It’s been said that you can catch the COVID-19 virus from clothes. Apparently it can stay on garments, towels and bed linen for days, so perhaps it’s time to sharpen your laundry skills because you’re probably going to be spending more time doing laundry.

There is a science to washing clothes. But if you don’t pay attention to how you launder, you could end up with some dramatic mishaps.

Have you ever lost a sweater to excessive shrinkage? Has your immaculate white shirt started getting weird spots?

Here, we’ll outline some easy to miss laundry mistakes that you are making—plus a smart laundry tip for each one to help you keep your clothes clean, germ-free, and well kept in their original shape and colour.

1. Not sorting laundry by material

If you’re already sorting your laundry according to colour i.e. what’s dark and what’s light, well done… but colour is not enough as a sorting criterion alone. The materials of your clothes also matter when washing because different cloths have different weights and textures. If you’re finding that some of your clothes get damaged after washing, you’ve probably missed this material-based sorting.

Smart Tip: Always separate denim and delicate items to get the most thorough and safest wash for your laundry.

2. Using too much detergent

It appears to make sense that adding extra detergent to your laundry load would make your clothes extra clean. But we don’t recommend it because too much laundry detergent can irritate your skin. It causes extra suds to hold more dirt and bacteria. Try instead to measure the amount of detergent that’s necessary for your type of wash and size of laundry load.

Smart Tip: You can treat extra dirty items in a pre-wash. Soak them in clean water without detergent for some time, take them out, and then clean them as you normally would in the washer with a regular amount of detergent.

3. Ignoring the ‘Dry Clean Only’ Label

Modern washing machines have come a long way and are now suited to clean various types of garments, but they are still not an ideal approach for delicate clothing that come with specific care instructions. If you throw a garment in the washing machine that has a ‘dry clean only’ label, the machine can completely ruin the item. Suede, leather, silk, and embellished items should always be dry cleaned.

Smart Tip: You should hang your delicate clothes up to air frequently outside your wardrobe. But if you have an emergency where you have to wash them, don’t throw them into the washing machine. You can go online to find ways to treat stains or dirt them manually. If you’re unsure, take them to be treated at a professional cleaning service.

4. Bleaching too often

Bleach has often come in handy as a secret weapon to keep your whites bright and to quickly remove stains. However, an excess of anything can be harmful and excessive bleach can irritate your skin and/or make you sick.

Moreover, the fabric of certain clothing may not respond well to bleach, and it can change the color of some clothes. We recommend using only ½ a cup of bleach for a large load of laundry. Before using bleach the first time on any clothing item, do a patch test by adding a little bit of bleach on an inconspicuous part of the item; only add it to your laundry if no damage occurs.

Smart Tip: As an alternative, put some lemon slices in a boiling pot of water, throw in the stained items, and treat them like you would with bleach.

5. Dryer overuse

Dryers have made life easier by saving so much time on washing, drying, and pressing your clothes. Over-drying, however, can shorten the life of any garments. Clothes can become wrinkly, full of static, and host invisible bacteria even after washing. On the other hand, sunlight has natural sanitisation and bleaching properties. It naturally disinfects your clothes, and makes them smell cleaner and fresher by comparison. Once or twice is okay, but on a regular basis try to refrain from over-drying to protect your clothes.

Smart Tip: If you live in a city with a busy schedule, use your dryer, but whenever you are free on weekends, opt for sun-drying to sanitise your clothes naturally.

6. Not cleaning your washing machine

Your washing machine must be well maintained to ensure clean and fresh laundry. If you don’t clean your machine, you won’t have germ-free and stain-free clothes. Proper cleaning will remove residual detergent, softeners, and other cleaning agents. If left unremoved, they can create a thin film which traps germs and dirts inside your machine, and dirty your subsequent laundries.

You should clean your machine regularly, ideally once a month if you do laundry 3 times or more a week. Some machines may have a tub-cleaning mode, some may not. Always use a professionally formulated washing machine cleaner when you do the cleaning.

Smart Tip: Never place or leave wet clothes in an empty washer. It can cause musty-smelling laundry. Put them in a basket. Use hot and soapy water to wipe down the door seal and detergent drawers regularly.

If you’ve been making the 6 mistakes listed above, it’s time to make some changes. You’d be able to tell the difference in how your clothes feel, and maybe replace them a lot less often.