Laundry Bags: 11 Commonly Asked Questions Answered

Quite often, to save our time we tend to mix our laundry loads in the washer and this can often damage the delicate clothes and increase the wear and tear due to the different fabric types being rubbed against each other.

Laundry bags are a great way to protect your clothes and keep them looking newer for longer.

Laundry bags can be used for a wide range of articles such as delicates, undergarments, baby clothes, white clothes, and more.

Let’s take a look at some helpful answers surrounding Laundry Bags

What is a laundry bag used for? 

Laundry bags are used to prevent your delicates from causing any wear & tear in the wash process, especially during the spin cycle.

These bags are made from mesh or netting with zippered or drawstring openings where you can insert your delicates and then ziplock the bags, followed by loading them into the laundry.

The mesh or the netting allows the water and soap to easily soak and clean the fabrics with ease.

Once you add the selected fabrics to these laundry bags simply, put them in the washer as you do with your regular laundry.

Can you put laundry bags in the washing machine?

Laundry bags are designed to be used with the washing machines, therefore you can put the laundry bags in the washing machines after adding your selected fabrics. Using laundry bags will preserve the condition of your delicates, shirts, pants, sweatshirts, etc.

What type of laundry bag is best?

Here are a few tips that you may consider while selecting a laundry bag.

Should Be Made of Breathable Polyester

Laundry bags made with a breathable polyester mesh is always preferred in order to allow soap and water to easily flow through the garments.

Should be Suitable for both Washers and Dryers

It should be suitable for washing machines as well as the dryers, hence always check the care labels before you buy a laundry bag.

Should have Antirust Zip

To secure fabrics it is best to have a zipper laundry bag with antirust zips and should also include zip locking.

The zip locking feature helps in preventing the fabrics to fall out of the bags during the wash cycle.

The other types of laundry bag locks are Net-clips, drawstrings, and toggle clasps.

What should I wash in a laundry bag?

You can wash multiple clothes using a laundry bag and the most commonly washed clothes are the delicates.

Once you add the delicates into the laundry bags to clean them using your washing machine, it will help protect your fabric’s wear and tear during the wash cycle.

Do clothes get clean in mesh laundry bags?

The mesh laundry bags allow enough room for water and detergent mixtures to drive through your fabrics during the wash cycles.

So your clothes will be just as clean as they would be without the bag.

Mesh laundry bags are a definite win-win.

Can you wash delicates with other clothes using laundry bags?

Delicates should always be washed separately from other garments to avoid any wear and tear. Delicate fabrics often snag on other garments and also loses shape, so it’s best to keep them isolated in the mesh bag.

How to make a DIY Laundry bag for a washing machine?

To make a DIY laundry bag you will need a scissor, net fabric (polyester preferred) or a scarf, soft pillowcase.

Follow the below steps to make a 10”x8” laundry bag using a scarf or a netting fabric

Step 1: Using scissors, cut the scarf into the below dimensions.

• 21 inches long
• 9 inches wide

(Here 1 inch extra is kept for joints or stitches).

Step 2: Give a single fold to the scarf.

This will bring the length of the scarf to 10.5 inches.

Step 3: By keeping a ½-inch space stitch the scarf either using a needle & thread or through a sewing machine.

Stitch the sides from the bottom corners to the top. 

Note – If you are using a mesh or netting fabrics then simply use 2 strips of cloth in order to cover and stitch the sides from the bottom to the top edges.

Now the bag is ready with 3 sides secured and left with only a single opening at the top.

Step 4: Now reverse the scarf to get the stitched edges inside of the bag.

Step 5: For the opening, you may either use laces or stitch a zipper to secure and cover the fabrics inside.

Note – It’s recommended to use antirust zippers.

By following the above steps, you can make your own DIY laundry bags, you can always increase OR Decrease the bag sizes according to your requirements.

Alternatively, you can make a laundry bag using a soft pillow cover case.

To make a DIY laundry bag using pillow covers is actually very easy.

Most pillow covers are secured on the 3 sides with one opening.

Simply stitch a zipper on the opening or use a rubber band to secure the fabrics in the pillowcase.

Your laundry bag is ready.

Lastly, Before you choose any fabric to make a DIY laundry bag, make sure it is suitable for your washing machine’s wash programs and the dryers.

Note – Some pillow covers already have a zipper attached to the opening, such covers can also be used as a laundry bag.

What can you use in place of a laundry bag?

There are two approaches that you can take.

Delicate Only Wash

You may simply add the delicate fabrics to the washtub and run the delicate cycle without mixing other load types.

Use Pillowcase

If you want to mix loads with the delicates without using a laundry bag, then simply add the delicate fabrics to a pillow case and secure the opening using a rubber band OR by attaching a zip to the pillowcase opening.

And then, add them to the washtub and run your desired cycle loads.

How do you use a laundry bag in the dryer?

Laundry bags can be added to a dryer right after the wash.

Simply pull the laundry bags out of the washer and put them in the dryer.

Alternatively, if you are concerned about the fabrics inside the laundry bag and want to be extra careful, follow the below steps.

• After a wash, open the laundry bag and untangle the loaded fabrics.
• Put the laundry items back in the laundry bags.
• And then put the laundry bag in the dryer, doing this will create some room for hot air to pass.

Note – For first use, some manufacturers do not recommend using a brand new laundry bag directly in the dryer. So it’s better to use the laundry bag in the washing machine first.

Can Laundry Bags with delicates go in the dryer?

A Laundry Bag with delicates can go in the dryer, provided you select the right temperature suitable for delicate fabrics and the laundry bags.

If you are mixing the load with the laundry bag containing delicate fabrics then make sure you remove the bag in the mid-cycle and let the other loads continue until the dry cycle completes.

How to wash bras in a laundry bag?

To wash a bra in a regular in your regular laundry bag, you may follow the below steps:

• Fasten the bra before you put it in the laundry bag.
• If the bra is not fastened then there is a higher possibility of the hooks damaging the mesh bags.
• Now put the bras in the regular laundry bag and secure the opening using a rubber band OR a zip.
• Make sure you leave ample room for the garment to swirl freely in the laundry bag.
• Load the bag to the washer and simply select the delicates cycle.
• After the wash cycle is complete, untangle the bra and other inner wear before putting them in a dryer.
• Put the mesh bag in the dryer and adjust the temperature according to the care label on the bra and then run the dry cycle.

Bra wash Bags

For better results, you can simply get a Bra wash bag that is made using soft, durable, and double-layered mesh.

They have rigid plastic frames to support the bag and maintain its shape.

Furthermore, they are designed to protect your delicates from tangling, hooking, or pulling in the washer or dryer.

These bra wash bags can be easily bought online or at the local stores.

In order to wash Bras using Bra Wash Bags, simply follow the below steps.

• Simply, fasten the bra and load them into the bra wash bags and run the delicate cycles.
• To add these wash bags to dryers refer to the care labels.

How do you wash a bra in a pillowcase?

Simply hook the bras and put them in the pillow case, if your pillowcase is secured with a zipper then you may ziplock the pillow case and add it to the delicate wash cycle in your washing machine. 

If the opening is unsecured then simply use a rubber band to secure the opening and then run the wash cycle.

Should you use laundry bags in the dryer?

In order to dry your fabrics, you can use the laundry bags in the dryer.

Most laundry bags are dryer safe and you can always check the care labels before setting up the temperature for a dry cycle.

In fact, you can stick to a low-temperature setting while drying your fabrics using laundry bags.

Also Read: Laundry Pods: 12 Answers you should know

Final Thoughts

Laundry bags are extremely useful and help to protect your delicate fabrics while they undergo the wash and dry cycles.

They are also quite versatile and can be used to store other items such as seasonal clothing, beddings, and other fabrics.

Laundry bags are also available in different materials such as mesh, fabric, and even plastic and they are an affordable addition to your laundry supplies.

You can simply choose the right laundry bag depending on your fabric type and washing machine settings.

Lastly, when using a laundry bag in the dryer, it is important to check the care label and use a low-temperature setting.