How to Separate Laundry the Right Way

Separating laundry seems simple, but there's genuine confusion about what actually needs to be separated and when you can bend the rules. Here's a straightforward guide.

The Basic Categories

At minimum, separate your laundry into these groups:

1. Darks

Black, navy, dark brown, dark gray, dark purple, dark green. Anything that could potentially bleed dye onto lighter items.

2. Lights

White, cream, beige, light gray, pastels. Anything that could be discolored by darker items.

3. Colors (midtones)

Red, orange, bright blue, green, yellow. Vibrant colors that might bleed but aren't light enough to be stained by darks.

Do You Really Need to Separate?

The honest answer: It depends on what you're washing.

Always separate:

• Brand new dark or brightly colored items (they bleed the most on first washes)
• True whites that you want to keep bright
• Heavily soiled items from lightly soiled items
• Items with specific care requirements (delicates, dry-clean-safe, etc.)

You can often combine:

• Older, well-washed darks and midtones together
• Colorfast items (clothes that have been washed many times without bleeding)
• Light colors and whites (if you're not using bleach)

The cold water factor: Washing in cold water significantly reduces color bleeding. If you wash everything in cold, you have more flexibility with combining loads.

Beyond Color: Other Ways to Sort

By fabric weight:

Heavy items like jeans and towels can damage delicate fabrics in the wash. They also take longer to dry. Consider separating:

• Heavyweight (jeans, sweatshirts, towels)
• Lightweight (t-shirts, underwear, dress shirts)
• Delicates (lingerie, silk, anything with lace or embellishments)

By soil level:

Heavily soiled items (muddy kids' clothes, grease-stained work uniforms) need more aggressive washing. Putting them with lightly soiled items means everything gets beaten up more than necessary.

By care requirements:

Check labels. Items marked "gentle cycle" or "wash separately" should be respected.

The Practical Approach

If you're doing laundry at a laundromat, here's a realistic sorting system that balances results with efficiency:

• Pile 1: Darks (cold water, normal cycle) — All your jeans, black shirts, dark colors.
• Pile 2: Lights and whites (warm water, normal cycle) — White and light-colored everyday clothes.
• Pile 3: Towels and sheets (hot water, heavy cycle) — These can handle and benefit from hot water.
• Pile 4 (if needed): Delicates (cold water, gentle cycle) — Anything fragile or labeled for special care.

At The Wash House, you can run all these loads simultaneously using different machines, then dry them on appropriate heat settings.

Special Cases

Red items: New red fabrics are notorious for bleeding. Wash new red items alone for the first 2-3 washes, or with other reds and dark colors only.

New jeans: Dark denim bleeds significantly. Wash new jeans inside-out, alone or with similar darks, in cold water.

Lint producers vs. lint attractors: Towels and fleece produce lint. Dark dress clothes and synthetic fabrics attract lint. Washing them together means your black work pants come out covered in fuzz.

Zippers and hooks: These can snag delicate items. Either separate them, or close all zippers and hooks before washing.

The Pre-Laundromat Prep

Sorting at home before you leave makes your laundromat visit smoother:

1. Sort into separate bags or baskets
2. Turn appropriate items inside-out (jeans, printed shirts)
3. Check all pockets
4. Close zippers and hooks
5. Pre-treat any visible stains

When you arrive, you can load machines immediately without spending time sorting in the laundromat.

Frequently Asked Questions