Five Laundry Routines That Protect Your Clothes

Simply throwing laundry into the machine can cause more than a few creases. Fibres can suffer, colours fade sooner and buttons may come off. The good news is that five straightforward habits before starting the washing machine can leave clothes looking better cared for, help them retain their shape for longer and prevent them feeling so ‘washed out’. These tips take very little time, yet can significantly extend the life of your wardrobe.

Turn laundry inside out: an invisible shield against abrasion

The first step comes before a single drop of water is used: turn garments inside out. Inside the drum, everything continually rubs against everything else. When the outer surface of fabrics scrapes directly against the drum and other garments, signs of wear become visible sooner.

Turning T-shirts, blouses and jumpers inside out shifts that stress to the inner side. The smooth outer surface has less contact with sharp edges, buttons and zips on other items. Surfaces therefore stay more even, small bobbles develop more slowly and the fabric looks ‘fresh’ for longer.

“The few seconds it takes to turn a shirt inside out saves money in the long run, because fewer items need replacing.”

The difference is especially noticeable with delicate textiles:

• prints and designs on T-shirts
• embroidery and sequins
• delicate blouse fabrics, viscose and silk blends
• knitwear that tends to fluff or pill

These details often make an item a favourite, but they are precisely the features affected by direct contact with the drum. Consistently turning them inwards reduces abrasion, tears and faded designs.

Fasten buttons: retain shape instead of stretching it

The second habit may seem minor, but it has a major effect: fasten buttons. Unbuttoned shirts, blouses and cardigans are more likely to tangle, catch on other garments and come under tension. This can distort collars, button plackets and hems, eventually leaving everything misshapen.

Buttoning up gives the garment more stability. Its shape stays more compact and it is less likely to spin wildly around the drum. This reduces:

• overstretched buttonholes
• stretched chest areas
• split seams around the placket
• torn-off buttons

The same principle applies to bedding with button fastenings. Closing duvet covers stops smaller items, such as socks or underwear, collecting inside and forming a heavy ‘bundle’ that is not washed properly.

Close zips: avoid metal traps during the spin cycle

Zips matter just as much as buttons. An open zip acts like a small pair of pincers in the washing machine. Its hard teeth can catch delicate fabrics, pull threads and leave noticeable scratches.

Pulling every zip fully closed removes much of this risk. Jackets, trousers and skirts move more smoothly through the water without ‘biting’ other items. Coarse metal zips on jeans or outdoor jackets are particularly risky, as they can act like files against delicate blouses or T-shirts.

“Open zips are one of the overlooked reasons for mysterious holes in a favourite T-shirt.”

One further tip is to close the zips on hoodies or jackets, then turn the garment inside out as well. This protects both the fabric and the zip itself, since the zip hits the drum less often.

Empty pockets: small items, major damage

The third habit sounds obvious, but it can save both laundry and the machine: empty every pocket completely. Tissues, chewing gum, parking tickets, coins and screws are all easily forgotten in daily life, yet they can have a major impact inside the drum.

Paper tissues break down into thousands of tiny scraps that cling to every fibre. The result is a grey film across the whole load, along with extra work to remove the residue. Adhesives from chewing gum or stickers can bond with heat and cause stains that are extremely difficult to remove.

Hard items such as keys, coins or screws are even more troublesome. Not only can they strike the sensitive walls of the drum, they can also:

• bend zips
• damage the glass door on front-loading machines
• block the filter and pump
• lead to costly repairs

Making a habit of quickly checking every pair of trousers and every jacket greatly lowers this risk. Many households keep a dedicated spot beside the washing machine; a small dish for items found in pockets is enough.

Jeans and dark colours: protect colour and preserve their finish

Jeans are considered hard-wearing, but they can quickly lose their appearance when washed incorrectly. Common issues include pale abrasion marks on the thighs, knees and seat, as well as an overall duller shade after several washes.

Here too, turning them inside out makes a difference. The inside of the denim takes most of the friction, leaving the outer surface calmer. This means fewer pale streaks and rings appear. The effect is particularly apparent on black and dark blue jeans.

It also reduces the likelihood of dye transferring onto other garments. Colour pigments released during washing are more likely to enter the water around the inner side, rather than coming into direct contact with light-coloured laundry. New jeans should initially be washed separately or only with similarly dark items.

“Jeans washed inside out from the start often still look wearable after years, rather than looking old after months.”

The same habit applies to vividly coloured shirts, sportswear and dark towels: turn them inside out, choose a suitable detergent for coloured laundry and use the lowest practical temperatures.

The hand rule in the drum: fewer creases, better cleaning

Load size is a key factor in the condition of laundry. Many machines are filled to the brim for convenience. Fabrics then have barely any room to move, water circulates less effectively, and everything emerges heavily creased and sometimes only partly clean.

The so-called hand rule offers a simple guide: once the drum is loaded, a flat hand should still fit easily between the laundry and the drum wall. If there is hardly any room, the load is too large.

Allowing enough space in the drum has several benefits:

• detergent is distributed more evenly
• dirt is released from fibres more effectively
• spinning is more even, without harsh creases
• seams and fibres are placed under less tension

Anyone who irons regularly will notice the difference immediately: a moderately filled drum produces far fewer deep creases, particularly in shirts, blouses and bedding. Many items can even be worn without ironing after drying if they are shaken out well and hung up smoothly.

Five routines, one major everyday benefit

Together, these five steps - turning garments inside out, fastening buttons, closing zips, emptying pockets and following the hand rule - create a kind of safety check before starting the washing machine. Once they become routine, they automatically protect your wardrobe with every wash.

A practical way to manage them is to spread the individual actions across the laundry-sorting process: check pockets while collecting clothes, turn items inside out when sorting by colour, fasten buttons and zips straight away, and keep an eye on the load size when filling the machine. That way, they do not add extra pressure to everyday routines.

When laundry bags are worthwhile

Alongside these five habits, laundry bags help protect particularly delicate items. Underwear, lace bras, tights and thin tops are ideally washed in a bag. It softens friction and prevents straps or underwires from tangling or catching on the edges of the drum.

Garments with lots of metal detailing or decorative stones also benefit from a bag. This simultaneously protects the other items in the machine, which might otherwise rub against these hard areas.

Why gentler laundry care saves real money

Treating laundry carefully does not merely extend the life of clothing. The machine itself runs more smoothly, filters become clogged less quickly and repairs are less likely to be needed. Fewer ruined favourite items also means fewer replacement purchases.

At a time of rising prices and growing awareness of sustainability, it is worth paying attention to washing routines at home. Small actions before pressing ‘Start’ determine whether T-shirts, shirts and jeans look tired after just a few months, or serve reliably for many years.