Sort a mixed pile of laundry
Sort laundry before washing by reading care labels, separating colours and grouping similar fabrics. Check pockets and the machine’s load limit.
- Estimated time
- 15 min
- Skill level
- Beginner
Before you start
Clear a place to make piles before you start. Sort the load you have in front of you and set aside anything with a missing or unclear label until you can check its care requirements. Compare wash and drying instructions if you plan to dry the whole load together.
Tools and materials
- Laundry baskets or clear floor space
Step-by-step instructions
Read the care labels first
Set aside items marked hand wash or dry clean. Check the others for maximum wash temperature and gentle-cycle instructions. Keep a separate pile for items that need a special cycle, even if they are the same colour.
Separate colours
Make piles for lights and darks. Wash new strongly coloured items separately when the label calls for it.
Group fabrics with similar needs
Wash heavy towels separately from delicate tops, and keep lint-shedding fabrics away from items that attract lint. Match the machine programme and spin setting to the care labels in each pile.
Check pockets and fastenings
Empty pockets and close zips before loading. Follow the machine instructions for load size.
Check the result
Look at each pile and choose the wash programme that suits every item in it. If one top needs gentler handling than the rest, move it to a separate pile. Keep a small basket for items that need a different wash so they stay out of the next mixed load.
Troubleshooting
If two items need different cycles, put them in separate loads.