Sheets and towels are probably two of the big pieces you throw in your laundry. Washing sheets or towels is also straightforward. Since they are both big compared to your usual clothes, can you wash sheets and towels together? The short answer is: no.
Mixing sheets and towels in one laundry cycle can cause more trouble. Just think of different colored lint on your favorite sheets. Or imagine taking out items that are either over dried or did not dry completely from the dryer. Here are some reasons why it’s a bad idea to wash sheets together with towels in the washing machine.
Why You Shouldn’t Wash Your Sheets And Towels Together
It’s important to sort your laundry to achieve better results. But why exactly should you ditch the idea of washing sheets in the same load with your towels?
Sheets And Towels Don’t Weigh The Same
Sheets are made of light fabrics such as linen, cotton, synthetic, or even silk. The most popular one is the percale. It is a plain weave of cotton or cotton-polyester blend. Since sheets need to be comfortable on the skin, their fabric is usually soft and silky smooth to the touch.
Meanwhile, you use towels to absorb moisture after bathing. Hence, they are made of sturdier and highly absorbent materials. Such material is all-cotton terry cloth. If you look closely at towels’ surfaces, they usually have small rings that look feathery. These protruding loops take in the excess moisture.
The washing machine tosses your laundry during the wash cycle. By washing your sheets and towels together, you risk the chance of tearing your bedsheets.
The different weights of towels and sheets also need varying washing and drying time. Since they are softer and made of more delicate materials, you can dry and wash sheets for a shorter time.
Towels need a longer dry and wash cycle since they are made of sturdier and thicker materials. You can avoid under-drying or over-drying by drying towels and sheets separately.
Towels Produce Excess Lint
Towels are made of terry cloth which essentially produces lint. When you don’t separate towels from the rest of your laundry, you risk the chance of having lint on clothes. The lint from the towels may cling onto your sheets when you wash them together in the washing machine. Imagine taking out your freshly dried sheets and being disappointed with all the lint they have on.
Towels Can Get Trapped Inside The Sheets
Have you experienced your clothes getting balled up inside the sheets during the wash or dry cycle? Fitted sheets have garters on each corner to fit them on the bed. This design is also the reason why other garments tend to ball up inside fitted sheets. The garment stuck inside the sheets will not get washed properly and will not dry completely.
When washing sheets with pillowcases or other linen, it’s best to stop the dryer mid-way through the cycle. You can then check and remove any other items that get trapped inside the sheets. Then you can fluff the sheets and restart the wash cycle. This way, all your laundry is washed properly.
What You Should Avoid When Washing Your Sheets
Aside from washing your dirty sheets with your towels, here’s what to avoid when washing sheets:
Avoid Using Harsh Detergents
Ideally, you should change your sheets at least once a week. It’s best to avoid harsh detergents when washing them since you change them quite frequently. Doing so increases the lifespan of your favorite beddings.
Avoid Using A Very Hot Cycle
Washing in hot cycles and drying in high temperatures can cause the fabrics of your sheets to shrink. It’s best to use moderate temperatures to avoid fabric shrinkage.
In Conclusion
It’s best to avoid washing towels and sheets together in one wash cycle when you do the laundry. As washing them together leads to poor wash results. Sheets and towels have different weights as they are not made of the same materials. Thus, they need a varying wash and dry cycle. Moreover, your towels produce lint that can cling onto your sheets when you wash them together.
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