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Original poster

To not separate my colours

57 replies

tipitall · 06/02/2026 21:23

There must be a way to wash everything together and not have white shirts and t shirts turn grey. Any tips?

OP posts:
Copperoliverbear · 06/02/2026 22:52

Same as @MsSmartShoes

landlordhell · 06/02/2026 22:43

tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:12

@FourEyesGood @Thehop
Thanks but as a single person, I'll end up having to wait ages to get a full white or mixed basket!

Show quote history

Bedding and towels? Mine are white/ cream Si there is always a white wash every week .

HollyIvie · 06/02/2026 22:43

I have to separate my whites. Can’t stand greys!

Newyearawaits · 06/02/2026 22:42

Beckmanns

Newyearawaits · 06/02/2026 22:41

I have whites that still look new and white years later. Always wash separately on hot wash with Dr Beckham white sachets added to the drum. As others have said, I save my whites to wash together.
At last count, I had 40 pairs of white knickers 😃

TheChosenTwo · 06/02/2026 22:41

I separate whites and everything else goes in together.
Dh has white shirts that all go in at the end of the week along with any white towels and socks. I had been using the dr Beckmann whitening sachet things to throw in with them but I had a thought that they were probably terrible for the environment so I haven’t bought any in a while.

7238SM · 06/02/2026 22:40

I too have used colour catchers for years. Its just DH and me, we both WFH, no uniforms, and mix white and colours all the time.

itsthetea · 06/02/2026 22:40

I don’t really have whites so it’s not a problem

landlordhell · 06/02/2026 22:40

I have two batches: white and creams in one wash and blacks and coloureds in another unless they are new blacks that may run.

Ohfudgeoff · 06/02/2026 22:39

MsSmartShoes · 06/02/2026 21:57

i am a complete slattern, but here are my washing categories:
whites
lights
brights
darks
blacks

Meanwhile my washing categories:

  1. General washing
  2. See one.
Silverbirchleaf · 06/02/2026 22:38

tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:12

@FourEyesGood @Thehop
Thanks but as a single person, I'll end up having to wait ages to get a full white or mixed basket!

Show quote history

Buy more white clothes?

Silverbirchleaf · 06/02/2026 22:37

TheDogsMother · 06/02/2026 22:09

Whites are one wash and coloured are another. That’s it.

Me too.

Clefable · 06/02/2026 22:34

I use colour catchers sheets and chuck everything in together. We have separate laundry baskets for each household member as it prevents spending ages separating clothes and taking them to correct room etc, so further separation would defeat the object. If anything does go grey then it wasn’t welcome in this house in the first place.

DappledThings · 06/02/2026 22:29

I just don't have any white clothing to solve this problem. Apart from school tops which are compulsory. But even with two DC that's only 10 really small white items a week so I just accept that my whites wash will always be tiny. I don't separate anything else.

I don't own any white sheets or towels either to bulk it out.

Davros · 06/02/2026 22:25

Swaytheboat · 06/02/2026 21:27

Chuck it all in and throw out the stuff that doesn't survive. We don't have white or cream clothes in our house.

This is my method. Avoid white/light clothing and treat any that goes grey as collateral damage

Allseeingallknowing · 06/02/2026 22:22

MsSmartShoes · 06/02/2026 21:57

i am a complete slattern, but here are my washing categories:
whites
lights
brights
darks
blacks

Add:
Towels
Bedding
Tea towels

NewYearNewMee · 06/02/2026 22:15

tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:13

@NewYearNewMee I've never heard of a black refresh! I assumed black clothing just had a shelf life. Off to google products

Oh it’s a game changer!! I use the little pods you pop in the wash and it brings them back to life when they’ve gone a bit grey 😃

PedanticPrincess · 06/02/2026 22:14

Colour catcher sheets!
I Subscribe & save them on Amazon.

cuttinganotheronion · 06/02/2026 22:14

I wash everything together especially white shirts with the rest of the school uniforms. No issues. Shirts stay perfectly white and everything else gets washed.

Original poster
tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:13

@NewYearNewMee I've never heard of a black refresh! I assumed black clothing just had a shelf life. Off to google products

OP posts:
Original poster
tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:12

FourEyesGood · 06/02/2026 21:29

What’s the big deal? Just put white clothes to one side and wash them all together when you’ve got enough for a wash. They go grey really quickly in a mixed wash.

@FourEyesGood @Thehop
Thanks but as a single person, I'll end up having to wait ages to get a full white or mixed basket!

OP posts:
Figgygal · 06/02/2026 22:12

I literally wash whites and then everything else
Don't iron either
We survive

NewYearNewMee · 06/02/2026 22:11

Honestly I love having white towels and bedding for this reason - give me a good amount of whites to do each week! Then I just keep colours and blacks together (unless I need to do a black refresh) and it works so well.

Original poster
tipitall · 06/02/2026 22:10

But im a single person doing a load a week!

OP posts:
TheDogsMother · 06/02/2026 22:09

Whites are one wash and coloured are another. That’s it.

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