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Laundry

Win at wash day—How to do laundry step by step

Scrub the sheets and spray the stains, it's all getting clean.

Person throwing in dirty laundry into the washer next to a dryer Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

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Ready to do laundry for the first time? Be forewarned: The laundry process is forever. It’s one of those chores that just never seems to end. While it isn’t hard, there are specific steps to doing laundry well that can make all the difference.

Here at Reviewed we’ve spent a lot of time with washers and dryers, as well as all the things that go in them, like detergent and other laundry essentials.

Using our in house tips and tricks, we’ve compiled a comprehensive, step-by-step laundry washing guide for everything from white sheets to heavily soiled sports socks.

From how to check laundry labels, to soil level meaning, to just what to use to treat stains, we’ve got answers to all your laundry questions.

How to do laundry step by step

1. Check laundry labels against a laundry care symbols chart

Tag on red shirt with laundry care labels and symbols
Credit: Getty Images / Kwangmoozaa

The tags in your clothes show diagrams for cleaning care, but they'll also often have written instructions , too.

Almost every shirt or duvet you own should have a sewn-in tag featuring care instructions. These often come in the form of hard to decipher symbols. Follow these to ensure you don’t damage your silk undies or your Irish wool sweater.

Laundry care symbols for type of wash, heat level, air drying, and basic dryer cycles
Credit: Reviewed / Naidin Concul-Ticas

Here's our quick guide on some of the most common laundry care symbols.

A laundry care symbol chart breaks down just what your laundry labels mean. This stylish laundry symbol chart makes a smart and quirky décor piece for your laundry room.

With time you’ll get to know which garment requires what, and whether a given shirt can survive a heavy-soil wash or might need to go in with the delicate fabrics.

2. Sort and separate laundry

Different pieces of clothing require different care. It’s important to separate your dirty clothes into groups so that you can run separate loads. We recommend that you sort by label, as well as color. If you’re lost follow a light and dark laundry chart.

Typically you should separate into delicates (items including a silk blouse, lace, or cashmere sweaters) and regular (cotton T-shirts, jeans, and sheets).

Then separate these by color: Darks, lights, and whites. This will prevent bleeding. A color catcher can help if you do decide to mix colors.

If you want to sort as you go, invest in a laundry hamper with dividing sections.

3. Pretreat or soak stains

Coffee stain on white button down-shirt
Credit: Getty Images / cirano83

If the stain is stubborn, apply detergent to it and let it soak in for a few hours or overnight.

Stains happen: Whether from spilled wine, a rogue splotch of ketchup, or a skateboarding accident. Stains like blood, grease, or ink may leave you wondering if you’ll even be able to salvage your garment. Fear not, proper pretreatment and soaking do wonders.

One cardinal rule of stubborn stains is to always pretreat, when possible. Once a stained piece of clothing runs through a dryer cycle, the stain is sealed into the material, becoming virtually impossible to get out.

As soon as you can after a spill, dab a small amount of detergent onto the stain and rub in gently on both the front and backside of the fabric. Use a soft cloth or paper towel under the fabric. A stain remover treatment could also help. If you use water, go cold or lukewarm.

Let any treatment soak into the fabric for a couple of hours or more to fully penetrate the stain.

If all else fails, sometimes the best answer for stains is to dry clean.

4. Pick your detergent and additives

Person adding liquid detergent to a washer
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Use detergent pods, powder, or liquid to clean your clothes.

When it comes to laundry detergents, there are a few main types, including powder, pods, and liquid.

Pods are convenient. Grab a pod, toss it in, and your load is ready.

Liquid detergent is one of the most common solutions. We’ve tested dozens of liquid laundry detergents in our labs. Persil ProClean, is our top pick. Persil ProClean detergent for sensitive skin is another great option.

Laundry detergent does heavily contribute to water pollution. For an eco-friendly option, we recommend Tide Purclean Plant-based detergent.

An all white load means an opportunity to use special cleaning products. These include laundry whitener that’ll brighten them up, laundry disinfectant and freshener for a deeper clean, and bleach.

Add in a fabric softener if you like the feel.

A scent booster can also help combat any musty laundry smells. Though be careful, as some people are intolerant or allergic to laundry scents.

5. Set soil level on washer and begin your cycle

Now, it’s time to throw the dirty clothes in the wash. If you’ve never used a washing machine before (hello, college freshman), or you’re trying to figure out how to do laundry at home on your new machine, you might be lost among the knobs. However, most machines are straightforward and easy to learn.

Here are the most common wash cycles.

  • Normal: A normal cycle tumbles clothing aggressively. Avoid including delicate items in this setting. You should be able to pick the water temperature, ranging from cold to hot. Most of the time stick with cold or warm water settings, unless you’re washing specific fabric types or whites, which can sometimes take hot water (just be mindful that hot water can cause shrinkage). Hot can be used on a heavy soil wash.

  • Permanent Press: The permanent press cycle is great for items that wrinkle easily, like polyester and linen. This setting washes with both warm and cold water. It discourages fading or shrinking.

  • Delicate or Hand Wash: Delicate is the go-to cycle setting for your silk and lace. It uses a gentle tumble, low spin cycle, and cool water.

Some washing machines might have more settings, or organize these by soil level. Soil level meaning is imprecise. This indicates the amount of dirt on your laundry and can help you tune your washing machine to the job at hand. Be careful with these settings as you don’t want to inadvertently wash your garments on a rough cycle.

If you’re ever unsure about a particular setting on your washing machine, read through the manufacturer’s website or guide.

6. Drying 101

Person tossing in a wool dryer ball into a dryer with clean wet clothes
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

Don't forget to empty out your dryer's lint catcher after a cycle finished. In a worst-case scenario, lint build-up can lead to a house fire.

Before adding your laundry to the dryer, check your clothes’ care labels again. Many delicates like wire bras or wool sweaters should be hung out to air dry instead of added to the machine.

When you’ve properly sorted your clothes, pick a setting. Remember that hot loads can shrink clothing.

  • Normal or Regular: Similar to the washer, the normal or regular cycle will probably be a go-to, at least for your normal clothes, towels, or sheets. A normal cycle typically runs at medium or high heat. This can shrink some clothing, so be wary of the heat setting.

  • Delicates: A delicate cycle for more delicate linens, we still do not recommend adding in very delicate items like bras and sweaters. Use this on lower heat settings for more precious clothing.

  • Permanent Press: This cycle is used to prevent easily-wrinkled garments from wrinkling. For clothing you don’t want to fade or shrink, this cycle uses a lower temperature to ensure no damage is done.

Don’t be afraid to explore additional cycle settings like Air Fluff or Steam, which are great for de-wrinkling.

Consider dryer sheets or dryer balls. Dryer sheets help reduce static and wrinkles, and sometimes add fresh smells.

Dryer balls like the Budieggs Wool Dryer Balls may contain fewer chemicals than single-use dryer sheets, and may shorten dryer times.

If you want to be sure your clothes don’t shrink, consider air drying on a good foldable drying rack or line.

How long does it take to wash and dry clothes?

Whether you’re washing at home, or at a laundromat, the whole process shouldn’t take more than one to three hours.

When you’re done, don’t just stop at the sheets. There’s always more to do in a well kept home.

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