How to Organize Laundry by Color

The negative effects of improper laundry sorting are often cumulative and irreversible. The result of careless color mixing may not appear right away, but often will appear over weeks or even months. By taking the time to properly organize laundry by color. the results will be newer, brighter looking clothes and fewer trips to the department store.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Unsorted, soiled laundry
• Baskets or designated areas for piles

1. Start by taking the white and nearly white items and place them in a pile. If an item is mostly white but also has other colors on it, it's best not to put it in the whites pile. It is best to place them in a separate pile with other like items. These items that are mostly white but have other colors cannot be bleached with chlorine and often the colors bleed. White and nearly white items can be washed in hot water with the addition of chlorine bleach.

2. Take all pastel items and place them in a separate pile. Pastels usually do not bleed to any noticeable degree and can usually be washed together without worry.

3. The remaining colors should be sorted by color intensity, preferably within the same color family. For instance black items usually bleed and should be washed with other black, dark grey, and navy colored items. Orange and red items can be washed together. Bright blues and purples can be washed together. Then finally, tan and cream colored items. While sorting to this degree of color fastness may keep clothes looking their best the longest, it may not always be practical. It may be more convenient to compromise this step somewhat each time you wash.

4. Care labels should also be considered when organizing laundry into colors. If the care label states that the garment should be washed separately, then it is important to do so. This step is especially important if the item is new or nearly new. Disregarding the care label in this instance will almost always lead to a bleeding, discolored disaster. Be sure to follow this step in future washings of the item until there are no signs bleeding.

5. Tie-dyed, natural, and vegetable dyed items will probably always bleed to some degree and should be washed separately to be safe. Almost all new items, especially denim will also bleed to some degree, so be sure to wash accordingly. Often it is better to wash some items alone than to risk washing them with other items.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that the hotter the water is when washing, the more the color will bleed.
• Items washed in cold or cool water will not bleed as much and will retain a newer appearance longer.
• Remember, when in doubt, follow the manufacturers label for care instructions.