Washing machines have made our lives a lot easier, but they can be very harsh on our clothes.
You don’t want your fabrics wearing out too quickly, so you may be wondering whether or not you should wash your clothes inside out.
There are some great reasons to wash your clothes inside out. It will help to prevent colour fading, protect any decorative elements and stop lint balls from forming.
There are some other important reasons too. Here, we’ll give you all the info you need to see if you should be turning your clothes inside out when washing.
Should You Wash Your Clothes Inside Out?
You don’t have to, but there are many great reasons to do so. The washing process inside a washing machine relies heavily on friction, as the machine spins the clothes around, they rub against each other and bash against the walls of the machine.
This friction facilitates the cleaning of the clothes, but it can also accelerate their wear. This is especially true of clothes with prints and other decorative elements, and those that are prone to fading.
Turning clothes inside out before washing hides the outer surface of the clothes inside, reducing friction on the surface. This reduces the wear of the outside surface, thereby prolonging the features of the clothes, and improving their look and feel.
Benefits of Turning Clothes Inside Out Before Washing
The benefits of turning clothes inside out before washing include the following.
1. Reduces colour fading
The beating that clothes receive in the washer can cause colours on fabric to fade over time. This is especially true with clothes that are prone to fading, such as bolder colours.
Turning them inside out reduces this effect and allows the colours to stay vibrant for longer, even if you wash the clothes frequently.
2. Protect prints
If your clothes have prints, turning them inside out will protect the designs for longer. The friction of the washing process can make prints wear out very quickly.
3. Protects decorative elements
If your clothes are decorated with ribbons, buttons, beads, or rhinestones, having them inside out is the only way to keep them from damage inside the washing machine.
The thrashing the clothes receive in the washing machine can easily loosen ribbons and make buttons, beads, and rhinestones fall off.
4. Removes dirt on the dirtier inner surface of clothes
Many people do not realise it, but most often than not, the inner surface of clothes is usually the dirtier of the two surfaces.
The dirt that necessitates washing the clothes is usually more on the inner surface of the clothes and not on the outside surface.
This comes from sweat and grime from our bodies as we wear the clothes and go about our normal day.
Thus, turning your clothes inside out before washing ensures that the wash process and detergent directly attack the dirtier inner surface of the clothes. This makes your clothes feel fresh.
However, if you notice stains on the outer surface of your clothes, you may want to soak the clothes for a while before turning them inside out and running a wash cycle.
Pre-soaking the clothes softens the stains and allows them to be removed more easily by the washing machine.
5. Prevents lint from forming on the outside of your clothes
A common occurrence after doing laundry is the presence of lint on clothes. This is annoying because it gives clothes a worn-out look.
Lint is simply small fibres that get loose or break from clothes. These fibres can either clump together and create lint balls or break free from the fabric and attach themselves to other clothes.
When the clothes are turned inside out, the lint settle on the inside of the clothes, which is facing out. The lower friction on the outer layer also means there is less chance of lint balls.
Final Thoughts
Turning clothes inside out before washing is not vitally important but there are many great reasons to do it.
It’s best to get into the habit of turning them inside out every time if you want to preserve the look and feel of your clothes for as long as possible.
It’s a good idea to leave them inside out when you put them in the tumble dryer as well.
I’m a mother of three who loves going on fun adventures with my family. With three little ones, I’ve learned the hard way how to keep a busy home clean! I want to share my tips and tricks to make your life as easy as possible.
