Poor sorting

Always wash whites, colors and darks (black, jeans) separately. Separating laundry prevents greying and fading of colors. Place stockings and lingerie in a protective net.

Incorrect program

Follow thewashing instructions on the symbols. Otherwise: white cotton up to 60 degrees, colored up to 40 degrees. Linen, hemp and viscose only on a gentle wash cycle at 30-40 degrees. Silk, angora and mohair only tolerate lukewarm hand washing.

Wash correctly, but too often

Jeans and wool age with every wash. Denim fades, wool pills. Wool can be de-greased by airing in fresh air. Put jeans in the freezer overnight to kill germs.

Wrong detergent

Wash correctly with washing powder: it usually washes cleaner than liquid detergent and is more environmentally friendly. Heavy-duty detergent is suitable for whites and color detergent without brighteners for colored items. Wool and silk need enzyme-free mild detergents.

Put everything in the dryer

Only cotton can withstand the ordeal quite well. All other textiles suffer in the rotating heat. If possible, it is better to hang them outside on a clothes horse and dry knitwear flat.

Spin dry vigorously

Viscose, linen and hemp crease heavily, so spin at a maximum of 800 revolutions. Never wring out silk, wool and long-pile fabrics, only squeeze them gently.

Stink in the laundry basket

Allow sweaty items, such as sportswear, to dry first, otherwise they will rot in the laundry basket - and the musty smell is almost impossible to get out of synthetic fibers.

Save on dry cleaning

Today, manufacturers often recommend dry cleaning even for cotton - you can ignore this. But: jackets, coats, costumes and fabric pants lose their shape through washing and belong in the hands of professionals.