How to stop lint ruining your fresh laundry

Man reaching for clothes inside the washing machine

We’ve all been there: we pull out a nice fresh load of laundry, only to find it’s covered in bits of fluff, lint and tissue. Sometimes it seems like the fluff is so ingrained in the fabric that it’ll never come out (especially in dark clothes), but removing it is easy-peasy with this easy guide on how to remove lint from clothes.

What is lint?

Lint appears in the form of grey or white fluff on the surfaces of clothes when taken out of the wash. Lint in the washing machine can be as a result of something – such as a rogue tissue – being left in a pocket by accident, or it can be as a result of small fibres settling on the surface of clothes. Lint can also accumulate in the filter of your washing machine and dryer.

Check for loose items in pockets before putting clothing in the wash, but don’t panic too much when it comes to Cushelle tissues. They’re so strong that they’ll even survive an accidental trip through the washing machine – so you don’t have to worry about learning how to get tissues off washed clothes.

Why should I remove lint in washing machines?

Lint on clothes can not only make your fresh laundry look like it has dressed up for Halloween, but it can also damage the washing machine and dryer and reduce efficiency. But don’t panic: knowing how to get lint off clothes is as simple as this.

How to reduce lint in washing machines

You’ll never need to worry about how to get fluff off clothes if you master the art of avoiding lint in the washing machine in the first place. Here are a couple of handy tips for keeping your machine lint-free.

  • Clean the machine regularly. Once every three months, run an empty cycle on your washing machine with a cup full of distilled vinegar to remove lint and dirt build-up. To keep the lint filter clean, empty it after every wash and once every couple of weeks vacuum it.
  • Be aware of the fabrics that create lint. Identify the fabrics that leave lots of fluff and wash these inside out, or even better, hand wash them. While it may take a little more time, it will protect the rest of your laundry from lint and save you from having to repeat the wash. New cotton items and fluffy knits are often the biggest culprits.
  • Minimise dryer time. The dryer can produce lots of lint, so minimise drying time or hang clothes up to dry naturally instead. Your clothes will thank you, and so will your electricity bill!

How to remove lint and fluff from clothes

No matter how hard you try to avoid lint in the washing machine, you’re bound to end up needing to know how to get lint off clothes at some point.

  • Use microfiber squares in the dryer to collect fuzz.
  • Keep a lint roller handy to brush across clothes before leaving the house.
  • Alternatively, use the sticky side of tape to pick up the lint.
  • Use fabric softener in the dryer but be sure to clean your dryer’s filter after use. Before doing so, it is important to check the manufacturer’s care handbook.

How to get tissue off washed clothes

We’ve all opened the washing machine door to discover that someone has left a used paper tissue in their pocket! Not only is it messy but it seems that knowing how to get tissue off washed clothes is one of life’s little difficulties. The best way to remove tissue lint from clothes is to avoid it in the first place by using a tissue that’s strong enough to survive an accidental trip though the wash – like Cushelle facial tissues.

But if it’s too late, you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a number of simple solutions to help you learn how to remove tissue from clothes.

  • Shake the clothes – but make sure you do this over a bin.
  • Remove large bits of the tissue by hand and then place the clothes into a drying machine. The filter will pick up little bits of tissue on clothes.
  • An aspirin tablet solution is said to make knowing how to get tissue out of washed clothes easy-peasy, because the aspirin helps dissolve the tissue. Try dissolving four aspirin tablets in a bucket of warm water and soak the clothes, before machine-washing them again.
  • If you need a quick solution and want to know how to get washed tissue out of clothes, simply wrap your hand in masking tape, with the sticky side facing out. Then dab your clothes until all the tissue has gone.

Although knowing how to get fluff off clothes or knowing how to get tissue out of washed clothes might be tricky, it’s not impossible. With the right tips and techniques, you can make a difference. If you are looking for ways to remove lint in washing machines, how to remove lint from clothes or how to get washed tissue out of clothes give these a try.


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