For those of you who have never used a laundry bag before, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. But if you’ve ever had your tights come out of the wash with a new ladder in them, or found them tangled up in your bedsheets, then this could have been avoided with a zipped laundry bag. It’s especially helpful for delicate fabrics and items prone to snagging or damage in the drum.
While washing machines have come a long way in caring for your delicate items, we still can’t control what happens during a washing machine cycle. A washing machine cycle creates more friction than a hand wash, so the risk is higher when machine washing your clothes. This extra movement can lead to stretching or snagging, especially with finer materials.
The good news is a zipped laundry bag is an easy way to reduce stress on your fabrics. The bags provide a protective layer between items in the wash, helping prevent damage while still giving them a thorough clean. It’s one of the simplest ways of protecting delicate garments during a wash cycle, keeping them looking their best for longer. And when you pair a laundry bag with the right wash-day essentials - like high quality detergents, refreshers and protective storage - you give every garment its best chance at looking beautiful for years.
HOW TO USE A LAUNDRY BAG
To use a laundry bag, simply place your delicate items inside - whether that’s tights that easily ladder or soft knitwear - zip it closed, and pop it in the washing machine. The bag creates a protective layer that helps prevent stretching or snagging during the wash cycle. If you’re doing a delicates-only wash, choose your machine’s delicates cycle and pair it with our Knitwear & Delicates Detergent; or, if you’re adding items like tights to a general load, use a normal cycle with our Everyday Laundry for the best all-round care.
WHEN TO USE A LAUNDRY BAG
A laundry bag is most useful when you’re washing delicate fabrics like nylon, wool, silk or lace, as these fibres are more prone to pilling, stretching and snagging. Using a zipped laundry bag gives them an extra protective layer during the wash cycle. To care for these items even further, pair it with a gentle, fabric-friendly detergent such as our Knitwear & Delicates Detergent, which helps protect fibres while beautifully scenting your clothes.
Your zipped laundry bag is also a lifesaver for lingerie, as bras are easily damaged in the drum and their hooks can catch on other garments. If this has happened before, you can find our simple repair advice in the bra-mending blog linked here.
Laundry bags are equally helpful for clothing with embellishments or embroidery. Separating these items and washing them inside the bag prevents beads, sequins and threads from causing damage to your other garments — and keeps the delicate detailing intact.
OTHER WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR CLOTHES
Your precious clothes deserve specialist care, and there are lots of small changes you can make to extend the life of your wardrobe favourites. One of the easiest upgrades is choosing products that support your clothes throughout their wash-and-wear cycle. Our Scent & Protect Box brings together everything you need to care for delicate fabrics in one place - including our pH-neutral Knitwear & Delicates Detergent, Clothing Sprays, Natural Scent Bags and Drawer Liners, along with other seasonal products and tools — making it the perfect all-round kit for keeping treasured items fresh, soft and protected.
Another simple way to extend garment life is to reduce how often you wash them. When a piece isn’t quite ready for the laundry basket but needs a quick refresh, our Clothing Spritz lightly deodorises and cleans so you can skip unnecessary cycles. And for general washing, the Everyday Laundry Box offers gentle, effective formulas that cleanse thoroughly while staying kind to fibres.
If you’d like more clothing care advice, you might enjoy our blog on how to repair a hole in knitwear. And to explore our full range of specialist detergents and wardrobe-care tools, follow the button below.
