REAL SIMPLE’s Best Laundry Advice From the Past 25 Years

Laundry—it’s never ending! One second you’ve done four loads, folded everything, and you feel like you’re on top of the world. Then 15 minutes later (or what feels like it) you have to start the whole process all over again. When did you even wear all of this stuff? We all spend a lot of time doing this chore, and REAL SIMPLE editors spend even more time writing about it. We’ve gathered up our favorite collective laundry wisdom we’ve shared over the past 25 years (sourced from grandma, TikTok, you name it) so you can keep your threads soft and stain-free. And yes, you really do have to sort it.

Skip the Fabric Softener When Washing Towels

Fabric softener can leave a coating that traps stink and inhibits absorption. Same rule applies for all your gym clothes.

Unshrink Knits in the Sink

If your favorite sweater has been reduced to doll-size in the dryer, there may still be hope. Natural knits, like wool and cashmere, can regain their shape after a dunk in the sink filled with warm water and a tablespoon of olive oil, says Patric Richardson coauthor of Laundry Love. Swirl the solution for a few seconds, then submerge your sweater for two to three hours. Remove it, lay it on a flat surface, and slowly gently tug back to its original size.

Pick the Right Temperature for Stains

Water temperature is key to getting out stubborn stains. Use cold water most of the time and especially on freshly soiled clothes because heat can help a new stain set in. Hot water should only be used for set-in stains, as it loosens fibers. The good news: It helps detergents lift out discoloration.

Give New Jeans a Prewash

Before wearing a new pair of jeans for the first time, wash them alone in cold water to prevent the color from transferring onto, say, your favorite purse on your way to work! For extra protection, add a half cup of white vinegar at the start of the cycle to help seal the color. Lay flat to dry.

Use Artificial Sweetener on Oily Stains

Splattered salad dressing on your shirt while out at lunch? Find a packet of artificial sweetener, rub it into the stain, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then brush it off and rinse. The sweet stuff will absorb the oil, giving you a better chance of getting it fully out in the wash.

Remove Red Wine Stains with Shaving Cream

Head to the bathroom instead of the laundry room, grab a can of shaving cream, and spray it over the stain ASAP. (Sooner is always better when it comes to treating stains.) Let the foam sit for 30 minutes, then rinse and rub the stain with your finger. It should vanish before your very eyes!

Freshen Up Stinky Activewear

Fill a bucket with cool water, plus a cup each of white vinegar and baking soda. Soak clothes overnight. For odor prevention, regularly add vinegar or another acidic product (like the clean-smelling Downy Rinse & Refresh) to the fabric softener slot in your machine. If you tend to get extra fragrant when you work out—no judgments!—spray the underarms and groin with stain remover before tossing aired-out activewear into the hamper.

Skip Laundry Stripping

The trendy process of laundry stripping—which entails soaking garments in a tub of superhot water, borax, washing soda, and detergent for hours—is generally bad for clothes, as it can lead to fabric degradation and fading. That “dirty” water you see in TikTok demos is mostly just dye. Stripping once after buying used textiles could be beneficial, and you can do it occasionally for items that can’t go into the wash. Otherwise, give this fad a pass!

Use Dish Soap for Grease Stains

The stuff can cut through the grime on your trusty casserole dish and save your favorite blouse from an oily dinner stain. As with any pretreatment, squeeze a bit onto the spot and let it sit for up to 10 minutes before laundering as usual. The stain should come right out.

Invest in Mesh Bags

They’re great for delicates and smalls like socks or hats. Bonus points if you buy the kind designed to filter microplastics—as in the bits of plastic that shed from synthetic garments (yoga pants, fleece pullovers) when they’re washed and can end up in waterways.

Don’t Overload the Dryer

“If you’re cramming clothes in, you may already be hurting it. Overloading is one of the most common reasons dryers break down, because it can strain the machine’s pulley or drum belt or overheat the motor,” Says Best Buy in-home consultant Kayla Becker. “When the drum is too full, the clothes can’t circulate and dry properly. There isn’t a one-size-fits- all rule for capacity, since a big load of jeans will weigh significantly more than a load of blouses and underwear. But in general, you should fill the dryer no more than two-thirds of the way. Closer to halfway is even better if you’re drying heavy fabrics.”