# When doing laundry--what order to add things to the machine? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478 "2010-08-07T02:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/41 "2010-08-09T03:22:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The instructions on the inside of the lid say to put in the detergent, then the clothes, then start up the machine, so that’s what I do, and then go away for a half-hour until they need to be put in the dryer. I’m sure there are other ways that work, too, but I know this way works, and I can’t see much benefit to me in doing it any other way. Well, everyone says something differently. I know my way has worked, too, but I can’t help thinking…what if there’s a whole new world of laundered clothes out there that I’m unaware of? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/42 "2010-08-13T20:55:48Z")
Just did laundry again. My machines say, “Detergent, clothes, start up machine.” And that’s what I did. And if you start it up and then open it, the water stops filling, so looks I can’t mix the water with the detergent up before adding the clothes. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/43 "2010-08-13T21:53:27Z")
Yeah, but you can put in the detergent and then let the machine run a few minutes (door closed - no clothes) to add a few inches of water, then open the lid (water stops), add your clothes, and close the lid again (rest of cycle). That’s how I’ve always done it. Actually, what I REALLY do is put in detergent, turn on water, then go get the laundry - thus giving the machine time to run some water into the detergent and mix it up - and throw it in. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/44 "2010-08-14T03:32:07Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Sounds to me like some of you need better towels, too. I’ve had that kind of problems, but only with El Pato Cheapo brands. I bought these stupid towels at Macy’s, where they were on sale. I can see why. Brand name Martha Stewart. I should have looked closer. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/45 "2010-08-14T18:08:53Z")
I forget where I read this tip, but if your plastic shower curtain is getting grimy, rather than spray and scrub it, take it down and put it in the washing machine with towels on the inside, the curtain on the outside, and the towels will “scrub” the curtain clean. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/46 "2010-08-14T18:20:03Z")
I usually just get a new shower curtain… ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/47 "2010-08-14T18:42:53Z")
I’m with you. Shower curtain liners cost like $3. Any time I’d spend cleaning them is worth way more than $3. > [@Jamicat](#): > > Bleach doesn’t make clothes white, just holy. You’re doing it wrong. Whites do eventually get dingy, and bleach is just bleach, not magic, but it certainly does help to keep things white. If you’re using enough bleach to eat through fabric, you’re using too much bleach. Anyway; water bleach (if applicable) detergent (liquid) laundry ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/48 "2010-08-14T19:18:41Z")
I bought [this](http://www.amazon.com/Maytex-Mildew-Shower-Curtain-Liner/dp/B001T4ZAX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1281813371&sr=1-1) one, or a variant of it, for $15 that’s PVC and promises to be mildew free, so washing it does make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Add99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Add99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Add99)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/49 "2010-08-14T21:18:00Z")
I cram as much crap as will fit, shove a few more items in, dump an over-full cup of cheapo white crap with flavor crystals on top and let 'er rip. Chunk the whole mess in the dryer and then throw it on the floor. Done. But then, I was raised in a barn. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478/50 "2010-08-15T00:10:47Z")
I do what the instructions say. On public washers that tends to be detergent, clothes, water. For my own washing machine when I had a top loader, the detergent went into a separate drawer. Now that we have a front loader it still goes into a separate drawer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-doing-laundry-what-order-to-add-things-to-the-machine/549478.md?page=2)