6 Reasons Why You Should Wash Clothes Inside Out | Whirlpool (2024)

FAQs

Why do you need to wash clothes inside out? ›

Turning your laundry inside out before washing makes sure that any friction between garments that can cause damage, staining, on the outside of your garments. If there is any bleeding or damage, it's the inside of your clothing, which no one will ever see, that takes the beating rather than the outside.

Regular washing of clothes and bedding, helps to remove any bacteria, dirt, fleas, mites and other irritants or infection. Washing of clothes and bedding can help reduce the incidence of infectious diseases, such as diarrhoeal disease, respiratory infections, scabies and other skin infections.

Laundering of textiles—clothing, linens, and cleaning cloths—functionally removes dirt and bodily fluids, which prevents the transmission of and reexposure to pathogens as well as providing odor control. Thus, proper laundering is key to controlling microbes that cause illness and produce odors.

Wash jeans inside out and by themselves

Turn your jeans inside out when washing them to help protect the fibers on the outside of the jeans from friction and direct exposure from detergent, which helps prevent fading. However, it's not rare for jeans to bleed dye, especially if they're new.

Mildew and Mold Formation

Mold and mildew formation poses a risk to your family, especially if someone is pregnant or asthmatic. Mold also leaves an unsavory odor around your house. To keep mold and mildew at bay, it's best to do your laundry frequently. Also, avoid leaving dirty laundry on the floor.

Turn leggings and other activewear inside-out to wash

This not only protects the outside of the garment from the usual wear and tear of a washing machine, but it gets the dirtiest part (the inner section touching your sweaty skin) cleaner, too.

Dress pants or slacks: after 2-3 wearings. Jeans: after 4-5 wearings. Sweaters: up to 6 wearings, if worn with an undershirt; 1-2 wearings if worn without an undershirt. Suits/blazers/casual jackets: after 5-6 wearings.

Wash and dry heavier items, like towels, separately from lighter weight clothes to prevent damage to finer fabrics and to ensure even drying. Wash delicates and durable fabrics separately on the appropriate washing cycles to avoid damage to fine fabrics. Separate items with zippers and buttons from knits and lingerie.

Not washing your clothes often enough can cause germs and microbes to accumulate. When you wear your clothes in public, you are exposed to other people's germs. These germs can stick to your clothing. The more people you run into, the more germs you will accumulate over time.

The more your laundry piles up, the more it becomes a breeding ground for pathogens. These pathogens can survive for weeks in a pile, and this is a health risk to your family. Besides, laundry can transmit feces, blood, skin, and saliva-borne pathogens.

What kills bacteria in laundry? ›

The Best Way to Clean Clothes

To kill the germs in your laundry, wash your clothes on the hot cycle, then put everything in the dryer for 45 minutes. Wash whites with bleach, and use peroxide or color-safe bleach for colors. Do your laundry in water that's at least 140 F to kill any viruses or bacteria.

"Around a third of dirt on our clothes is from mud, stains, food – the marks you can see. "But with the average male producing up to 55 grams of body soil per day – this is made up of sebum (grease), sweat, skin flakes and bodily fluids such as saliva and urine - need I say more.

Yes, you should wash socks inside out in addition to pretreating the fabric as it can reduce odor retention. The interior of your socks can come into direct contact with dirt and sweat. Turning them inside out before washing allows the detergent to attack odors head on, which may provide you with a more thorough clean.

One of the biggest reasons to actually wash clothes inside out is that it helps protect any prints, embroidery, or embellishments. By turning your clothes inside out, you're making sure that these finer details don't rub against the inside of the washing machine or other garments.

What happens if you don't wash your jeans? Personal preference aside, microbiologists say that not washing your denim doesn't pose any health risks.

As it's likely you'll be washing garments on a regular basis, be sure to turn clothing inside out to prevent them losing colour and ultimately, prolonging their lifecycle. Then, when you have finished the wash process, hang garments out in the fresh air to dry as a way of fighting any harmful bacteria.

Before you throw your hoodie into the washer, turn it inside out to protect the outside layer. This helps prevent the color from bleeding and keeps the outer layer from rubbing against other garments in the wash. Also, zip it up to help protect it against snagging on other items you have in the machine.

And if the label says, “Wash in cool water,” don't wash it in cold water – there is a difference. Washing: Always turn sweaters inside out to reduce pilling. Wash in extra-large mesh bags. If hand washing, remove excess moisture by rolling the sweater in a towel.

In ancient times, people wore clothes with the wrong side out to hide their identity from evil spirits and hostile gazes. Some believed that wearing clothes inside out could cause bad consequences, such as bad luck, illness, and disagreements with loved ones.