Bounce’s Ultimate Laundry Guide: How to Wash Clothes

Read Care Labels and Sort Your Clothes

The first step in doing your laundry properly is to read care labels on your clothing and sort them accordingly. Generally, like fabrics will be washed and dried with one another with any bright colors or pristine whites being separated to avoid colors bleeding from one item to another. Wash similar weight items together like a load of jeans or a load of towels. Many washers and dryers have special setting that correspond to clothing types to auto adjust the settings.

Washing Your Laundry

Step 1: Add Detergent

Before adding your clothes, add your favorite Tide detergent or Tide PODS to the washer drum for a fantastic clean.

Step 2: Add Scent Booster

Next, you’ll want to add your favorite Downy Unstopables to the washer for lasting freshness.

Step 3: Add Clothes to Washer

Now it’s time to add your sorted load of laundry to the machine, being careful not to overload the machine so that your laundry products can fully mix with the water.

Step 4: Add Rinse Cycle Boost

For extra odor fighting power, add your favorite Downy Rinse + Refresh to the rinse drawer before starting the cycle. For extra softness and freshness, add liquid Downy Fabric Softener to the rinse drawer.

Step 5: Wash in Cold Water

With Tide and Downy in your corner, you can wash your clothes in cold water with the confidence that they’ll come out clean the first time while also saving money on energy costs.

Step 6: Add Clothes to Dryer

Once the wash cycle completes and you’re satisfied with the dirt and stain removal, you can move your clothes to the dryer. If any stains or dirt persists, repeat the wash cycle again before drying to prevent any stains from setting into the fabric where they will be more difficult to remove.

Step 7: Add Bounce Dryer Sheets

Before starting your drying cycle, be sure to add your favorite Bounce dryer sheets to the damp load of laundry. This will help you fight static, wrinkles, and can impart fragrant scents that keep your clothes smelling clean.

Step 8: Fold and Enjoy!

Once the drying cycle is complete, remove your clothes and fold or hang them to prevent wrinkling.

Choose the right product

Discover all the ways Bounce dryer sheets help fight static, pet hair, wrinkles and lint, so your clothes can look and feel their freshest.

Dryer Sheets

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Mega Sheets

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Most Important Laundry Rules

Sorting by color and fabric type is one of the most important things you can do for brighter, longer lasting clothing!

Sort clothes into whites and colors

Sorting clothing into color groups before tossing them into the washer is a key step in protecting the different types of fabrics and colors that make up your wardrobe. When clothes are washed, some dye inherently comes out of the fabric and can transfer to other items. That’s why it’s especially important to wash white items with other white or pastel colored items only! Also wash similar types of fabrics together—keep towels with towels, jeans and other heavy pants together, tops and t-shirts together etc. This helps prevent abrasion from rougher fabrics rubbing against more delicate fabrics and lint transfer from say a fluffy towel to your favorite leggings! Sorting by soil level is a good idea too. If you have some lightly worn blouses, you can wash them together on a quick, gentle cycle that helps to care for the items while providing the level of cleaning needed. Clothes you wore to work in the yard, on the other hand, can be washed together on a longer, warmer cycle to really get the dirt and sweat out!

Be extra careful with the delicate clothes

Special care should always be taken with delicate items. This could mean sheer fabrics like silk or softer undergarments, but it can also apply to precious items like antiques or vintage clothing. As a rule, delicate items need gentle wash cycles.

Do not overfill the machine

We get it. No one likes doing more laundry than they need to but cramming those last few pairs of pants into the wash just to have everything in one load isn’t worth it. With less room for water in the washer drum not to mention less room for the fabrics to agitate, your garments won’t come out nearly as clean. Plus, lumping all types and colors of fabrics together into a single load runs the risk of dye transfer, soil transfer, and abrasion.

Choose the right cycle with the best temperature

As a general rule, cleaning actives work slower in cooler water. Investing in a quality detergent that is designed to work in cold water like Tide and Tide Pods goes a long way to get your clothes clean while saving you money on your energy bill.

Dry Your Clothes Correctly

Of course, no laundry load has been completely washed until it’s dried and folded or hung in a closet. Developing your understanding of how to properly dry clothing is just as important as sorting and assigning wash cycles... Check out Bounce’s helpful articles for more information on how to select a drying cycle on a machine dryer.

How to Wash Clothes.