How to keep socks together in the wash

Do you always end up with odd socks? Do you ever wish you could keep your socks from escaping to wherever it is socks go? Read on to find out how to keep socks together in the wash.

Whether you’re doing the laundry for a big household, or even just a week’s worth of your own washing, there are going to be a lot of socks entering the washing machine. Whether they come out again as a pair is a problem. It can be frustrating raiding through your sock drawer, unable to find a matching pair, or finding out that one of a favourite set has mysteriously disappeared in the wash, never to be seen again. However, there are solutions to the problem of keeping socks together in the wash. Try these simple tricks to keep socks together in the wash and save yourself time and stress!

Not only can laundry bags be used to keep socks separate from other garments in the wash, but you can also use them for washing underwear – especially delicate bras or knickers that need a bit of extra protection (use a special washing liquid, like Sunlight 2in1 Spring Sensations Handwash Washing Powder for this too). Just be sure to read the care label on your item before placing it in the washing machine.

How to Keep Socks Together in Wash

1. Laundry Bags

2. Food bag clips

3. Plastic sock sorters

4. Rubber bands/hair bands

Use mesh laundry bags to keep your socks together during the wash cycle. Your socks will be secure in the bag and will still get a good wash as the mesh allows for the soapy water to get through and clean your socks. Laundry bags can also be handy when organising your washing. Designate everyone in your home their own sock bag to collect their socks in over the week.

On laundry day, simply collect the bags and throw them all in the wash – making sure to separate colours and whites first – then once the wash is over, not only will all your socks still be together but you can easily return them to their owners!

Those little clips you use to reseal bread bags, or sandwich bags to keep food fresher for longer, can also be used to keep socks together – these are available to buy at homeware shops or your local supermarket. Simply clip the pair together before placing them in the laundry. You can then hang them out on the line or place them in the tumble dryer and they’ll stay together the whole time. This will make it much quicker for you to sort the washing once it’s dry.

You can purchase small plastic circles with teeth in them to hold your socks together from local homeware stores or online. You slide both socks through the circle and the teeth grip onto the socks – some varieties are more like a peg that clips the socks together. These will keep your socks together from the washing machine to the washing line, or dryer.

They are also handy when pegging socks on the line: you can peg the fabric pulled through the sock circle, and the circle itself will still hold the socks together in the event that either one slips. Plastic sock sorters come in a variety of colours, making them ideal for families – you can mark out the socks of each member of the family with a different colour sock circle to save any disputes over whose socks are whose.

Another way to keep socks together in the wash is by using rubber bands or hair bands. Larger scrunchies are also an alternative if you are concerned about the bands becoming a choking hazard. Again, you can get rubber bands or hair bands in different colours in order to colour code the socks of each family member. Teaching your children to tie their dirty socks together before they put them in the wash is a great way to start involving them in household chores.

Try one of these methods and hopefully you’ll never have a lonely sock again! For more laundry tips, check out our article on how to do laundry.