing up against other items of clothing which is an essential part of the cleaning process in a washer.”
Towels are also prone to producing a lot of lint (especially new towels), which can often be a nightmare if it gets onto your freshly laundered bedsheets.
For more top tips, here’s how to wash towels and keep them fluffy, and how often you should wash towels, according to experts. Plus, you can make white sheets brighter by simply using a few household items.