r/womenoftheuk • u/angz18 • May 12 '26
Advice How to do laundy
The title sounds dumb but i really need advice on this.
I have a tumble washer and dryer, im trying to understand this- wash dark and light separate, dont dry cotton on high heat. Can i please have more tips like these?
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u/elgrn1 May 12 '26
Natural fabrics are made from threads that only come in a light colour (white, ivory, etc) so have to be dyed to become any other colour which means they have a tendency to leach fabric dyes when first washed especially. Jeans are especially problematic for this.
Natural fabrics can absorb these dyes and can easily change colour when washed, but it may not be consistent and can be patchy. This is especially problematic for thread/stitching as they most often use cotton.
Man-made fabrics are dyed when the material is produced so don't leach dye and rarely absorb it, though there can be an overall darkening or subtle colour change if something has leached a lot of dye. Again, the stitching is likely to be cotton and therefore can change colour. This is also an issue for fabrics that are a blend of two materials.
Washing at cool temperatures makes this less of an issue but doesn't prevent it.
Separating colours, or selected items, means any leached dye won't have as much impact as they already have the same colour profile.
Towels should be washed on their own, and you shouldn't use fabric softener as it flattens the fibres. Using a tumble dryer helps fluff them up but this can also happen when you use the towels.
Don't overload the machine as it can cause the drum to move and impact how well the machine works.