Sorting before the wash

Short answer: Sort by colour and by temperature. Darks on their own, lights on their own, and anything that needs a cool wash on its own. Three piles cover almost all the laundry in an ordinary home and are easy to keep track of.

Darks and lights apart

Dark colours release dye for the first many washes. You do not see it on the dark garment, but light clothes in the same load can pick up a grey or bluish tint that is hard to remove. That is why the first rule is to keep darks and lights apart. It applies to a black and a white bamboo tank top for men alike.

Temperature decides the third pile

Anything that only tolerates thirty degrees runs on its own. In a warmer wash it can shrink, lose its shape or wear faster. So the third pile is not about colour but about temperature. Check the care label and set aside the items that need a cool wash, such as a pair of bamboo sweatpants for men.

Three piles are enough

More piles mean half-empty machines and more washing. It is tempting to sort finely by colour, fabric and type, but then you run five small loads instead of three full ones. Three piles cover nearly everything. Dark, light and cool are enough for most clothes, including the range for men.

Watch out for new dark clothes

A new dark top or new dark trousers release the most dye in the first few washes. Wash them alone or only with other dark clothes at first. A single new dark item can tint a whole light load. Once the colour has settled, it can join the normal dark pile.

Read the care label once

The care label tells you which temperature the fabric can take. You do not need to read it every time, but read it when the garment is new and remember which pile it belongs to. If in doubt, choose the lower temperature. Washing too cool is rarely a problem, while a wash that was too hot is hard to undo.

Mid tones and patterns

Not everything is clearly dark or light. Mid tones like grey, light blue or beige can usually go with the lights once they have been washed a few times. Strong colours like red and navy belong with the darks. Striped and patterned clothes are sorted by the darkest colour in the fabric.

Fill the machine properly

A half-empty machine washes worse, because the clothes do not rub against each other enough, and it uses just as much water. An overfilled machine also washes poorly, because there is no room to move. Fill the drum so a hand's width is free at the top. That is why three piles give a better wash than many small ones.

Sort in the basket already

The easiest way is to sort as clothes go into the basket. With a basket that has two or three sections, the work is done by wash day. Then you just take one pile and empty it into the machine. It costs no time during the week and saves a quarter of an hour on the day itself.

Frequently asked questions

How do you sort laundry

Into three piles. Darks, lights and anything that only takes low temperatures. That covers almost all washing in an ordinary home and gives full loads.

Why keep darks and lights apart

Because dark colours release dye for the first many washes. A single new dark item can tint a whole light load, and that tint is hard to remove.

Are more piles better

No. More piles give half-empty machines, and a half-empty machine washes worse and uses just as much water as a full one.