How to do laundry in 8 steps: Laundry 101

The first step to doing laundry is to read the care tag for specific instructions on the water temperature and washer and dryer cycle and settings that clothes may be washed with in order to provide the right care for your clothing.

• Make sure to empty all pockets.

• Fasten any zippers or buttons to help prevent lint and pilling.

Next, prep your clothes and sort by color and fabric type or the recommendations on your garment’s care tag. Make sure to keep similar colors in their own load, as well as heavy fabrics sorted together. To keep colors from bleeding onto one another, sort your laundry by:

Whites - white clothing without patterns or embroidery

Lights - white clothing with patterns or embroidery, light shades of yellow and other pale tones

Brights - any bright red, yellow, orange, green or light blue clothing

Darks - sort dark blue and purple together & black and brown clothing together

Knowing how to properly sort and wash clothing of any color can go a long way in keeping its original hue and helping to prevent clothes from fading. 

After you have fastened any zippers or buttons and sorted your laundry, your clothes are ready to be washed. Loosely load your clothing into the washer, and make sure they are evenly dispersed in the drum to help balance the washer. Be mindful to not overload the washer as the clothes need room to move against the impeller or agitator to get cleaned, depending on your style of washer. Overloading a washer can cause the washer to shake or wobble as well.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions on your laundry detergent for load recommendations. The amount may vary depending on if you are using liquid or powder detergent.

• Add the recommended amount of laundry detergent based on the type of laundry detergent you’re using.

• If using laundry pods, toss one into the drum of the washer.

Let your appliance handle this step with the Load & Go™ XL Dispenser on some Whirlpool^® washers that allows you to fill it and skip refills for up to 40 loads.²

TIP: If your clothes have detergent stains from a previous load, don’t worry - you can remove detergent stains with a few simple tips.

Depending on your fabric type and the instructions on your care tag, select your desired washing cycle. Generally, washing clothing in cold water can help  prevent garments from shrinking and pilling, while warm water can help remove stains and soils that are temperature dependent. 

Refer to your owner’s manual for your washer’s specific cycles and settings. Below are generally recommended wash methods and cycles for common fabrics and colors. As always, please refer to the care tag on the garment that you are washing. 

Cotton & Linen - normal cycle

Denim - gentle, normal or jeans cycle

No-Iron Dress Clothes - permanent press or synthetics cycle

Sweaters or Wool - wool, delicate, gentle cycles or wash garments by hand

Athletic Wear - permanent press or sports cycle

Delicates - delicate, gentle cycle or wash garments by hand

Coats & Jackets - bedding and sheets, or bulky cycle
Towels - bulky, heavy duty or towels cycle

Bedding & Sheets - bulky or sheets cycle

Bright & Dark Clothes - colors, darks or cold water wash

Whites - normal cycle or whites cycle

After the washing cycle is complete, promptly unload the washer and air dry your garments, toss them in the dryer or choose a combination of both, depending on your load.

If using the dryer, place a dryer sheet into the drum to help prevent static and clinging.

Refer to the instructions on your garment’s care tag for optimal dryer settings, including tumble dry, permanent press or air dry recommendations. Remember, heavier fabrics, such as towels or jackets, need higher heat or more time to dry. It’s important to separate these from more delicate fabrics in order to help keep clothes from shrinking. 

Consult your owner’s manual for specific cycles and settings for your dryer. Below are general guidelines for common fabrics and colors:

Cotton & Linen - normal or cotton setting

Denim - jeans or damp dry cycle; air dry

No-Iron Dress Clothes - steam dry, wrinkle control, permanent press or less dry setting

Sweaters or Wool - delicate or less dry setting

Athletic Wear - delicate or less dry setting

Delicates - air dry, delicate or less dry setting

Coats & Jackets - bulky, heavy duty or more dry setting
Towels - towels or heavy duty setting

Bedding & Sheets - bulky cycle

Brights, Dark & Whites - dark, colors or whites cycle

Whites - whites setting

As soon as your clothes are dry, promptly remove them from the dryer. To prevent wrinkling, hang or fold your clothes right away. This also helps to avoid any future headaches when searching for a certain outfit or item.