Laundry without ruining clothes

What to know

1. Read the care label. The FTC's Care Labeling Rule requires manufacturers to attach care instructions to clothes. Source: FTC² The label has to say whether to wash by hand or machine, give a water temperature if regular hot water would cause harm, and say "No bleach" if every bleach would harm it. Source: FTC²
2. Sort by color. Wash whites separately, pastels and medium colors together, and brights and darks by themselves. White and light-colored synthetics pick up dark dyes easily. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
3. Sort by dirt and fabric. Keep heavily dirty items away from lightly dirty ones, or whites slowly turn gray. Wash delicates and loose knits on the gentle cycle. Wash lint shedders like new towels and fuzzy sweatshirts apart from things that attract lint. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
4. Treat stains first. Apply a stain remover or liquid detergent, testing it on a seam first. Blot a stain, don't rub it, because rubbing spreads it and can damage fabric. When in doubt, rinse or soak in cold water first. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
5. Use the right amount of detergent. Too much or too little can leave clothes less clean. Most detergents are concentrated now, so use the cap or scoop that comes with them. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
6. Pick the cycle. Normal for everyday cottons, towels and sheets. Delicate or gentle for fragile fabrics. Heavy duty for jeans and bedding. Quick wash for small, lightly dirty loads. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
7. Before drying, check for stains that didn't wash out. Treat them and wash again instead of drying, because drying can set a stain permanently. Source: Cleaning Institute¹ Use low heat for heat-sensitive fabrics to help prevent shrinking. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
8. Clean the lint filter before or after every load, and don't overload the dryer. Source: NFPA³

If it doesn't work

• Clothes taking longer than normal to dry? The vent may be clogged. Clean lint out of the vent pipe, or ask your landlord to, at least once a year. Source: NFPA³ Check that the outdoor vent flap opens when the dryer runs. Source: U.S. Fire Admin.⁴
• Bleach left a spot? Next time, bleach the whole garment, not just the stain, to avoid uneven color. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
• Old stain that won't budge? Try soaking it in a product with enzymes, then wash it again. Source: Cleaning Institute¹ Enzymes are especially good on protein stains like blood, grass, eggs and dairy. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
• Clothes stiff, with a white powdery film? You may have hard water. Use slightly more detergent than the label says, or add a water softener. Source: Cleaning Institute¹
• Neon shirt faded or ran? Bright fluorescents are often less colorfast. Wash them separately, and don't use prewash stain removers on them. Source: Cleaning Institute¹