If you’ve ever pulled your laundry out of the washing machine and noticed your whites were pink or your new shirt was two sizes too small, you know the feeling of frustration. Fortunately, proper laundry care doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few key steps, you can protect your clothing and ensure your pieces never endure damage again. Below are five tips to keep in mind.

5 Laundry Care Tips to Protect Your Clothing

1. Keep New Items Separate

New clothes, especially dark or bright colors, are more likely to bleed during their first wash. Create a separate load so your other pieces are protected, and turn new items inside out to prevent fading. This is especially important for jeans that will turn white near the seams.

2. Read Labels

Reading the laundry care label is a critical step, especially if it’s the first time you’re washing an article of clothing. These labels provide vital instructions based on the material, such as the right water temperature to use and the correct cycle to protect fabric. Laundry care labels also tell you if clothing can be placed in a dryer or if it must be hung to dry.

3. Sort By Color & Fabric

Pastels, light grays, and pale prints can be washed together, while darks like black, brown, navy, and red should be placed in a separate load. If you have enough whites for their own washing, this will keep them vibrant and stain-free, especially if you use a detergent that contains bleach. If you don’t have enough for a full load, your whites can be washed with the pastels. Also, sort by type and weight of fabric so that towels and sheets are not mixed with delicates like lingerie.

4. Wash Soiled Pieces Separately

Heavily soiled clothing, such as your child’s baseball uniform or your gym gear, should never be mixed with regular laundry. Even clothing with heavy cooking stains should be pre-treated and washed in a separate load on the highest agitation cycle. This prevents excess grease and grime from getting on your other pieces.

5. Organize Baskets

So that laundry day is not overwhelming, purchase separate hampers and baskets for each type of clothing. There are also laundry organizers with dividers that make it easier to keep lights and darks away from each other, and keep towels and other dirtier items isolated from your other clothes.

Finding a clean, reliable facility to wash your clothes is another crucial aspect of laundry care. That’s why residents throughout Atlanta, GA, head to Wash & Spin Coin Laundry. This locally owned, full-service laundromat provides ample machines so you can easily separate your items of clothing, and free WiFi so you can stay busy while you wait on your loads to finish. It’s also staffed by a professional team so you can rest assured your items stay secure. For more on their offerings, including convenient wash and fold services, call (404) 756-1666. For a look at their laundry facility, visit the gallery online.