10 April, 2026
Doing laundry might feel like a routine task, but the way you wash your clothes has a real impact on how long they last, how fresh they smell, and how much energy and water you use in the process. Washing clothes correctly protects fibres from unnecessary wear, prevents colour fading, and ensures your garments come out clean and soft every time.
Adding Sta-soft® fabric softener to your routine takes things a step further, protecting fabric fibres, reducing static, and leaving a long-lasting fragrance that keeps your laundry smelling freshly washed. With a few good habits, you can also cut down on your household's water and energy use significantly, simply by washing at lower temperatures and running fuller loads. Here's how to do it right.
Sorting is the first and most important step in any laundry routine. Skip it, and you risk colour bleed, shrunken garments, and fabrics that wear out faster than they should.
Start by separating your laundry into three colour groups:
Whites and lights (white shirts, light grey items, pale pastels)
Darks and blacks (dark denim, black garments, dark grey)
Brights (red, orange, yellow, bright blue or green)
New garments, particularly dark or bright ones, are especially likely to bleed colour in the first few washes. Wash these separately for the first two or three cycles before adding them to your regular colour piles.
Once you've sorted by colour, separate by fabric type as well. Fabrics with different weights and textures behave differently in the drum. Washing heavy items like denim and fleece with lightweight blouses or underwear means the heavier items can damage the lighter ones through abrasion and uneven tumbling.
Sorting your laundry isn't just about keeping whites white. It has a direct effect on the condition of your clothes over time:
Prevents colour transfer. A single red sock in a white load can ruin the entire wash. Sorting by colour group eliminates this risk entirely.
Reduces wear and tear. Rough, heavy fabrics like denim have a coarser surface that can abrade softer fabrics like cotton T-shirts or synthetic blends. Washing similar fabrics together means less friction and less pilling.
Allows correct temperature selection. Different fabrics need different wash temperatures. Sorting by fabric type lets you set the machine correctly for each load, rather than defaulting to a compromise setting that may not suit everything in the drum.
Protects embellishments and prints. Garments with prints, beading, or embroidery can snag on zippers or rough fabrics. Separating these items protects both the garment and those around it.
Delicates like silk, lace, and fine knits need extra care. Always turn these garments inside out before washing, use a mesh laundry bag for machine washing, and choose a cool, gentle cycle. For wool in particular, always check the care label and use a dedicated wool or delicate cycle with cool water to prevent shrinkage. For a full step-by-step guide, read our article on how to machine wash wool.
Washing and stain removal are two separate processes. The washing machine is excellent at cleaning general dirt and refreshing fabrics, but it is not designed to remove set stains on its own. Treating stains before they go into the machine gives you a significantly better chance of removing them completely.
As a rule, act as quickly as possible. The longer a stain sits on fabric, the more deeply it penetrates the fibre and the harder it becomes to remove. Blot (don't rub) fresh stains to absorb as much of the substance as you can before applying any treatment, and rinse the affected area with cold water before the garment goes into the drum.
Different stain types require different approaches. Using the wrong treatment can actually set a stain rather than remove it.
Oily and greasy stains (cooking oil, butter, salad dressing, makeup): Apply a small amount of dish soap or a grease-cutting stain remover directly to the stain and work it gently into the fabric with your fingers. Leave for five to ten minutes, then rinse with warm water before washing. Avoid rinsing with cold water first, as this can solidify grease in the fibre.
Protein-based stains (blood, egg, milk, sweat, grass): Always use cold water for protein stains. Hot water cooks the protein and locks it into the fibre permanently. Rinse thoroughly in cold water first, then apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent or an enzyme-based stain remover and leave for ten to fifteen minutes before washing at the appropriate temperature for that fabric.
Dye-based and tannin stains (red wine, coffee, tea, berries, fruit juice): Rinse immediately with cold water, then apply white vinegar or a dedicated stain remover and leave to soak for at least ten minutes. For stubborn dye-based stains on whites, a paste of baking soda and water applied directly to the stain before washing can help lift the colour.
Mud and clay: Allow mud to dry completely before treating it. Trying to treat wet mud spreads it further into the fabric. Once dry, brush off as much as possible, then pre-soak in cold water with a small amount of detergent before washing normally.
Always check the care label before applying any stain treatment, and patch-test on a hidden seam if you're treating a delicate or brightly coloured garment.
How you load the washing machine has a bigger effect on the result than most people realise. An overloaded drum prevents clothes from moving freely through the water, which means they don't get cleaned properly and detergent residue can be left on the fabric as white streaks or patches. An underloaded drum wastes energy and water, and the imbalanced load can strain the machine's motor.
The ideal load is between half and two-thirds of the drum's capacity. At this level, your clothes have enough room to circulate properly, and the machine uses water and energy efficiently.
When it comes to detergent, using the right amount is just as important as choosing the right product. Too little and your clothes won't be cleaned properly; too much and you'll be left with residue on fabrics and build-up inside the machine. For a half-full machine, use around two-thirds of the dosing cap. For ultra-concentrated formulas, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully as the dosing requirements are significantly lower.
Detergent residue is one of the most common laundry complaints, and it's almost always caused by using too much product or overloading the machine. To avoid it:
Follow the dosing instructions on the product label and adjust for load size rather than using a full cap by default.
Use the pre-wash or extra-rinse setting on your machine if your clothes regularly come out with residue.
Clean your machine's detergent drawer monthly to prevent product build-up from transferring back onto your laundry.
If you have hard water (common in parts of South Africa), residue can also come from mineral deposits. A water softener added to the drum can help, or use a detergent formulated for hard water.
Fabric softener is not an optional extra in a good laundry routine. Used correctly, it maintains the softness of your fabrics wash after wash, reduces static cling (particularly in synthetic garments and items dried in a tumble dryer), protects fibres from friction during washing, and leaves a lasting freshness that plain detergent cannot replicate.
Locate the dedicated softener compartment in your machine's detergent drawer (usually marked with a flower symbol) and add your softener there at the start of the cycle. The machine releases it automatically during the final rinse, which is the correct stage for softener to work. Never add softener directly to the drum or mix it with detergent, as this prevents it from working properly.
Sta-soft® Ultra Concentrate Lavender Dream is an excellent everyday choice, delivering 4x the softening power and fragrance of a standard fabric softener in a smaller dose. A single capful per load is all you need. For baby clothes, newborn bedding, or items for anyone with sensitive skin, Sta-soft® Baby is a hypoallergenic formula that's gentle enough for the most delicate fabrics while still leaving a soft, light freshness.
Fabric softener works differently depending on what you're washing, so it's worth adjusting your usage accordingly:
Towels and bathrobes: Towels benefit from a slightly more generous dose of fabric softener, as the cotton fibres in towelling tend to stiffen with repeated washing. Softener restores the plushness and absorbency you'd expect from a freshly bought towel. Avoid over-softening, as excessive softener can actually reduce absorbency over time.
Synthetic fabrics and sportswear: Synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon are prone to static, which causes garments to cling to the body and pick up lint. Fabric softener coats the fibres with a thin layer that dissipates static charge and makes these garments more comfortable to wear.
Cotton and everyday garments: A standard dose keeps cotton shirts, trousers, and casual garments soft, reduces creasing (making ironing easier), and preserves the colour and texture of the fabric over many washes.
Silk and fine fabrics: These naturally smooth fabrics need very little softener, and a small amount in the final rinse water is sufficient. Too much can weigh down delicate fibres. For hand-washing delicates, add a small amount of fabric softener to a basin of clean water for the final soak before laying flat to dry.
Do not use fabric softener on moisture-wicking or flame-retardant fabrics, as it can reduce the performance of these technical treatments.
Water temperature is one of the most consequential decisions in your laundry routine, for both your clothes and the environment. Heating water accounts for around 90% of the energy a washing machine uses in a single cycle, so washing at lower temperatures is one of the simplest ways to reduce your household's energy consumption.
The good news is that for most everyday garments, a 30°C wash is perfectly sufficient. Modern detergents are formulated to work effectively at lower temperatures, and washing at 30°C rather than 60°C can reduce the energy used per load by more than half, while still leaving your clothes clean and fresh.
As a general guide:
30°C: Suitable for lightly soiled everyday clothing, synthetic fabrics, delicates, and colour garments. This is the right default for most of your weekly laundry.
40°C: Suitable for thicker, more durable fabrics like denim, jackets, and heavily soiled casual wear. A 40°C wash provides more cleaning power for items that have been genuinely dirty rather than just worn.
60°C: Reserved for items that need sanitising. Bath towels, cotton bed linen, sportswear, baby clothes, and heavily soiled or bacteria-prone items should be washed at 60°C to kill bacteria and dust mites effectively.
Always check the care label before choosing a temperature. The label will indicate the maximum safe temperature for that garment, and always go to or below that limit. Using washing temperatures that are gentler on both fabrics and the environment is one of the most effective long-term habits you can build.
If your entire household switched to washing at 30°C for all lightly soiled loads, the cumulative energy saving over a year is substantial. Pair a lower temperature with a full (but not overloaded) drum and an energy-efficient machine, and your laundry routine becomes noticeably more sustainable without any compromise on results.
Drying is the final stage of the laundry process, and it's just as important as the wash itself. Remove clothes from the drum as soon as the cycle ends. Leaving wet laundry sitting in the machine, even for an hour or two, creates the warm, damp conditions that allow mold and mildew to develop, which is the cause of that musty smell that sometimes clings to laundry despite a thorough wash.
Both methods work well when used correctly, and choosing between them often comes down to the type of fabric, the weather, and whether you're in a hurry.
Air drying is the gentler and more energy-efficient option. Hanging clothes outside in natural sunlight is ideal, as UV rays have a mild natural disinfecting effect and will help keep whites bright. In South Africa's climate, outdoor drying is practical for most of the year. Hang items out in the morning and bring them in during the afternoon, before the evening dew settles. If drying indoors, hang as close to an open window as possible to allow airflow and prevent a musty smell from developing on the fabric.
Tumble drying is faster and practical for bulky items like towels and duvets, or during wet weather. Always check the care label before tumble drying and choose the appropriate heat setting. Low heat for synthetics and delicates, medium for cottons and everyday garments, and high only for sturdy cottons and towels that won't be damaged by the heat. Remove items while they're still very slightly damp to reduce wrinkling, and add a Sta-soft® fabric softener to your wash beforehand to reduce static in tumble-dried garments.
Small changes to your laundry habits can add up to a meaningful reduction in your household's environmental impact over time. These are the most effective changes to start with:
Wash at lower temperatures. As covered above, switching from 60°C to 30°C for everyday loads cuts energy use per cycle dramatically. Modern detergents are designed to clean well at lower temperatures, so you're not sacrificing results.
Run full loads. A washing machine uses roughly the same amount of water and energy whether it's half-empty or correctly loaded. Running full loads means fewer cycles per week, which directly reduces water, energy, and detergent use.
Use a concentrated fabric softener. Sta-soft® Ultra Concentrate requires a much smaller dose per wash than standard softeners, which means less packaging waste and more loads per bottle. Concentrated formulas are one of the simplest switches for a more sustainable laundry routine.
Air dry instead of tumble drying where possible. The tumble dryer is one of the most energy-intensive appliances in the home. Using it only when necessary, and choosing outdoor or indoor air drying as the default, makes a significant difference to both your energy bill and your carbon footprint.
Choose eco-friendly detergents. Look for detergents that are formulated to work at low temperatures, biodegradable, and free from unnecessary fillers. Using the correct dose also means fewer chemicals entering the water system per wash.
Even experienced laundry doers can fall into habits that damage clothes over time. Here are the most common ones worth correcting:
Overloading the drum. It's tempting to fit as much as possible into one load, but an overloaded machine can't clean clothes properly. The drum can't circulate freely, detergent doesn't distribute evenly, and the extra weight strains the motor. Stick to two-thirds full.
Using too much detergent. More detergent does not mean cleaner clothes. Excess detergent leaves residue on fabrics, clogs the machine's drum and drainage system, and can cause skin irritation on sensitive skin. Follow the dosing instructions and adjust for your load size.
Skipping fabric softener. Going without fabric softener over time leads to stiffer, less pleasant fabrics, increased static in synthetic garments, and a noticeably shorter freshness after washing. It also means your clothes may need ironing more often, as softened fabrics crease less.
Mixing all fabrics together. Washing everything in one load seems efficient but causes abrasion damage, colour transfer, and makes it impossible to select the right temperature for each fabric type. The few minutes spent sorting laundry pays back in longer-lasting clothes.
Leaving wet laundry in the machine. Mold and mildew can begin forming in as little as a few hours. Remove laundry immediately after the cycle ends and dry thoroughly before storing.
Not checking care labels. Every garment has a care label for a reason. Ignoring it, especially for temperature and drying instructions, is one of the fastest ways to ruin clothes.
What is the correct order: detergent or softener?
Add your laundry detergent to the main wash compartment (usually the largest drawer in the dispenser tray), and your fabric softener to the dedicated softener compartment, which is typically marked with a flower symbol. Both go in at the start of the cycle, and the machine releases them at the correct stages automatically. Never mix detergent and softener together, as they cancel each other out.
How often should I wash towels and bed linen?
Bath towels should be washed every three to four uses, or more frequently if they don't dry properly between uses. Washing too infrequently allows bacteria and dead skin cells to build up in the fabric, which is why towels can begin to smell unpleasant even when they look clean. Bed linen should be washed weekly, or at minimum every two weeks. Always wash towels and bed linen at 60°C to effectively eliminate bacteria and dust mites. For fresh results, add Sta-soft® fabric softener to keep them soft and fragrant between washes.
Can you wash different fabrics together?
Some fabrics can be washed together without issue, provided they are the same colour group and require the same temperature. For example, cotton T-shirts and cotton socks of similar colours can comfortably share a load. However, avoid washing heavy fabrics (denim, canvas) with lightweight ones (sheer blouses, lingerie), as the heavier items create friction that can damage delicate fibres. Delicates, wool, and silk should always be washed separately on appropriate gentle or wool cycles.
Getting your laundry routine right isn't complicated, but it does require a little attention to the details: sorting correctly, treating stains before they set, loading the machine properly, using the right temperature, and drying thoroughly. Each of these steps protects your clothes and helps them look their best for longer.
Adding Sta-soft® fabric softener to every wash brings it all together, leaving your laundry soft, static-free, and fragranced with a freshness that lasts long after the clothes are dry. Whether you prefer the crisp outdoors scent of Sta-soft® Spring Fresh, the soothing fragrance of Sta-soft® Lavender Fresh, or the gentle care of Sta-soft® Baby for the little ones' clothes, there's a formula for every household and every fabric type.
Explore the full Sta-soft® range and visit our Laundry Tips Hub for more expert advice on fabric care, stain removal, and drying techniques.
Consumer advice, not a substitute for manufacturer or product label instructions.
