Sometimes I get so lazy to do the laundry after a long day in the office. I take off my clothes, jackets, shirts, jeans, undies, socks, and all straight to the washer. I hit the start button and wait for the washing machine to do its magic. After drying, my clothes are all tangled together. My socks are twisted with my jeans, my bras are hooked on the zipper. It was a mess.
You probably know the laundry basics like separating whites from colored, washing tough fabric such as jeans and jackets together, tossing the delicates on a separate laundry cycle, and even turning your clothes inside out before washing. But have you ever thought about how you should wash your jackets?
5 Reasons Why You Should Zip Your Jacket in the Wash
Zippers are a must in most clothing apparels. Zippers close the sidebar of fabrics and join them together. The two parallel metal teeth or plastic are interlocked by a zipper which is a sliding tab. It is functional as it is decorative. But, since they are pretty tough, zips can wreck materials and even damage the drum of your washing machine or dryer. Here are five reasons why you should always zip your jackets in the wash.
1. They Can Tear Into Other Garments
You may be aware that tossing your garments in one laundry load without bothering to separate delicate garments such as bras, knickers, and lace from your jeans and jackets is a disaster waiting to happen. Zippers could cause tangles and possible discoloration. But do you know that they can also cause tears on your delicates?
If you saw some holes in your bras, you could blame it on the sharp metal teeth of the unzipped jacket that you washed it with.
2. They Can Scratch Against Prints and Other Clothing Features
Compared to ordinary fabrics, zippers are tough. They are usually made of metal or plastic. When you wash your jackets unzipped, you give its zippers the freedom to roam and rub your other clothing. They can cause scratches on your shirts’ prints, and they can ruin ribbons or other clothing features. If you want to prolong the life of your clothes, zip up that zipper.
3. They Can Snag Onto Other Clothing Materials
Snagging on your clothes is not a pretty sight. Wash your jackets with zippers unzipped, and you can cause some fabrics to catch. Clothes such as loose-knit sweaters, open weave articles, or even lacy bras and panties are prone to snags. Hence you should be careful when you wash your jackets with them.
Taking the extra step of zipping your jackets and turning them inside out ensures that you minimize possible snags onto other clothing materials.
4. They Can Leave Visible Scratches On the Inside of the Washer
If you want to keep your washer in top shape, you should always wash your jackets zipped and inside out. As you do your laundry, your clothes tumble in the washer and dryer. The friction during washing helps clean your clothes. However, the friction caused by metal zippers can cause chips or visible scratches on the washer’s drum.
5. They Can Shatter The Front Load Washer Door
Now, this is one scenario that you should be on the lookout for– exploding front load washers. Front loading washing machines are more expensive compared to top-loading ones. They promise cleaner clothes and tend to be water efficient. But, you need to take extra care that you don’t cause damage to its glass door.
Washing your jackets unzipped can cause scratches on your front load washer’s door. They can be minimal at first. But, these scratches over time may cause more significant problems and ruin your washer. A small scratch could build up over time and lead to a crack. Avoid any untoward incident by taking the time to zip up those zippers and turning your clothes inside out before you do your laundry.
In Conclusion
Sure, doing the laundry is a pretty daunting task and taking a few extra steps such as zipping up your jackets and turning them inside out is bothersome. Taking the time to add these steps to your laundry routine will prolong the life of your clothes. More so, save you from any untoward incidents such as exploding washers. You are investing money in your clothes and washing machine. A little effort to keep them in top shape won’t hurt.
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