Can you leave clothes soaking overnight in the washing machine?

A washing machine is a device for washing clothes, not soaking them. This distinction is important because it might be tempting to just dump clothes in the machine, put a wash, and forget about them overnight, or to even soak clothes in the machine itself. While the washing machine itself isn’t likely to get damaged from clothes being stored or soaked in it overnight, your clothes are not likely to survive, and here’s why.

Dirty clothes, the type you’d want to dump in a washing machine, are a haven for bacteria and other microbes as the clothes themselves will be filled with dead skin cells and various other organic matter that your body discards over the course of the day. The perfect environment for such microbes to thrive is a warm and wet one, the kind you’ll find inside a washing machine. You see where we’re heading with this, right?

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The inside of your washing machine is a watertight drum. When you soak clothes in it, you’re soaking them in a wet and damp environment, giving the bacteria and fungus time to grow and spread.

What if you add detergent?

Detergents and stain removers do kill microbes, but you have to bear in mind that detergents are strong chemicals that will eventually damage your clothes. Soaking clothes overnight gives the detergents time to start breaking down not just the dirt, but the fabric of your clothes themselves. At the very least, colours are likely to start bleaching out.

A good soaking is generally helpful for removing stubborn stains, but too long a soaking and your clothes will eventually fall apart. If you’re using any kind of chemicals to wash clothes, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using them as incorrect use can cause a lot of damage.

If you must soak clothes overnight, soak them in cold water and use fabric cleaners, detergents, or stain removers that are safe to use over an extended period. For removing stubborn stains and or clothes that are especially dirty, we’d recommend finding guides that explain how to get rid of said stains. Usually, that process will not involve soaking clothes overnight inside a washing machine.

If you’ve accidentally soaked clothes overnight inside a washing machine, be sure to give them a thorough wash with a good detergent before drying and using them.

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Soaking clothes overnight, whether inside a washing machine or out, is best avoided. Follow recommended guidelines when soaking clothes and using chemicals, and always remember that prolonged soaking can and will damage your clothes.