The Two Types Of Clothes You Should Never Put In The Laundry Together

Any day now, someone will hopefully invent a washing machine that can sort your laundry automatically. Until then, it's up to you to make sure each item goes in the right load with the right settings. There are many different tactics for sorting laundry, but whichever method you use, you should never put heavy and delicate clothes in the laundry together.

Some people put everything in one load and call it a day, but laundry experts say sorting is still a necessary part of doing the laundry. It helps you keep your clothes in good condition for longer by allowing you to give each item the correct wash temperature, spin setting, dryer temperature, and dryer time. You can end up with a mind-boggling number of loads if you abide by strict sorting rules, which recommend sorting by fabric type, color, level of soiling, and more. But even if you're more lax with your sorting, there are several downsides to mixing delicates with heavy items, which require completely different laundry machine settings.

The main reason to separate laundry is to give each item the proper care, and you can't do that when mixing heavy clothes and delicates. Although some clothes shouldn't be washed in cold water, delicates typically require a cooler temperature, ideally in a mesh laundry bag to prevent friction or snags. Heavier items can withstand heavy-duty cycles and warm or hot water (depending on the material); they may not get fully clean on a gentle cycle.

Moreover, the weight difference between heavy clothes and delicates can be an issue. Heavy clothes take longer to dry than lighter ones, so you'll end up either over-drying the lighter clothes or under-drying the heavier ones. Over-drying can stress clothing fibers, which is especially worrisome with delicates. Some heavy items can also damage delicates directly, such as the zippers on denim pants or jackets. In fact, many laundry pros recommend washing denim separately, not just from delicates, but also from your everyday clothes to avoid this risk. But even other heavy clothes can have a rough texture, which along with the extra weight, can wear down delicates and lighter fabrics. So what counts as a heavy or delicate item? Common delicates include lace, hosiery, lingerie, blouses, sheer fabrics, evening wear, and anything that recommends a gentle cycle on the tag. Heavy items may include denim, sweatshirts, and jackets. Towels and bedding also fall into the heavy category.