10 Habits That Make Your Clothes Wear Out Faster

Not Following the Care Labels

The most important part of caring for your clothes? According to Frances Kozen, senior lecturer in fiber science at Cornell University, it’s reading care labels. “Consumers are very bad at checking care labels—but they are important! Many fabrics indicate that no fabric softener should be used, as it will impede function, especially for children’s sleepwear, performance athletic clothing that is designed to wick moisture, and water repellant or waterproof fabrics. Labels will indicate if a wool must be dried flat or can be machine dried, for instance, or if something really should be dry cleaned or hand-washed.”

Washing Delicates With Sturdier Clothes

Washing lingerie with jeans may not be the best idea for the longevity of your more delicate items. “Mixing lightweight synthetic garments with heavy cotton like jeans is not ideal because drying times differ greatly,” Kozen says. “For instance, underwear often contains elastomeric fibers that should not be laundered or dried on high heat.”

“Consider hang-drying delicates and items made of synthetic fibers that dry quickly,” Kozen suggests.

Not Sorting Clothing Properly

In general, it’s best to separate as much as possible by both color and type of fabric—which can be easier to do when you have a massive amount of laundry. But if you don’t have that much laundry, Kozen suggests prioritizing sorting by fiber type and garment weight first, as long as the colored clothes have been washed a few times already. “For instance, you can do a load of underwear, pajamas, and tops,” Kozen says. “But new colors should be washed with like colors for several washes.”

Not Zipping Your Clothes When You Wash

A zipper’s teeth can wreak havoc on your other clothes, causing snags or wear on them. By closing the zippers before you wash, you reduce the amount of friction and damage they can do to your other clothing.

Overwashing Your Clothes

Washing and drying your clothes can be tough on them—so if you’re doing it after every wear, you’re probably shortening their lives unnecessarily. Yes, things like underwear and T-shirts probably need to be washed after every use, but you may be surprised at how long you can go between washes on many other items of clothing. (You can check out our laundry chart here to see how long you can go between washes!)

Using Too Much Detergent

More isn’t better when it comes to laundry detergent. If that extra detergent doesn’t get washed away in the wash cycle, it can make your clothes stiff and even attract dirt, making them uncomfortable to wear and shortening their lives. Make sure you carefully follow the instructions on the detergent label for your washing machine type. “Detergents are formulated based on considerable research on fibers, fabric finishes, and washing machines,” Kozen says.

Washing in Water That’s Too Hot

Using water that’s too hot for the type of fabric you’re washing can shrink your clothing and cause colors to fade. Consider this another vote for following the care labels and washing your clothes appropriately!

Wearing the Wrong Clothes for an Activity

This may seem pretty basic, but wearing the wrong clothes for the activity you’re doing can lead to your clothes getting damaged before their time. (For instance, your cashmere sweater may not be the best pick for a rigorous hike!) Choose your wardrobe accordingly.

Washing Right Side Out

The friction in the washing machine and dryer can abrade your clothing, causing fading, pilling, and snags. If you turn your clothes inside out for washing, any damage happens on the interior—so the side that faces out is preserved for longer.

Not Doing Basic Maintenance

Letting snags, pills, or small tears go allows them to become worse over time. Taking the time for basic maintenance, such as shaving away pills or mending tears as they happen, keep tiny imperfections from becoming major issues.