One Dirty Thing You Should Wash Every Time You Do Laundry

The next time you throw a load of kitchen linens into the washing machine, there’s one small thing you should consider adding to the drum. (You know, in addition to the detergent.)

Any guesses what we’re talking about? Keep reading to find out.

The answer: the lid to the bottle of detergent.

Why? Even if you aren’t the Head Laundry Doer in your house (it’s an official title!), you know that the cap can super gunky as you use it. The detergent hardens and turns to a gross, cruddy mess, which, in turn, makes it very unpleasant to unscrew and replace.

“I hate that gunky cap,” laments our Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, who learned of this tip last year and has been passing it along to anyone who will listen. The wise soul who suggested this to Faith said that the cap could even go in the dryer if need be! (Although probably not on the highest heat setting.)

I love this tip because I used to always run my cap under the water as it filled the washing machine, but I worried that I was accidentally adding water to the detergent in the bottle any time I screwed the cap back on. I also just got a new, front-loading washing machine (yay!), which doesn’t allow the water to run while the door is open. Plus, I hate that gunky cap! Even though it’s soap, which is clean, it’s just so gritty and not fun!

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Have you tried this? Does the icky cap gross you out, too?