Laundry
How to sort laundry
Quick answer
Sort by colour first: whites, lights and darks, with new brights kept apart because they can bleed. Then pull out heavy items like towels and jeans, and delicates, which go in a mesh bag or get hand-washed. Finally, check the care label: it tells you the maximum temperature, whether bleach is allowed and whether it can go in the dryer.
Sort laundry in three passes: by colour first (whites, lights, darks, and new brights on their own), then by fabric and weight (towels and jeans one side, delicates the other), and finally check the label on anything you’re unsure about. It takes five minutes and saves you from the three classic disasters: the pink work shirt, the jumper that now fits a toddler and the black top covered in towel fluff.
Pass 1: sort by colour
| Pile | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Whites | Properly white: shirts, underwear, socks, white bedding |
| Lights | Cream, light grey, pastels, pale prints |
| Darks | Black, navy, dark denim, brown, charcoal |
| Brights | Red, orange, hot pink, purple, especially anything new |
New brights deserve a few washes alone or with very similar colours. They’re the usual culprits for dye running.
The colourfast test: dampen a hidden bit of the garment, like an inside seam or hem, and press a damp white cloth or cotton pad against it. If colour transfers, it bleeds and gets washed separately.
Pass 2: sort by fabric, weight and grime
Within each colour pile, sort again:
- Heavy: towels, jeans, hoodies, thick bedding. They can handle more agitation and they shed lint.
- Everyday: T-shirts, trousers, pyjamas.
- Delicates: lingerie, lace, silk, fine knits, anything with beading or embroidery. Mesh bag and the delicate cycle, or hand wash.
- Really dirty: muddy sports kit, gardening or DIY clothes. Wash separately or after a pre-soak so the rest doesn’t come out grubby.
- Lint givers vs lint magnets: towels and fleece give; dark knits, velvet, corduroy and gym wear collect. Keep them apart.
Sportswear deserves a mention of its own. Technical fabrics usually want a cool wash, no fabric softener (it can clog the fibres and trap smells) and no tumble dryer heat, so check the label and give them their own small load if you’ve got enough.
If a pile is too small for a full load, combine it with its closest match: lights with well-washed whites, tested colours with darks.
Pass 3: read the care label
The label sewn inside your clothes uses symbols that work almost everywhere. The main ones:
| Symbol | What it means |
|---|---|
| Washtub | Machine washable. In the UK and Europe a number gives the max temperature in °C; US labels often use dots instead (more dots, hotter) |
| Tub with a hand | Hand wash only |
| Tub with an X | Do not wash |
| Empty triangle | Any bleach is fine |
| Triangle with two diagonal lines | Non-chlorine bleach only |
| Triangle with an X | No bleach |
| Square with a circle inside | Tumble dry; dots show the heat level |
| Square with lines | Line dry, drip dry or dry flat |
| Iron with dots | Can be ironed; more dots, more heat |
| Circle | Professional cleaning (dry clean) |
Bars under the tub mean a gentler cycle: one bar for synthetics or permanent press, two for delicates or wool. Anything crossed out with an X is a no.
What about water temperature? The label gives the maximum, not the requirement. Cold or 30°C handles most everyday clothes, fades them less and uses less energy. Save hotter washes for items whose label allows it and that need it more, like towels, bedding and tea towels. When two items in the same load disagree, go with the lower temperature.
Before it goes in the machine
Sorted? One more minute of prep saves a lot of grief:
- Empty the pockets. Receipts, coins, keys, tissues, earbuds. Especially tissues.
- Zip zips and fasten hooks so they don’t snag everything else.
- Unbutton shirts so the buttonholes don’t get stretched.
- Turn inside out jeans, darks, prints and gym wear. Less fading, less pilling.
- Take out belts and anything detachable.
- Pre-treat stains while you still can. How to remove common stains covers what to do for each one.
- Pair the socks, or put them in a mesh bag. The machine doesn’t really eat socks, but chaos does.
Making sorting automatic
Sorting gets easy when it happens before laundry day:
- Two or three hampers, or a divided one: whites and lights, darks, towels and bedding. Everyone drops clothes in the right section and wash day starts pre-sorted.
- A mesh bag for delicates hanging next to the hamper.
- A sock bag for each person, so pairing takes seconds.
- Cleaning cloths go in a separate bucket, never in the clothes hamper.
With everything pre-sorted, a regular wash rhythm is much easier to keep. The laundry routine guide helps you set yours. And bedding has its own rules, covered in how to wash bedding.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash whites and colours together on cold?
Cold water lowers the risk but doesn't remove it. New or strongly dyed items can still bleed, and whites slowly turn grey. If you must mix, only do it with colours that have been washed plenty of times and never run.
Do baby clothes need washing separately?
Lots of parents keep them separate for the first few months and use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent. Follow the care labels, and if you're worried about your baby's skin, ask your doctor or health visitor.
Can cleaning cloths go in with my clothes?
Keep them separate. Tea towels can go in with kitchen towels; floor cloths and mop heads always get a wash of their own.
What about dry-clean-only clothes?
If the label shows the professional-cleaning circle and a crossed-out tub, don't gamble on the machine. Take it to a dry cleaner, or if it was cheap, accept the risk that it may shrink or lose its shape.