Ask Lemmy

Stupid lazy soap can't even be bothered to go round the fabric nowadays...

I like to keep it simple; a load of linens and undergarments on hot and a load of everything else on cold, repeat as needed.

Just my jeans. I have no idea why.

I only wash my silk screened shirts inside out so as to preserve the silk screening longer. The detergent penetrates through most clothing materials that aren't water proof, but the material rubbing against other shit can screw up the designs.

Jeans and any clothes with graphics printed on them I will turn inside out. Jeans, because they typically have rivets that can grab other clothes in the wash. The back of those rivets are smooth and won't pick as much. Clothes with graphics because it will wear the graphics less.

Otherwise it is irrelevant if the clothes are inside out or not.

Just the stuff that has zippers or buttons that clank in the dryer and some shirts with designs that I want to last longer. I also zip up the zippers so they stay on the inside and don't get pulled apart in the movement.

Everything else stays how I wear it so it isn't necessary to undo it when putting it away.

It depends on the materials and fabrics.

I wash all my athletic/outdoors stuff inside out because that's what the care label says to do. Also to zip up all the zippers.

I don't care about regular clothes.

Kinda depends: Usually yes, unless the label says otherwise or the exterior is super dirty.

Clothes with printed design, buttons or zippers, yes. If something is really dirty, I let the outside out.

But I recently found out it's the drier that ruins printed clothes, inside out or not.

I wash graphic tees and other printed clothing inside out because I was told it does less damage to the image. No idea if it actually helps.

Only if I haven't turned them outside in after taking them off. I don't mind either way since I don't have many clothes I would die if the print died.

Like many in this thread, I like to wash shirts with designs/print on them inside-out to wear out the design more slowly.

For pants, in addition to not wanting rivets/buttons to catch on other clothes, I turn pants inside-out for washing--but I made it a personal rule that I only turn pants inside-out once I have checked and emptied the pockets. So if I'm putting things in the washer and find any right-side out pants, I know to check the pockets (and turn them inside-out) before sending them on their laundry journey. As a result, I don't remember the last time I accidentally washed something in a pocket. 😊

Assuming you are using a washing machine that is common in he USA, it doesn’t matter if you wash your clothes inside out or not to get them clean.

I dont like to wash things inside out as that makes folding them a hassle.

Since I have a lot of clothes with prints on them, yes.

Yes. Less of a hygiene factor, more of a reducing visible wear from the wash and dry cycles.

Some of it yes. It’s supposed to keep the nice outer fabrics and prints intact because it doesn’t get beaten up by the drum.

Yes. It does help.

Imagine, the outward facing surfaces are the ones you want to preserve and look pretty, doesn't matter if the inside ones get a bit roughed up. Those garments rub against each other for hours (giggity), every week for years. Inside out better.

Also, for stuff with zippers or metal details, keeping them on the inside lessens their exposure to other fabric so they take less of a beating. Tiny pieces of metal hammering your garments continuously = bad.

Inside out = yes.

Yes, but only for certain clothes and not because of hygiene. For the shirts like band shirts which have prints, they are sensitive towards the washing machine. Then also for dark jeans, because they get these bright patterns from the spinning.

My mum would always tell me things to do about washing clothes but I've always just thrown it all in the wash and the only change ive made as I got older is to use cold instead of hot.

Clearly y'all commenters don't have young children because who tf got time for that lol

I just throw them in as-is and they come out clean. I could see trying to protect graphic tees maybe but I don't have much trouble there. Never considered flipping them inside out. Laundry is enough of a chore without adding steps.

Only if it's a T-shirt with a design on it. Depending on how the design is applied, washing T-shirts inside out can significantly extend the lifespan of them.

Jeans, yes definitely. The material is pretty thick and it's a good way to ensure it's clean. Also, it prevents the metal parts from bashing the inside of the washing machine.

I'm not actually positive it's better for cleaning, but it's just how my mother taught me how to do laundry when I was a child. :)

inside out.

I've never bothered to do much of anything besides toss in in the washer. It all cones out clean enough that I don't care any further

never heard of this but based on the replies i should look into it.

No, never noticed a problem with it

Never done it, haven't seen any reason why it might be necessary

Depends on the item

Anything with a print or similar (e.g. football shirts with numbers) should definitely be inside out

Socks definitely out...side..out(?), don't ask why, they just are

Things with buttons or zips that might catch on other things get turned inside out too (unless that would exacerbate the issue)

I think unless I'm forgetting something everything else is que sera, sera

Oil and odour, etc won't really be affected by inside out or not, that's more down to the detergents/temperature you're using. Though caveat, a lot of modern clothing is designed to be washed at 30°C so it's pretty much all about the detergents you use these days. And on that note, if you're having issues with stuff not coming out feeling/smelling completely fresh at lower temps, look into ditching the fabric softener for soda crystals and/or a laundry sanitiser additive (Dettol make one that's good). Both were game changers for this guy who has a tendency to get pretty sweaty in summer.

Yes. A habit is easier than thinking about every clothing item individually.

Inside out helps mark your scent in the local laundromat, who doesn't do that? /s

Inside out, but because I hang them to dry in the sun and I don't like to turn them when wet.

I hang my stuff inside out to try to cut down on sun fading. I've never really given a thought to which way it goes into the washer.

I don’t, but I’ve heard the advice too. I’m pretty sure I’ve even read it on garment labels too. But the reason I heard was that it was gentler on the clothes.

Only if the wash advice says it should be washed inside out.

Do your clothes come out dry on the "inside" of how they were washed?