Can You Dry Whites and Colors Together? [Hot Take]

Published by Hala Zaqqout on March 3, 2022 | Last updated on May 14, 2023

Your mother most likely taught you not to wash white and colored clothes together. It’s always best to wash white and colored clothes separately, but this raises the question “can you dry whites and colors together?”

Many people are concerned about whether or not failing to sort laundry by color during the washing and drying stages has negative effects. Moreover, we must know the difference between drying them together and separately.

In this Cleaners Advisor article, you’ll find out if you can dry whites and colors together, as well as the effects that occur if you don’t separate laundry.


Can You Wash Whites and Colors?

Washing whites with colored clothes is not a good idea if you want your whites to stay white. Coldwater washing does not cause clothes to bleed color in the same way that hot water does.

Color transfer can still happen when only cold water is used, so keep colors and whites separate.


How to Separate Clothes for the Dryer?

264879 800x533r1 laundry

When it comes to drying clothes after washing, you should separate them by colors and shades. You might be uncertain of which clothes you need to keep separate from which. So, let’s take a look at how you can separate your clothes for the dryer.

1. Color

You must first separate the clothes according to their colors. You must keep the darks and lights separate. If you dry white and violet together, for example, the violet may cause color bleeding to the white.

As a result, you must separate different colors and shades of clothing.

2. Material

You can also separate different materials of clothing. Otherwise, both clothes may be damaged. For example, if finer materials are dried alongside coarser materials, the coarser materials will damage the finer ones.

As a result, you must separate different types of clothing before washing and drying.

3. Texture

When different textures of clothing are dried together, they can become damaged.

As a result, you must separate the clothes that produce lint from those that attract lint. Otherwise, the quality of the clothes will be damaged.

4. New and Old

Before washing and drying your clothes, you must separate them into new and old.

Because when new and old clothes are washed and dried together, the new clothes release chemicals that can spread to the old ones. As a result, they must be separated.


Can You Dry Whites and Colors Together?

When we dry different colors of fabrics, we get confused and ask “can you dry whites and colors together?”

And you may think that because drying does not involve the use of water or detergent, it is safe to dry whites and colors together.

The short answer is: NO!

Well, it’s not recommended to dry whites and colors together because of all the tumbling and turning in the dryer.

Because the clothes are still wet, color bleeding may still occur, and some clothes, such as sweaters, may be damaged if they come into contact with items with zippers during the tumbling process.

Another critical point to remember is that the lint problem can still occur in the dryer.

Overall, determining whether your colored garments release colors first is a good practice. You’ll know which ones to put in the tumble dryer with the whites later.

This keeps your pearly whites from becoming dingy. It also prevents some brightly colored garments from transferring color to other colored garments.

Ultimately, the best course of action is to adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions and do what works best for you and your laundry.


What Happens if You Don’t Separate Laundry?

Of course, clothes come in a variety of colors, so it is generally recommended to separate clothing by color, particularly whites and colored clothing.

Colored clothing dye can seep into white clothing during the drying process, and light clothing can fade to off-shade colors and become ruined.

This video shows the effects that occur if you don’t separate laundry.


Do Colors Bleed in Cold Water?

Coldwater washing does not cause clothes to bleed color in the same way that hot water does. Color transfer can still occur when only cold water is used, so keep colors and whites separate.

Color bleeding occurs when clothing manufacturers use inefficient dying techniques or cheap dyes. Sometimes the dyes are simply unstable or aren’t permanently absorbed by the fabric.

Occasionally, manufacturers overdye clothes to make them appear brighter and more vibrant in the store, but they fade the first time you wash them. Because red and orange dyes are notoriously prone to bleeding, these colors require extra vigilance on the part of the consumer.


What is the Suitable Temperature to Dry White Clothes?

Whites should be dried separately and with caution. White clothes should be dried at high temperatures. White colors, on the other hand, can shrink at low temperatures.

As a result, you must maintain a temperature of around 135 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is better to dry white colors in the sunlight.


Can You Dry Whites and Colors Together FAQ


To Wrap Up

Can you dry whites and colors together? It might seem alright to dry everything together, but it’s not for whites and colors.

Washing your whites and colorful clothes is almost always a bad idea. If you absolutely must mix these loads, use only extremely light or pastel colors. Also, keep them separate in the dryer to avoid color bleeding or staining.

If everything else fails and you’ve colored your white clothes, go in with some bleach and try to fix them as soon as possible. Just make sure you check the label to see what kind of triangle it is.

Still have more questions or you want to add useful information related to the question “can you dry whites and colors together?”, then leave it in the comments below. We’d love to hear it!