Put an Empty Plastic Bottle in the Washing Machine: The Simple Trick Most People Don’t Know

Ouadie Rhabbouron

Many people believe they already know everything about doing laundry. However, there are a few simple tricks that can make a big difference in how clean your clothes come out of the washing machine.

One surprising trick that has recently become popular online involves using something most people throw away every day — an empty plastic bottle.

Yes, placing an empty plastic bottle inside your washing machine may actually improve the washing process and help prevent common laundry problems.

Let’s take a closer look at how this simple trick works and why many people are starting to use it.

Why Clothes Get Tangled in the Washing Machine

One of the most common problems people face when doing laundry is clothes becoming tangled together.

When the washing machine spins, fabrics twist around each other, especially when washing large items like:

  • Bedsheets

  • Towels

  • Long pants

  • Hoodies

When clothes twist together, several problems can happen:

  • Clothes don’t wash evenly

  • Wrinkles appear after washing

  • Clothes take longer to dry

  • Some spots stay dirty

This is where the plastic bottle trick comes in.

How the Plastic Bottle Trick Works

The idea is very simple.

Before starting your washing cycle, place one or two empty plastic bottles inside the washing machine drum along with your clothes.

Make sure the bottles are:

  • Completely empty

  • Clean

  • Tightly closed with their caps

During the wash cycle, the bottles move around with the clothes.

This movement changes the way fabrics move in the machine.

Instead of sticking together, the clothes are constantly separated by the bottles.

According to laundry experts, the bottles help improve water circulation and reduce fabric tangling during washing.

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