If you spot small holes in your clothes, do this immediately!

Ever pulled your favourite t-shirt out of the wash and spotted tiny holes? Heartbreaking, right? Straight away we put the blame onto the washing machine, but there’s usually a different culprit. 

There are plenty of causes behind those pesky holes, and your washing machine might not even be to blame. Let’s get to the bottom of this laundry mystery and save your wardrobe!

What’s Wrecking Your Clothes? 

There are loads of things that could be causing your clothes to come out of the washer full of holes. Which include;

Overloading The Drum Of Your Washing Machine

We’ve all been there: shoving in just one more jumper. But cramming your machine is like a wrestling match for your clothes. 

Fabrics get squashed, stretched, and sometimes shoved between the drum and the seal. Once they get trapped, they’re put under so much pressure as the drum spins and they start to get hole-y. 

Too many clothes crammed in the drum is the ideal breeding ground for fibres to weaken and get caught up with each other. The result? Ripped clothes.

The Wrong Spin Cycle Can Cause Damage

Did you know spin cycles have speed limits? It’s true! Silks need a gentle spin (400 rpm), delicates can stand slightly more speed (600 rpm) while denim can take even more (900 rpm), woollens can take a bit more speed (1200 rpm) while cottons can handle a faster whirl (1400 rpm). 

Mixing silks with denim is a bad idea. That’s a recipe for disaster and some shredded silks. Not only do they need different spin speeds, but denim is much tougher than silk and just being together in the drum can cause holes to appear in your silk clothes.

Ignoring Care Labels

Care labels aren’t just there for decoration, you know. They’re basically the cheat sheet for washing your clothes without wrecking them. 

Pretty much every item of clothing you own will have a wash care label. The trouble is most of us always use the same wash cycle on the machine no matter what we’re washing.

Most modern clothes are made from materials that can easily be damaged. This is made even more likely if you wash them using the wrong cycle.

Stick to the instructions, or you’ll end up beating your clothes to death on the wrong setting.

Too Much Bleach 

Bleach might be your go to for bright whites, but overdo it, and you’re literally burning holes into your clothes. 

Stick to diluted solutions or try using white vinegar. It won’t damage your fabrics, is eco friendly and smells less like a chemistry lab.

Using The Wrong Detergent

It’s hard to imagine that using the wrong detergent could cause holes in your clothes in the washer, but that could be exactly what’s happening. Using low quality cheap detergent can cause damage to the fibres of your clothes over time.

That damage can lead to holes to start appearing in your clothes. And that’s not all. Using a decent detergent can cause damage if the fabric can’t take the power of that detergent.

For example, silk and wool items have their own special detergents designed to be gentle enough not to damage them. If you wash wool or silk items using regular detergent, they could be damaged.

Plus, if you use the wrong wash cycle as well, it’s game over.

Zips and Clasps Left Undone

Ever noticed how zips and clasps snag everything in sight? It’s like they’re on a mission to destroy.  If you put your clothes in the drum along with any open clasps or zips, they will catch any stray fibres they can get a hold of.

Do your clothes a favour, zip them up and fasten any hooks before throwing them in the wash.

Metal Objects In Pockets

Keys, coins, screws (who’s keeping screws in their pockets, by the way?) These are your laundry’s worst enemies. 

They will either catch on items in the drum or damage the drum or other parts of your washer. Either way, your clothes are at risk.

Always double check your pockets before you hit the start button.

Bra Wires

Bra wires can cause problems if they get caught between the drum and the side of the machine. 

You might miss this when you’re loading the drum, but as the drum spins, that bra wire starts to catch on clothes making them tear.

Drum Damage

If anything metal gets caught on the drum or drum paddles, it can cause damage to the machine. This can lead to your clothes snagging on that damage and getting ripped.

Always check your machine for any damage, the easiest way to check your machine is to wrap a pair of old tights around your hand. Then spin the drum and move your tights covered hand all around the drum.

If they snag, you know you have a problem that needs dealing with pronto!

Cheap Clothes Could Be The Problem

Sometimes it’s not your fault; it’s the clothes. There are cheap clothes all over the internet and in stores as well. The trouble is that cheaply made garments tend to give up on life much faster, and those tiny holes are their cry for help. 

If you do buy cheap clothes, you can’t expect them to last forever. At some point they will tear or develop the odd hole or two.

Mixing The Rough With The Smooth

Delicate clothes can’t share a wash with rougher, more robust materials. It’s as simple as that, if you put all your clothes in the same wash, you have to expect some damage.

You need to get out of that only ever using one or two wash programs and keep your delicates away from your workwear. On the odd occasion when you do need to put something delicate in with a general load, use a mesh laundry bag to protect it.

Not Unloading The Drum

If you’re in the habit of leaving wet clothes in the drum of your washer, you just might be the cause of the problem. That damp, dark environment you’ve created is the perfect conditions for insects. 

Some, like silverfish thrive in these damp dark environments and are known to chew on clothes. You need to always remove your clothes from the washer as soon as the cycle has ended.

Body Sprays & Deodorants

Believe it or not, some sprays contain chemicals that can weaken fabrics over time. That hole near your armpit? Might not be a coincidence. 

Use sprays sparingly, and try not to smother your clothes.

Moths In The Wardrobe

Sometimes it’s not the wash; it’s the wardrobe. Moths (or more accurately, their munchy little babies) love snacking on your favourite fabrics. 

Get yourself some moth traps or moth killer sachets and reclaim your closet.

What to Do About It 

There are a few things you can do to help prevent holes forming in your clothes in the washer. These include;

Using Fabric Conditioner 

Think of it as armour for your clothes. Fabric conditioner reduces friction by lubrication. Your clothes don’t rub each other to shreds in the drum if they’re coated in fabric conditioner.

Using An Alternative To Fabric Conditioner

Don’t have any fabric conditioner or don’t like to use it? White vinegar works too, just don’t use the brown stuff unless you’re into tie dye stains.

All you need to do is add ½ a cup (118 ml) of white vinegar to your wash. It does the same job as fabric softener and doesn’t leave your clothes smelling like a bag of chips.

Air Dry For The Naturally Gentle Dry

Tumble dryers are like the wild west for your clothes, lawless and full of danger. The rough and tumble action of the drier combined with excessive heat can spell disaster for your fabrics.

Stick to a clothesline or airer for a gentler approach. Your clothes will smell amazing after blowing in all of that fresh air and there’s less chance of damage.

Use A Dehumidifier For Indoor Drying

Drying indoors? A dehumidifier speeds things up and keeps your house from smelling like a damp sock. They remove moisture from the air which allows your clothes to dry faster.

Let’s Keep The Conversation Going

Have you had a washing disaster? Maybe you’ve got a tip to save your favourite jeans from doom? Share your stories in the comments! 

And if you know someone battling the hole-y clothes plague, send this their way, let’s save wardrobes together!

SEE ALSO: Throw Away Your Iron! This Tumble Dryer Trick Will Change Your Life

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