Mixing light and dark color clothes in the washer just one time is generally okay, as long as you follow a few precautions to prevent color bleeding and fabric damage. However, it's essential to remember that washing lights and darks together regularly can lead to color transfer and potentially ruin your clothes. Here are some tips for washing mixed loads safely:
Sort by color: Whenever possible, it's best to sort your laundry by color before washing. Washing light-colored clothes separately from dark-colored clothes reduces the risk of color bleeding and helps maintain the quality of your garments.
Check for colorfastness: Before mixing light and dark clothes, ensure that the dark-colored items are colorfast. You can do a simple colorfastness test on a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric to check if the color bleeds or fades when exposed to water.
Use cold water: Washing mixed loads in cold water can help minimize color bleeding. Cold water is less likely to cause colors to bleed compared to hot water.
Use a color-catching product: Consider using color-catching laundry sheets or detergents designed to trap and absorb colors released during washing. These products can help prevent color transfer between garments.
Turn clothes inside out: Turning your clothes inside out before washing can help protect the outer surface and reduce color fading or bleeding.
Use a gentle cycle: Opt for a gentle or delicate cycle when washing mixed loads to minimize wear and tear on the fabrics.
Don't overload the washer: Avoid overstuffing the washing machine, as this can prevent proper agitation and rinsing, leading to inadequate cleaning and increased color bleeding.
Remove items promptly: As soon as the washing cycle is finished, promptly remove the clothes from the washer. Leaving clothes sitting in the machine for an extended period can increase the chances of color transfer.
While washing light and dark color clothes together occasionally might not cause significant damage, it's best to make it an exception rather than a regular practice. For the long-term care of your clothes, it's wise to continue sorting your laundry by color to preserve their appearance and durability.