Credit: July Ko/Shuttestock
When I was about 12 or 13, my mother caught me filling the washing machine with clothing that was not turned inside out. Yes, I knew better, but I wasn’t convinced it was worth the extra time: Time I ended up losing anyway when my mother lectured me on the financial necessity of this step, and how clothing is often dirtiest on the inside. Even my father—who, at that point, I had never seen do a single load of laundry—chimed in about how he was instructed to wash his uniform inside out when he was in the army.
The concept makes sense, but how necessary is it really? To find out, I asked someone with professional laundry experience: Jonathon Reckles, who has worked for CD One Price Cleaners, a dry cleaning and laundry chain with more than 40 locations throughout the Midwest, since 2017, and currently serves as the vice president of marketing. Here are the pros and cons of washing clothing inside out—and how to determine whether it’s actually worth the extra steps.
Should you turn clothing inside out before washing it?
There are two main reasons why washing clothing inside out is so widely recommended: It exposes (and cleans) what’s often the dirtier side, and protects the outside of garments from damage and other signs of wear.
Unless there’s visible dirt or stains on the outside of a piece of clothing—or you know for a fact that there’s something gross on it—the inside is likely the filthiest part. Though fresh, sterile sweat is typically odorless, that changes when it comes in contact with some of the bacteria, fungi, and small arthropods that live on our skin’s surface. In addition to all that, the inside of clothing also comes in contact with skin oils, flakes of shedded skin, body hair, discharge, and other secretions and fluids.
Additionally, Reckles says that turning your clothes inside out before washing them is a simple and effective way to protect and retain their quality. “This practice helps to protect the fabric during the wash cycle and prevents damage to the outer surface of your clothes,” he says.
Here are some specific pros and cons of washing clothing inside out:
The pros
Exposes the inner grime: It more thoroughly cleans the part touching your skin.
Helps prevent lingering body odors: The insides of clothing tend to get the most exposure to sweat and other bodily fluids.
Reduces pilling: Though washing machines aren’t to blame for pilling, it can accelerate the process once it starts.
Protects colors: Helps prevent bleeding and fading
Protects designs: Helps keep prints, decals, transfers, airbrushing, embroidery, and decorative elements on the outside of clothing safe.
Reduces snagging: Especially from zippers and buttons.
Protects fastening elements: Prevent damage to things like Velcro, snaps, and ties.
Maintains the shape of garments: Prevent agitator friction and damage on the outside.
The cons
Takes more time and effort: Turning them inside out before washing, and then turning them back once they’re clean.
Less effective on external dirt and grime: This is obviously not ideal when the dirtiest part of the item is on the outside.
Can damage delicates: Though there’s not a definitive list of materials that should never be washed inside out, Reckles says that it’s best to avoid it when washing delicate fabrics, like silk and wool, as it can damage their fibers.
Should you dry clothing inside out?
Do the same rules apply to drying your clothing? In this case, there’s no agitator, but there is static cling—which Reckles says can be reduced by drying clothing inside out. “Static cling happens when clothes rub against each other while drying, resulting in an electrical charge build-up,” he explains. “To minimize static build-up and make ironing and folding easier, dry your clothes inside out. This way, the outer surface of the garment is less likely to interact with other surfaces, ultimately reducing static.”
It’s also a good idea to make sure your clothes are turned inside out before line-drying them outside, according to Reckles. “This is because direct sunlight can cause fading over time, and by turning your clothes inside out, the sun’s rays are less likely to hit the outside of the fabric directly,” he says.
Similarly, you can leave your wet, freshly washed clothing inside out when air drying indoors. This makes the biggest difference for sweaters, or any other items that can easily get stretched out when wet—the kind you’d lay flat to dry instead of hanging for the same reason. Unless you’re intentionally reshaping the sweater while it’s wet, you’re better off handling it as little as possible after washing it; instead, wait until they’re dry to do that. It’s also helpful to dry anything with pockets—pants, jeans, dresses, skirts, hoodies, etc.—inside out so that the material forming the pockets gets maximum air exposure and isn’t trapped inside the garment while wet.
How much of a difference does washing your clothes inside out actually make?
Our homes are filled with objects that have cleaning and maintenance recommendations to help make them last longer—but we all take shortcuts, and clothing is likely no exception. Here’s what to consider:
The clothing: Is it a higher-end investment piece you hope to wear for years, or a T-shirt that you bought in a five-pack on clearance? What does the clothing label say?
Your time: Are you able to take some additional time doing laundry, or are you barely able to get to it as it is?
How/where it was worn: Is this a load of underwear and T-shirts (where the inside is likely the dirtiest part), or items with dirt and stains on the outside?
Drying method: Are you drying your clothing in a dryer, or line-drying it inside or outside?
Cost: Are you making an effort to care for your clothing so it lasts as long as possible?
Sustainability: Are you making an effort to preserve the condition of your clothing in an attempt to reduce waste?
The bottom line is that yes, washing and drying clothing inside out can help them last longer, but you’ll have to decide when taking the extra time to do that is worth it.
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