No More Tangled Sheets In The Wash: This Simple Fix Actually Works

No matter how carefully you load the washer when it's time to wash your bed sheets, odds are you've opened your machine to discover the fitted sheet and top sheet have twisted and tangled themselves together. While untangling sheets is a pain in itself, all that twisting can also have negative impacts on the fabric. When the fabric can't move about inside your washing machine, the detergent might not wholly clean your bedding. Tangling can also cause the fabric to stretch and ultimately tear over time. Still, if you're hoping to learn how to do laundry better, there's one simple fix you can try for this problem. Choose your wash cycle carefully — you want a cycle with a high water level and lower spin speed — to ensure your sheets can move around inside your washer without winding up tied together.

The wash cycle you choose matters because it impacts how easily your long, somewhat unwieldy sheets can move once your machine starts spinning. In most cases, the best wash cycle for sheets is likely to be your machine's bulky or sheets-specific cycle. Opting to wash your sheets on a bulky cycle means they'll be washed in warm water using a lower spin speed, with extra water added in to fully soak them. Both the lower spin speed and the increased amount of water make a difference when it comes to tangling: The gentler spin will help limit twisting, while the extra water prevents bunching.

On some washing machines, you might encounter a heavy duty cycle in addition to a bulky cycle. Make sure you don't opt for this one, however, because it's not the same as a bulky cycle; heavy duty cycles use more vigorous agitation, meaning they're almost the opposite of the gentler bulky spin. Don't see a bulky cycle option? Some machines have a specialized bedding cycle, which can also help limit sheet tangling. You could also try an express cycle, which will limit the amount of time your sheets spend tumbling around.

If your washing machine doesn't have a bulky cycle or a bedding option, there are other approaches you can try to minimize the odds of your sheets tangling. First, make sure you're washing your sheets solo; they should always be washed separately from clothing or towels. You'll also want to ensure you aren't overloading your machine with too many sheet sets at once, as a crowded washer drum can wind up causing tangles.