Group garments that can undergo the same treatment and will not damage each other. Stable color, mechanical action, soil level, and fiber transfer should all be considered together.
Practical sorting order
- Remove items that require a different process or are excluded from home laundering.
- Group by compatible label and cycle limits.
- Separate dyes with a risk of bleeding from garments that can receive them, especially when they are new.
- Distinguish heavily soiled loads and garments that produce or attract lint.
For example, a delicate black garment does not need to share a cycle with a sturdy black towel. A light-colored fabric inside a two-tone garment means you must follow the instructions for the entire piece: it cannot be separated by parts.
Tests and accessories have limits
Perform a colorfastness test only if the manufacturer says how to do it and how to interpret the result. That one area does not release color in a spot check does not guarantee it will hold up through an entire wash.
Color-catcher sheets, if approved, do not replace sorting and do not allow you to mix items that are meant to be washed separately. Do not use their presence as a reason to raise the temperature or ignore separate-wash warnings.
Handling small loads
Look for the compatible group that fits the cycle, without letting damp laundry pile up indefinitely just to reach a large load. Adjust amount and distribution based on the model. If transfer has already occurred, separate the affected items and see how to recover clothes stained by another garment before drying.
When one item prevents you from forming a compatible load, sort it separately. A color-catcher accessory does not remove that restriction.