The first thing you need to know in the Rookie’s Guide to Laundry: Ignore the clickbait!
The internet is full of laundry hacks but -- like a lot of stuff online -- they could harm your clothes, washing machine or dryer.
Consumer Reports’ laundry expert Rich Handel has been helping us help you with your laundry for years. He’s joined us live on The Morning Show before to share things he’d NEVER do with his own laundry and why. It’s not just his job to figure out what works and what doesn’t, and he uses what he knows in his own home.
“I am the person that does the laundry at home. My general advice -- always check your washer’s manual and look at the care labels on your clothes,” he said.
After that, he says:
- NEVER use anything other than a dedicated laundry detergent in your washing machine. That goes for vinegar, liquid soap and dish detergent. Instead, follow these simple tips to keep your clothes and your washer in shape!
- ALWAYS add the correct amount of detergent. That’s about 1.5 ounces or three tablespoons. Too much can leave a residue on your clothes and in your machine which can actually reduce its cleaning capabilities.
- ALWAYS separate your lights from darks! You always wash your whites together, but if you have a white item that’s stained, do that separately, pre-clean it.
- ALWAYS keep heavy fabrics separate from lightweight fabrics. You don’t want your jeans beating up your delicates.
- ALWAYS pre-treat stains. Whenever you’re dealing with a stain, pre-treat it, put it in the wash. Check it when it comes out of the wash. Make sure you remove all of the stain because if you put it in the dryer, it will set that stain, making it very difficult to remove.
Handel says you can also use your laundry detergent as a stain pre-treatment. In Consumer Reports’ tests, the top liquid detergents were Tide Ultra Plus Stain Release and Persil Pro Clean Stain Fighter. Both earned excellent scores for pre-treating stains.
CONSUMER REPORTS: Dry your laundry right!
You can also save money by skipping the fabric softener. Handel says it can leave a layer of residue on your clothes, irritate sensitive skin and reduce the absorption of your towels.
Think twice about using bleach, as well. Handel says it’s a harsh chemical that can break down your fabrics over time. For whites, consider an oxidizing detergent instead. If you hate when whites turn that sad, gray color, watch below to how you can keep your whites – white!
@consumerreports #answer to @Some user Great question! Here’s expert help 🥰. See other laundry tips through the link in our bio. #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #laundrytok #laundrytips ♬ original sound - Consumer Reports