How often should you wash your clothes? These are the top mistakes
The average family spends a lot of time in the laundry room doing about 300 loads of laundry every year. Even though people may be doing five loads of laundry a week, there is a chance they are doing it wrong, according to new research from Consumer Reports (CR).
With three growing boys at home, Erica Dickman-Wilkes has mountains of laundry.
“I do laundry every single day,” she said.
Stained, sweaty and dirty clothes are automatically thrown in the wash, and Dickman-Wilkes said she washes her comforters every week.
CR’s Rich Handel said that is too often. According to CR, it’s not necessary to wash that often unless your pet sleeps on the bed – otherwise, every three weeks will do the job.
But don’t hold off for too much longer as things we can’t see – like dust mites, bacteria, and dead skin cells – can trigger allergies and skin irritation.
CR said that sheets are another matter and should be washed every five to seven days, sooner if you or someone is sick.
Fear of a dank, moldy towel has Dickman-Wilkes washing her towels after every use, but CR said that is also too often.
“Don’t throw towels on the floor. Hang it up and if you allow it to dry in between, you won’t have to wash it as often. We generally suggest three to five days,” Handel said.
CR said that undergarments, t-shirts, socks and especially gym clothes should be washed after each use.
“And they should not be left bunched up in a bag where they can become a science experiment,” Handel said.
When it comes to khakis and dress shirts, unless they are dirty, stained or sweaty, save yourself the trouble and wash them after three wears. Jeans can go without a wash for even longer.
When it comes to detergents, three earned top spots in CR tests. Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release, Tide Oxi, and Persil Pro Clean Stain Fighter yielded very good results.
But don’t overdo it with laundry detergent as more is not necessarily better and research shows many people use twice as much as they need to.
Another mistake many people make is putting stained clothes in the dryer before the stain is removed. Once you do that, the heat sets the stain and it will be hard to get rid of it, so you're better off using a stain remover and washing it again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga, Ont.: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Ont., Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt
Nearly two weeks after Donald Trump’s near assassination, the FBI confirmed Friday that it was indeed a bullet that struck the former president’s ear, moving to clear up conflicting accounts about what caused the former U.S. president’s injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.