How to Properly Care for Clothes Using a Washing Machine

Washing clothes is one of those mundane household chores that everyone, to some extent, has dealt with since our ancestors started wearing animal hides 300,000 years ago.

Well, if you’re a trust-fund kid, feel free to exit stage right and maybe support the author via this “sponsor” link while you’re at it.

But does anyone actually know how to wash clothes in a washing machine while also caring for their surface to prevent accelerated aging?

I’ll admit, I never gave it much thought myself—it’s just tossing them into the machine, right?

That is, until I bought a GoreTex jacket at an outdoor gear shop, and the store owner’s advice hit me like a revelation: Oh, that makes sense!

This isn’t about how to operate a washing machine, choosing the right detergent, what water temperature to use (see Note 1), or whether it’s okay to let dirty clothes pile up for a month before washing (spoiler: it’s not).

Today, we’re focusing on one simple thing: Do you neatly take off your clothes, keeping them as pristine as when you put them on, or do you carelessly yank them off, leaving them inside out?

If you’re a well-mannered person who was taught to remove clothes neatly—a reflection of a disciplined approach to life—that’s fantastic.

But, perhaps, the less “polite” way of taking off clothes might actually be more practical, even if it’s not as refined.

I can hear you asking, “What on earth are you talking about? I thought this was about washing clothes, not undressing!”**Here’s the deal: Every piece of clothing has two sides—the front, which is what others see, and the back, which sits against your body.

Have you ever considered whether the clothes you toss into the washing machine should have the front or the back facing out?

As it turns out, for washing, it’s better to have the inside (back) facing out.

When clothes are tumbling around in the washing machine, they rub against each other and the drum. This friction can make the surface of your clothes feel rough after washing, or worse, cause issues like peeling paint or shedding fibers.

Of course, the ideal solution is to put each piece of clothing in its own laundry bag, but let’s be real—most people don’t have the time or patience to do that for every single item. So, adopting a less “polite” way of taking off your clothes, and then politely fastening any buttons or zippers, naturally puts your clothes in the best state for washing.

Note**

Every piece of clothing or pair of pants has a care label inside, listing permitted or prohibited washing instructions. Just follow those guidelines, and you’re good to go.