Why Tossing Your Laundry Cap In The Wash Could Be Ruining Your Clothes And Appliance

Think there's nothing controversial about doing a load of laundry? Tell that to the thousands of commenters on a recent viral Tik Tok. In it, a woman is shocked that her boyfriend tossed the full plastic detergent cap into the washer along with the clothes — and then is even more flabbergasted in the comment section, where she learns that this is a pretty common practice. It turns out, that some detergent brands even recommend the step, assuring launderers that it will help rinse the cap clean (instead of leaving it a sticky, gunky mess).

The unexpected laundry debate moved some experts to weigh in, though, and not all are convinced it's the best option for both your laundry machine and your clothes. While they all love a great laundry hack to keep clothes smelling fresh, some warned that this is an outdated tip. Now that more laundry machines are built with efficiency in mind, they use less water per cycle. Without as much water sloshing around in a high-efficiency washing machine, the cap may not get rinsed completely. Plus, it's more likely to snag on your clothes or get cracked in your machine, sending bits of plastic into your freshly laundered clothes or machine.

All in all, experts understand the appeal of tossing the cap in with the clothes. It's an easy solution, and some detergents, especially those that come on a jug with a dispenser, do make cups designed to go through a wash cycle. But in addition to potentially breaking and snagging, experts are wary of the step for another important reason — the uneven distribution of detergent. Without enough water to help disperse all the detergent in the cap, it may sit there for a bit, resulting in some clothes receiving too much detergent and others receiving none at all.

All in all, your best bet for a clean laundry cap is just to rinse it out yourself, especially if you have a high-efficiency washing machine or use high-efficiency laundry detergent. Sure, it might be an extra step — but snag-free, plastic-free clothes and a working appliance should make those extra few seconds worth it.