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? asked in Home & GardenCleaning & Laundry · 10 years ago

If I always use cold water for laundry, what is the least number of loads I can separate colored clothes into?

I know darks and lights are the general distinctions, but colors don't really fall neatly into those two.

I'm thinking about three piles:

1) Reds, oranges, and pinks.

2) Yellows, Greens, Light Blues, Lavenders, Grays.

3) Royal to Dark Blues, Purples, Blacks.

Is there a way I can have just two piles?

Or can I even put all the colored clothes together? I only use cold water and the gentle cycle of the machine, so that's the most I can do to prevent bleeding, right? None of the clothes are new. I also put vinegar into the final rinse so I don't use fabric softener sheets in the dryer.

2 Answers

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  • 10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    i only wash in cold water, darks & all in together never had darks or reds run, done it for years, i try & do what i can for the environment

  • Alison
    Lv 7
    10 years ago

    I always wash cold. I keep the darkest colors together and the lighter colors with the whites.

    I always have a third load but that's because we both are do-it-yourselfers and get super dirty and greasy, including lots of cleaning rags. The dirtiest stuff is my third load.

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