Soft, fresh-smelling and spotlessly clean linen is one of most comforting commodities in the world, but washing linen the right way is a real challenge for many. Inf act, there are five common mistakes that can ruin linen.
Wash, cook, clean – it’s a never-ending cycle. But the good news is that the internet now offers a wealth of easy tips and tricks for modern households. And, what’s more, it even lists the mistakes you should avoid.
We have put together five common mistakes that are made the most often when washing bed linen. The good news is that they’re easy to correct.
1. Only washing bed linen when it is visibly dirty
As a general rule, you should change bed linen every two or at most three weeks. If the linen stays on for longer than that, it will really show signs of being ready to be washed, as stains, yellowish discoloration and so on will start showing up.
2. Too much detergent
You can have too much of a good thing, just like you can add too much detergent. Be careful how you load your washing machine, because adding more detergent than optimal won’t be more efficient. Not to mention the fact that too much detergent is not necessarily good for the fabric of the bed linen either, as it can leave detergent stains that will damage the fabric.
3. Wash your bed linen together with towels and clothes
Do you want to get through the washing quickly, saving time by washing everything together? This is totally understandable. Yet, it’s a good idea to wash bed linen separately from the other dirty clothes and towels, as they have different washing needs.
For example, when rinsing, bed linen needs more space and time, not to mention that when washed together, the different materials rub against each other, which can lead to deterioration.
4. Linen stays in the tumble dryer for a long time
During the winter months, it is very common to throw the linen in the tumble dryer. Unfortunately, this does more harm than good to the fabric of bed linen.
You may even find that if you accidentally leave the linen in the tumble dryer, it shrinks a little. It’s best to air dry naturally, with the individual pieces well stretched out on a drying line.
5. Choosing the wrong washing program
The newer types of washing machines have a separate program specifically designed for washing linen. Many people forget to select this, or because they wash the linen with clothes or towels, they set a different program. This is a big mistake because, as mentioned above, each fabric has different needs.
Source: Express.co.uk