Laundry Myths and Facts

Should you really treat fabric stains head on? And do more suds result in cleaner clothes? Separate the myths from the facts to get the best results from your laundry.

Myth: Bleach mixed with detergent helps clean and whiten at the same time.

Fact: Adding bleach with detergent counteracts its effectiveness. Instead, add bleach during the last five minutes of the wash cycle to ensure that the cleaning agents work best. Some washing machines have automatic bleach dispensers to eliminate the timing guesswork and make sure your whites are dazzling.

Myth: Using the dryer leads to shrinkage.

Fact: Surprisingly, it's not the heat from the dryer that causes clothes to shrink; it's the lack of moisture. New dryer technology actually measures the moisture in the fabric and automatically shuts off to prevent over drying.

Myth: Treat the stain head on.

Fact: Always treat the stain from the back of the fabric to help push it off the garment. Remember to blot the stain. Rubbing can work the stain into the fibers.

Myth: More suds equal better cleaning.

Fact: Excess suds actually hold onto soils and redeposit them on your laundry. Try using a high-efficiency detergent with a front-loading washing machine like the Whirlpool Duet system or the top-loading Cabrio washer.