Laundry Mistakes That Wear Clothes Out Faster — and the Fixes That Take Seconds
Most clothes do not wear out because they are old. They wear out because of heat, friction, and overload in the wash — and the fixes are small. Wash cooler, dry lower, give the load room to move, and spend two minutes sorting before you start. The care label on each garment still wins over any general rule below: if it says something different, follow the label. 1. Washing everything hot Heat is the fastest way to shrink a garment. Whirlpool's guidance is blunt: washing in cold, gentle cycles with low-heat drying helps prevent shrinking, and long cycles of high heat can damage fabric and cause clothes to shrink. Save hot water for heavily soiled towels, bedding, and whites that the label allows — and wash the everyday load cold or warm. Modern detergents are made to work in cooler water, so cold is not a compromise for most loads; it is the safer default. 2. Drying everything on high heat The dryer does as much damage as the washer. High heat weakens fibers, breaks down elasti...