Japanese laundry researcher and laundry specialist Rie Hirashima shares on the website of the cleaning brand Rinenna that "I clearly put the clothes in a laundry bag—why are they still wrinkled after washing?" and "After putting clothes in a laundry bag, I always feel the sweat stains and dirt just cannot be washed off." These everyday laundry troubles are actually very common. Although laundry bags are a commonly used tool for protecting clothes, only correct use can bring out their true function. She especially reveals the 3 major ways to use laundry bags:
Stuffing multiple clothes into the same laundry bag is absolutely forbidden. If multiple clothes are put in, the clothes will rub against each other inside the bag, not only failing to wash clean, but also losing the meaning of protecting clothes. It is recommended to stick to the principle of "one item per bag." In addition, before putting them into the laundry bag, buttons should be fastened, zippers pulled up, and clothes smoothed out.
Many people think the bigger the laundry bag, the better, but putting clothes in an oversized laundry bag causes the clothes to shake excessively during washing, making severe wrinkles more likely. Laundry bag material selection guide is as follows:
Fine mesh laundry bag: Suitable for underwear and relatively gentle, delicate clothes.
Coarse mesh laundry bag: Suitable for shirts, trousers, and other clothes that need thorough washing and removal of stubborn dirt.
3D three-dimensional laundry bag: Suitable for bras and thick knitwear, allowing water flow to evenly penetrate all parts of the clothes.
Although a laundry bag can protect clothes, it also weakens the direct contact of water flow with the clothes surface, making dirt harder to remove. Before putting clothes into the laundry bag, turn the side that easily picks up sweat stains, oil, cosmetics, or heavier stains to the outside. This can better exert the decontamination effect while preventing damage to the front of the fabric. In addition, turning printed clothes inside out when washing is also a clever trick to protect printed patterns from cracking and peeling off.
Hirashima reminds that the following 3 daily laundry habits most easily damage clothes and must be noted:
Putting the laundry bag into the dryer together: Never put clothes together with the laundry bag directly into the dryer to dry. This makes it extremely difficult for clothes to dry thoroughly, causing unpleasant musty odors and even wrinkles. Before drying, clothes must be taken out of the bag, shaken out and arranged into shape, and then put into the dryer.
Laundry bag "sinking to the bottom" in a top-loading washing machine: When using a top-loading (impeller) washing machine, if the laundry bag sinks to the bottom of the drum when it starts, the rotating disc at the bottom may directly strike and wear the laundry bag at high speed, thereby damaging the clothes inside. Before starting the washing machine, make sure the laundry bag is placed facing upward.
Directly washing clothes with decorations or sequins: These clothes are often not suitable for direct household machine washing. Before washing, be sure to carefully check the care label. If the label indicates it can be washed with water, the decorated side must face inward before being put into the laundry bag for washing.
Source: Cleaning brand Rinenna
