A laundry hamper is a catch-all for everything and anything that needs washing, right?
Not exactly. According to professional cleaners, tossing the wrong things into your laundry hamper can create unwanted odors, encourage bacteria, and even damage the rest of your garments and linens.
To save your clothes – and your hamper – these are the three things you should never put in a laundry hamper, and what you should do with them before doing laundry instead.
3 things you should never put in a laundry hamper
1. Damp towels
Letting towels dry between uses can prevent lingering musty smells.
One of the worst laundry mistakes ruining your clothing is putting damp towels straight into your laundry basket.
Alicia Sokolowski, cleaning and laundry expert and owner of AspenClean, explains, ‘Moisture trapped in towels creates the perfect environment for mold, mildew, and odor-causing bacteria to grow.
‘Within a few hours, the towel can develop a foul smell. Instead of throwing the damp towels into the hamper, hang them on a bar or hook to dry completely before tossing them in the hamper. Alternatively, if the towel has already been used numerous times, wash it right away.’
These decorative Command hooks, from Target, offer you a simple solution to hanging towels to dry in the bathroom between uses. They don’t require any drilling, so you don't need to fret about your DIY skills in tiled bathrooms.
Alternatively, this divided laundry hamper stand from Wayfair can be paired with metal S-hooks from Walmart for hanging towels to dry beside the hamper so you don’t forget them when setting up a laundry load.
2. Sweaty gym clothes and activewear
Leaving gym clothes to fester makes removing odors harder.
Getting the smell out of gym clothes is hard enough, but it is worse if they are allowed to sit and fester in a laundry hamper. For this reason, Alicia warns against putting them in a laundry basket.
She explains, ‘Synthetic fabrics like polyester and spandex, often found in sportswear, hold onto sweat and bacteria, which leads to strong odors and even bacterial growth if left balled up.’
Like towels, Alicia urges you to hang them up or spread them out to air dry before washing, or wash them immediately. ‘A quick rinse in cold water can also help if you can’t launder right away,’ she adds.
The same goes for any swimwear or swim towels, adds Matt O'Connor, co-founder and CEO at NoScrubs, adds, ‘Chlorine plus dampness damages other fabrics and breeds bacteria. Rinse and dry first.’
Using a dedicated activewear detergent, such as Persil ActiveWear Clean, from Walmart, can also help to tackle musty odors. Alternatively, to clean without harsh chemicals, opt for adding white vinegar to laundry.
3. Stained items
Stained clothing needs to be treated immediately to avoid permanent marks, or staining other items in a hamper.
The number one golden rule of stain removal is to treat the stains as soon as possible. That means anything with any type of stain should never go in a laundry hamper.
Scott Schrader, professional cleaner at CottageCare, says, ‘Items that have potential spills, including food, drinks, and bodily fluids, can breed bacteria very quickly. Before tossing them into the hamper, pre-rinse if you can, or spot clean and let dry.’
For quick stain treatment, consider the Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Remover Spray from Walmart. Verified shoppers love it, praising it for being ‘surprisingly powerful’, lifting all sorts of stains, including coffee and grease, without damaging fabrics.
What to shop
Distilled white vinegar is a fantastic, non-toxic cleaning tool for any home. When used correctly, it can help to kill mold and bacteria, as well as tackle odors and lighten stains, all without harsh chemicals.
Microfiber cloths are machine washable, meaning you can reuse them for years with proper care. They are ideal for spot treating stains, helping to lift debris and excess liquid from fabrics.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) Certified, these laundry pods are certified healthier for use in your home, helping to cut out toxic laundry room items.
Perfect for pre-treating stains, Oxiclean can also be added to your washer for an extra stain-fighting boost during the cycle.
After testing it out for a month in her home, our Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden, fell in love with this laundry hamper. It banished the previous physical pain she was suffering when having to manually sort all her washing on the ground or when reaching into the bottom of a basket.
Dryer balls are a great dryer sheet alternative that will break up and fluff up your laundry for even drying and softer bedding.
FAQs
How do you stop a laundry hamper from smelling?
Stopping a laundry hamper from smelling is simple, and can quickly stop a house from smelling musty, too, Scott advises, ‘The guiding principle is: You dry first, then you toss in the hamper. If you are not able to wash something immediately, give it airflow.
‘If you have a breathable mesh hamper [available at Amazon], it can help minimize the amount of moisture that gets trapped in your laundry; however, the prevention begins with not letting wet items pile up!’
Meet the experts
With over 17 years of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean provides all-natural, chemical-free cleaning services that have revolutionized the cleaning industry and changed the way people clean their homes.
Scott is a cleaning expert at CottageCare, which is a leading home cleaning company with over 41 locations nationwide. He's a big believer in using eco-friendly cleaning solutions like baking soda.
Even if you abstain from dumping these items in your washing basket after use, it is vital to clean a laundry basket or hamper regularly to prevent bacteria, especially those you use to gather freshly washed laundry.
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