If you’ve never used a mesh laundry bag before you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. Why would a little mesh bag help you do your laundry?
But have you ever had a zipper snag on your brand new yoga pants? Had a blouse button caught in the yarn of your wool sweater? Lost one of your two-year-old’s favorite socks? (Cue screaming child…)
All of these scenarios could be avoided by using a washable mesh laundry bag.
The bag is made from a porous material that allows the water and soap to pass through, while providing protection for the articles inside. To use one, you just add the items you want to protect, close and secure it, and toss it in the washing machine.
How to Use a Mesh Laundry Bag
It is quite simple. Whenever you have a specific piece of clothes that requires a higher level of protection in the washing machine, you will use a mesh laundry bag. Just put that kind of clothes in a mesh bag and zip it up. Then, you can wash it with the rest of the items without being scared of them getting damaged.
When to Use a Mesh Laundry Bag
To preserve delicate fabrics:
This is generally the number one reason people use a mesh laundry bag. Fabrics such as nylon, wool, silk, and lace are prone to stretching, pilling, and snags in a washing machine, so most of these clothes will tell you to hand wash.
Though we still recommend hand washing very delicate items, you can often put items such as undergarments, swimsuits, and hosiery in a washable laundry bag and use the delicate cycle on your machine.
To protect embellishments:
Decorative work like beads and sequins are known to take a battering in the washing process, but a washable laundry bag is the perfect solution. By keeping those items separate and protected by a layer of fabric, you won’t have to worry about them catching on other items and falling loose into the machine.
To wash lingerie:
Bras are particularly troublesome to wash because the material is delicate and easily damaged, and the hooks are dangerous for your other clothes in the wash. Securing them in a washable bag protects both the bras and your other fabrics. Plus, it will keep the band and straps from getting stretched out!
To secure your socks (or other small items):
No more lost socks! Can you imagine? It’s a great feeling. We recommend having a mesh laundry bag just for your socks. That way you can keep it with your laundry basket and put your socks straight into the bag when you take them off. Then zip it up, wash and dry, and voila! No more sad single socks tucked away in a shoe box deep in your closet.
How to Choose a Mesh Laundry Bag
There are several different types of washable laundry bags so you’ll want to think about what you plan to use it for when you select one.
Look at:
- Is it a tight weave, or an open mesh? Generally anything labeled as a washable laundry bag is porous enough to get a good wash, so you’re really just choosing the level of protection you want. A tighter weave offers more protection.
- Draw strings tend to get tangled in the wash, and plastic gator clips or cinch locks bounce knock around on the inside of your washer, so they can be loud and prone to break in an HE washer with high spin speeds. Zippers are more reliable and secure but make sure it has a sleeve for the zipper head to avoid more snagging.
- Keep in mind that the items need a little space for water to move through and do its job, so you don’t want to pack the bag too tight. Rather than getting one large bag, we recommend several slightly smaller ones, since it’s usually better to separate too much than too little.
- While many of the delicate fabrics you’ll use a bag for shouldn’t go in the dryer, if you’re using it for socks this is a must.
Ready to Give It a Try?
At Kind Laundry we’re all in on being kind to your clothes and extending the life of your wardrobe.
We designed our washable mesh laundry bag to fit all the suggested qualities above and to be high-quality and durable.
Laundry should be easy, and we’re doing everything we can to make it that way. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
