Hey Posse! It’s Alex — and today we need to have a REAL talk about laundry.
I know, I know. Laundry feels like the most automatic chore on the planet. You’ve been doing it since college, maybe longer. You’ve got your system. Toss it in, add detergent, press start, done. But here’s the uncomfortable truth most people never hear: that “system” of yours? It might be quietly destroying every piece of clothing you own.
I learned this the hard way when my favorite cashmere-blend sweater came out of the wash looking like it belonged to a toddler. Shrunk, pilled, and completely misshapen. And the worst part? I did EVERYTHING wrong — and had no idea. So let’s fix that right now.
Overstuffing the Washing Machine
This is probably the number one offender, and almost everyone does it. You tell yourself, “It all fits — technically.” But clothes need ROOM to move through the water and detergent, and when they’re packed in like a tin of sardines, they don’t get clean. They get twisted, stretched, and beaten against each other until the fabric breaks down fiber by fiber. Load your machine to about 75% capacity. That’s it.
Using Too Much Detergent
More soap equals cleaner clothes, right? Nope. Dead wrong. Excess detergent leaves a residue on your fabrics that actually traps dirt and bacteria over time, making your clothes smell worse after several washes. not better. I tested this myself over three months in 2024 by halving the amount I used, and my whites genuinely came out brighter. Use the recommended amount, and if you have a high-efficiency machine, use HE detergent specifically.
Washing Everything on Hot
Hot water is not a universal cleaning upgrade. It’s actually a fabric killer. It shrinks cotton, warps synthetic blends, fades dyes, and weakens elastic fibers faster than almost anything else. Cold water handles the vast majority of everyday laundry loads just fine, and it saves you money on your energy bill. Save hot water for sheets, towels, and heavily soiled gym gear, that’s basically it.
Leaving Wet Laundry Sitting in the Drum
We’ve ALL done this. Toss a load in, get distracted, and suddenly it’s been four hours. Wet clothes sitting in a closed drum become a breeding ground for mildew, and that musty smell? It bakes itself INTO the fibers. You’ll rewash that load twice and still catch a whiff of it on a warm day. Set a timer on your phone. Seriously. Get it in the dryer within 30 minutes.
Ignoring the Care Labels
Those little tags exist for a REASON, and cutting them out doesn’t make their instructions disappear. “Dry clean only” means the dye or structure of that fabric literally cannot survive a regular wash cycle. “Lay flat to dry” means the fabric will distort under its own weight on a hanger. I ruined a $90 blouse from Anthropologie back in 2023 because I assumed the label was being dramatic. It was not being dramatic.
Zipping Nothing and Buttoning Nothing Before Washing
Unzipped zippers act like tiny saws inside your drum, shredding neighboring fabrics with every tumble. And buttoned shirts? Washing with buttons fastened puts stress on the buttonholes, stretching them out until the button just… falls off eventually. Flip dark clothes inside out, zip everything up, and unbutton shirts before they go in. Takes 90 extra seconds. Saves you years on your wardrobe.
Using the Wrong Spin Speed
High spin speeds feel efficient. Faster spin, drier clothes, less dryer time. makes sense on paper. But high RPMs are brutal on delicates, knits, and anything with structure. They cause stretching, warping, and that weird puckering you see around seams. For anything delicate or fitted, drop to a medium or low spin. Your clothes will thank you.
Drying on High Heat Every Single Time
Your dryer’s high-heat setting is essentially a slow death sentence for most fabrics. It degrades elastic, shrinks cotton over time, and breaks down synthetic fibers until your clothes look faded and feel rough. Medium heat handles most loads perfectly well. And air-drying? That’s genuinely the best option for anything you actually care about keeping long-term. I started air-drying my jeans in 2022 and they’ve held their shape and color in a way that feels almost unfair.
Treating Stains Wrong (or Way Too Late)
Here’s what most people do: notice a stain, throw the item in the hamper, and deal with it on laundry day. Wrong move. Stains set into fibers within hours, sometimes less. And rubbing a stain? That spreads it and pushes it deeper into the fabric. Blot, don’t rub. Treat it fast, within the first hour if you can. And for the love of everything, don’t put a stained item in the dryer before confirming the stain is OUT. Heat locks stains in permanently.
Washing Bras in the Regular Cycle
Bras are structurally complex. Underwire, foam cups, delicate straps. none of these are built for a full agitation cycle. The wire bends and pokes through the fabric, the cups lose their shape, and the elastic dies after about six regular washes. Hand wash your bras, or use a mesh lingerie bag on the delicate cycle. Cold water only. Then lay them flat or hang them, never twist the band around a towel rod.
Using Fabric Softener on Everything
Fabric softener feels like a kindness to your clothes. Soft, fluffy, smells amazing. But it builds up a waxy coating on fibers over time, which reduces absorbency in towels and activewear, damages moisture-wicking fabrics, and actually makes athletic gear trap odors MORE. I stopped using softener on towels about two years ago and they absorb water SO much better now. Use it on your cozy sweaters and bedsheets. skip it everywhere else.
Not Cleaning Your Washing Machine
Your washing machine is not self-cleaning. Shocking, I know. Detergent residue, hard water mineral deposits, and moisture create a film inside the drum and around the seal that transfers onto your clothes, and causes that mystery smell everyone complains about. Run an empty hot cycle with two cups of white vinegar once a month. Wipe down the rubber seal with a damp cloth weekly. This one habit alone can transform how your laundry smells and feels.
What I’d Do If I Were Starting Over
Honestly? I’d pick two or three of these habits. the ones that feel most familiar, and fix those first. Don’t try to overhaul your entire laundry routine in a single Saturday. Start with the heat settings and the stain treatment timing, because those two alone will protect the most clothing, the fastest. The rest you layer in over time until it’s just… how you do laundry. Your clothes are an investment. Treat them like one.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
