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Can you wash jeans with towels


Can You Wash Jeans With Towels? (Don't do it!)

Laundry might just be my least favorite chore around the home. That’s why I tend to overstuff my washing machine with every dirty cloth item I can find when I finally get around to the task. I rarely separate anything, throwing everything into one load. However, I always separate my jeans and towels… and so should you. Here’s why:

Jeans and towels should be washed in separate loads to extend their lives and protect their fibers. Jeans should be machine washed gently with cold water only when absolutely necessary. Towels, on the other hand, should be washed frequently with high heat, bleach, and on a heavy-duty preset. 

If even I, the queen of stuffing an enormous amount into my washing machine, keep my jeans and towels separated, so should you! Below you’ll find laundry tips on how to best wash jeans, towels, sheets, and other clothes!

Why Shouldn’t You Wash Jeans With Towels?

You shouldn’t throw your towels in with your jeans because they can damage one another in the wash and they have very different care requirements.

The zipper and buttons on jeans can snag onto the towel fibers while spinning around the washing machine. These snags make your fairly new towels look old and used. It can even begin to unravel the towel if it continues to happen.

Even more importantly, though, is how washing jeans differ from washing towels. Below you’ll find brief instructions on how best to wash towels and jeans.

How to Wash Jeans

Jeans should not be washed in the washing machine unless they’re heavily soiled. Hand washing jeans will help prevent shrinkage and damage to the denim fibers.  It may take some extra effort, but it really is the best idea to hand wash them. If your jeans are smelly or covered in dirt and need to be washed in the machine, wash them on the gentle cycle with cold water. Avoid using a lot of detergent and avoid the dryer completely. Save time by line drying your jeans outside in the sun.

How to Wash Towels

Towels, on the other hand, should be washed with hot water to kill bacteria. This is especially important for your bath towel which gets used every day because it holds onto a lot of your skin cells. Use detergent with non-chlorine bleach for the best results.

Wash them on a heavy-duty long wash cycle to start the drying process in the washer. Separate dark towels from light. Finished drying in the dryer at a high temperature to speed the process along and kill any remaining bacteria.

Towels should be washed and dried at the highest temperature possible. Most towels are made of cotton, which can tolerate up to 95˚F or 35˚C.

You can wash your bath towels with your hand towels. As a general rule, kitchen towels should be washed in a separate load if they have any food bits on them.

Can You Wash Other Clothes With Towels?

Now that you know you can’t wash your towels with your jeans, you might be wondering if you can wash other garments with your towels. It might be tempting to wash all of your dirty laundry in the same load, but most clothes cannot handle the high heat and heavy-duty washing cycle that towels require. So it’s best to throw your favorite sweater into a separate load from your towels.

Wash clothes according to their care instructions for the best results. Silk and lace, along with dark clothes should be washed in cold water, while other fabrics like linen and cotton clothes (other than denim) should be washed in lukewarm water. Always separate light colors from dark when washing clothes.

You can wash sheets with towels as long as they’re made of cotton. However, make sure you’re not overloading your washing machine with a huge load of laundry. However, you should line dry sheets to avoid shrinkage. 

These tips will make your towels and clothes squeaky clean! Happy washing!

Can you wash clothes with towels? Care strategies for laundry |

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Combining washing loads can be tempting to save time and energy but if you’re thinking of doing so, you might be asking the question: can you wash clothes with towels?

While it is, of course, perfectly possible to put whatever combination of items you like from the dirty laundry hamper into the machine and run a washing cycle, it doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s what you should do.

Here, we take a look at the best way to wash clothes and towels with advice and laundry room ideas from the experts.

Can you wash clothes with towels: the steps to selecting laundry loads

The answer to the question can you wash clothes with towels is, of course, that you can – and many people do. What’s crucial, however, is that you still wash towels the right way to keep them in good condition, and we’ll give you the lowdown here.

The general rule when it comes to laundry? ‘You should try to wash similar items together,’ says Melanie Musson, a cleaning expert with Clearsurance .

1. When not to wash clothes with towels

(Image credit: Paul Raeside/Future)

There are two things to consider when you want cleaning tips on washing towels: temperature and separation from other items.

For the wash temperature, look at the laundry symbols on the labels on your towels. They’re likely to indicate that the towels can go into a hot wash. However, this isn’t a rule – they can alternatively be washed at lower temperatures.

Towels that are shared are best washed at the high temperature indicated for hygiene reasons. The same goes for towels that are heavily soiled, or if someone in your home has an infectious illness. Other than that, though, they don’t have to go into a high temperature wash and can be washed in a normal cycle with detergent.

As for separation, it is best that shared towels are washed in a separate load, and when someone at home has an infectious illness towels should be washed separately from other items.

2. When to wash clothes with towels

Temperature is crucial when deciding on a load for the washing machine. ‘Since most clothes should be washed in warm water or cold water (depending on the fabric), it is much easier to wash and dry towels separately,’ suggest Derek Chiu and Leslie Tam, co-founders and directors of UrbanMop .

However, if you’re happy to wash the towels at a lower temperature than the maximum indicated on the tag, and bearing the guidelines above in mind, mixing is possible.  

Wayne Edelman, CEO of Meurice Garment Care , which specializes in interior and wardrobe cleaning services, says, ‘We understand and value that not everyone has time to do 100 loads as well as the aspect of water waste. If you only have a single towel, a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, socks, and underwear, it would be a serious waste of water, soap, and energy to do multiple loads so all items in one load would totally work provided the T-shirt is not some fancy designer thing. If the item is highly delicate, you may not want to mix with a towel or anything.’

If you’ve decided your personal answer to the question of can you wash clothes with towels is yes, there is something you need to be mindful of, however. You shouldn’t use fabric conditioner at all – or, at most, only a little – when washing towels in order to keep towels soft and absorbent, so this may influence what you choose to put together in the drum.

Note also that new towels may shed fluff, so this can be a reason to wash them as a separate load at first.

3. How should you decide on a washing machine load?

In answering the question can you wash clothes with towels, it is important to note that there are still guidelines you should follow when selecting what goes into the machine together. 

‘You should try to keep like colors together,’ says Wayne. ‘It is important to note that a light terry towel and dark sweatshirt will result in lint on both items.’

Think, too, about the nature of the pieces you’re planning to wash. ‘Try to keep heavy items separate from lighter items,’ says Wayne. ‘For example, it is not the best idea to wash a bath mat with a light cotton blouse for fear of the blouse being ruined.’

The extent to which items are soiled should also be considered when making up a load for the washing machine. ‘I would not mix dowels used to wash and dry the golden retriever with the rest of the laundry as everything will be covered in the dog’s hair,’ says Wayne. ‘Use common sense. You do not want to mix heavy cleaning (car wash) towels with your nice clothes. ’

4. Drying clothes and towels

(Image credit: Future / Davide Lovatti)

One reason you might decide that even though the answer to the question can you wash clothes with towels is yes, you still want to wash them separately, is the drying cycle. 

Towels take longer to dry than clothes, so you’ll need to monitor the tumble dryer cycle to swerve the potential risks. ‘If you are drying light items with heavy ones, always remove the light items when dry to prevent over drying,’ says Wayne. 

‘Most shrinkage occurs during the last 16 to 20 per cent of drying so we recommend dampening dry items to avoid shrinkage. Many new dryers have residual moisture controlled drying so use it to prevent shrinkage.’

Once they’re dry, fold towels or roll towels to retain the softness correct washing and drying promises.

Can you wash clothes with sheets and towels?

You can wash clothes with sheets and towels. But just as when you wash sheets and towels together or wash clothes with towels, pay attention to the washing labels so you don’t wash the load at a hotter temperature than the lowest maximum indicated when taking all items into consideration.  

Bear in mind that many items of clothing require washing at lower temperatures than can be used for sheets and towels, so for maximum hygiene separate loads are preferable – at least from time to time.

Follow the rules on mixing colors, too, to avoid runs, and avoid putting heavily soiled items with clothes.

Can you wash jeans with towels?

And can you wash clothes with towels if we’re talking jeans? ‘They are a great combo because they usually take the same amount of drying time,’ says Wayne.

As with mixing clothes, sheets and towels, don’t exceed the temperature indicated on the label of the item that has the lowest maximum, though.

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor. Previously executive editor of Ideal Home, she’s specialized in interiors, property and gardens for over 20 years, and covers interior design, house design, gardens, and cleaning and organizing a home for H&G. She’s written for websites, including Houzz, Channel 4’s flagship website, 4Homes, and Future’s T3; national newspapers, including The Guardian; and magazines including Future’s Country Homes & Interiors, Homebuilding & Renovating, Period Living, and Style at Home, as well as House Beautiful, Good Homes, Grand Designs, Homes & Antiques, LandLove and The English Home among others. It’s no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house renovator. 

90,000 sorting linen in the washing machine

#1

#4

#5

#6

with cowards and towels the same story -
Towels for 90 degrees, but panties will not last that long.

#7

Guest

Building Bed panties toes and towels together
sweaters jeans jeans with a friend

66 #8

Guest

How can you wash it together?
Bed linen can be washed at 90 degrees, or at least 60 degrees.
But jeans can be washed no more than 40 degrees.0039 Towels at 90 degrees but panties won't last that long.

#9

Guest



Bedding is washed at 90 degrees, well, at least 60 degrees.
But jeans are still no more than 40 degrees.

Few degrees, microbes don't die.

#10

#11

Guest

How can you wash it together?
Bedding is washed at 90 degrees, well, at least 60 degrees.
But jeans are still no more than 40 degrees.

#12

0 degrees? As much as I consider it necessary to put it, I put it, I always combine washing by color. Well, it's clear that I will not run underwear with shoes or outerwear. 13 June 2017

#14

natka

0 degrees? As much as I consider it necessary to put it, I put it, I always combine washing by color. Well, it's clear that I will not run underwear with shoes or outerwear.

#15

#16

Guest

I also have all at 40, on labels to all towels is the most maximum costs. For bedding, you can set the temperature even higher. But why kill microbes directly? If for baby clothes only.

#17

Guest

I also have everything at 40, on the labels for all towels this is the maximum. For bedding, you can set the temperature even higher. But why kill microbes directly? If for baby clothes only. 13 June 2017

#19

Guest

why wash at all?

What about hygiene? don't you mind? June 13, 2017 And in order to kill microbes, high temperatures are needed, why bother with this.
What about hygiene? don't you mind? June 13, 2017, 13:11 And in order to kill microbes, high temperatures are needed, why bother with this.

#22

Guest

The meaning of washing the guest is to wash off the dirt. And in order to kill microbes, high temperatures are needed, why bother with this.
What about hygiene? don't you mind?
why it's disgusting, I don't understand. I must have sterile underwear like in the operating room. What for?

Woman.ru experts

#23

Guest

actually dirt is washed better at higher temperatures, didn't you know?

#24

Guest

Guest The meaning of washing is to wash off the dirt. And in order to kill microbes, high temperatures are needed, why bother with this.
What about hygiene? don't you mind?
why it's disgusting, I don't understand. I must have sterile underwear like in the operating room. What for?
didn't you create a topic in the next thread about individuality?

#25

Guest

Towels + bed linen, T-shirts with socks or shorts, jeans separately, I can add dark socks to them, sweaters separately.

#26

Guest

For lightly soiled laundry, 40 is enough. I don’t bring things to the point where they stick together from dirt.

True stories

#27

#28

Bed lady How often do you change? June 13, 2017 Just more often too lazy to bother, it must be washed, dried, ironed, covered.

#30

Guest

Not a question for me, but we change every 2 weeks. Just more often too lazy to bother, it must be washed, dried, ironed, covered.

agreed

#31

#32

#33 9000

6666666666666 name

all together for 40. separately only jackets, sneakers and bath and toilet mats. sometimes I can at 90 run bath towels and blankets (which you can) - but more for a good wash of the washing machine itself

#35

Guest

I also change once every two weeks , or even less frequently. Linen is not yellow, why? In the evening I go to the shower, I don’t sweat at night.

#37

Guest

My underpants with towels, my husband's underpants with socks.

#38

For many, even when they open the door to the apartment, it smells soooo much from there - perforcely tide fan which is just horror, especially it stinks from those who have children).
All because they don’t think with their heads:
they put tons of powder
often not in the drum itself (as common sense prescribes), but in a cuvette - shob as in advertising
Well, they erase only 40.

A Taking into account the design of modern machines:
1. directly at 40 gr, washing takes about 3 minutes there, and
2. The powder does not have time to dissolve (and for many it also does not really wash out of the ditch, and then during the "rinsing" process thrown into the laundry) will not completely dissolve and it is absorbed well into the fibers of the fabric ...
3. Taking into account the hellish dose of powder and the meager amount of water (all machines are set to save money) and the fact that rinsing is done with cold water, the powder is not rinsed out at all.

#39

#40

Author

38th I haven’t been using powders for a long time

Just in case, if you have gels, I’ll introduce it, this is one garbage, but it takes less time to dissolve, but they also don’t wash out.

#41

#42

13.10

04

#43

Guest

As for laundry detergents, and the fact that they are not rinsed out, add less, I use several times less than the norm that is stated on the package, everything washes perfectly, white, for example, becomes boiling .

#44

#45

9000

9000

666666666666666 who is kipel?

#48

Guest

Well, for the wounds of wounds, horror

#49

9000 Achrenet Achrenet , I change every week and wash at 95, and you at 40 wash 1 in 2 weeks?? your underwear is already all yellow, fuuu
agree

If you do this, jeans will soon be finished. List of errors

. How to wash and dry denim pants

Updated on November 28, 2022, 11:00 AM

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RBC Life continues to collect errors in the use of certain things that can lead to loss of their appearance or even to failure. This time we are talking about jeans: why they cannot be washed in hot water and how to dry them properly.

Error 1. Wash in hot water

To understand how to wash jeans, you should remember what denim is. The main raw material used in the production process is natural cotton. It is dyed and processed, after which a special twill weave is used: this is how a durable denim fabric with a clear, recognizable diagonal rib relief is obtained.

Natural material shrinks when washed in hot water. The higher the percentage of cotton in the composition, the higher the likelihood that jeans will change their size after hot washing. Washing in moderately hot water may result in slight shrinkage, while a temperature of 80-90 °C will result in an instantaneous change of several dimensions. Knowing this feature of denim, many people use this method of washing intentionally: it is a convenient and easy way to change the size if the new jeans are too big or the old ones have stretched.

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Mistake 2. Wash jeans with towels

The cotton base of the denim also influences what you should wash this material with. When choosing what to load into the washing machine drum along with jeans, opt for cotton items such as T-shirts, shorts, and sweatpants.

Also, things should be approximately in the same color scheme and similar in structure. That is why you should not wash jeans, for example, with terry towels, even if cotton is indicated in their composition: things have different care requirements, and when washed, they can damage each other.

For example, jeans are recommended to be washed in non-hot water, and towels, on the contrary, at high temperature and in the intensive wash mode. In addition, zippers and buttons, even on jeans turned inside out, can catch on the fibers of the towel when rotating in the drum, which will not benefit either the first or second thing.

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Mistake 3. Do not take jeans out of the washing machine in time

What happens if you don't take things out of the washing machine in time? Stagnation of moisture contributes to the development of bacteria and the appearance of an unpleasant smell of dampness and even stains. In addition, a long stay in a humid environment can lead to tissue deformation.

According to the Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science, garments, including jeans, can be left in the washing machine for 8-12 hours, after which they are likely to grow mold. In other words, you can absolutely safely start washing before going to bed and unload the washing machine in the morning: jeans will not deteriorate overnight. However, it should be borne in mind that such a habit can significantly reduce the life of not only clothes, but also equipment: if you leave wet things in the drum for a long time, bacteria and mold will appear on it. This leads to the fact that the machine will start to work worse, which means it will be worse to wash your favorite jeans.

Error 4. Dry jeans at a hot temperature

Denim can be damaged not only by high temperature water, but also by hot drying. The fact is that wet material is extremely sensitive to deformation, and high temperature provokes and fixes this deformation. How drastically this happens depends on the composition of the jeans. For example, a model with an admixture of elastane in the composition can deteriorate from just one hot drying: when exposed to high temperatures, elastane stretches and loses its ability to shrink forever. Because of this, skinny jeans can lose their shape and stretch unevenly without the ability to return to the trade look.

Models made of 100% cotton should also not be dried on a hot radiator or in a typewriter. However, after one time nothing will happen to them: the trousers will shrink, but pretty soon they will return to their usual size. However, if you use this method regularly, then after a while the jeans will have a deformed, worn look.

How then to dry jeans? Best of all - in a horizontal position at room temperature. Another option is to hang them upside down.

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Error 5. Wash every time after wearing

Those who are used to washing clothes after every wear will have to change their habits a little. Even if all the requirements for washing and drying are met, the item will quickly fade, and the fabric will become thinner. Denim was originally designed to be as durable as possible, and remains so today. Jeans can be worn many times before being washed.

There are even ardent adherents of such an idea: for example, in 2014, Levi's CEO Chip Berg amazed many by declaring that he had not washed his Levi's 501 jeans for ten years, although he constantly wears them. He also criticized an alternative way to clean jeans - storage in the freezer. “These are all fairy tales,” Berg said.

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