Do you need to separate the lights from the darks when doing laundry these days?

My daughter and I had a discussion recently. Is it really necessary to wash lights and darks separately?

Years ago, it was important to sort laundry because dyes weren’t colorfast. I remember pink pillow cases when a red item accidentally got put in with lights.

Then, when cold water laundry was possible due to new detergents, you could put more kinds of laundry together.

Saving water was another incentive for not sorting – you could have larger loads.

And when your kids leave home, there’s less laundry, so I developed the habit of washing everything together.

I haven’t sorted my laundry into lights and darks it for years, but then, I have dingy underwear.

So, the answer is yes, sort your laundry.

Sort clothes before washing to keep colors from fading onto other colors, to prevent transfer of lint and soil, and to make it easier to choose the best water temperature and detergent for your clothes, according to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

It recommends sorting clothes by:

Color: Separate whites from colors, light colors from dark.

Fiber content of fabric: Fibers that can be washed together include cotton and linen; wool and acrylic; and manmade fibers – polyester and blends. However, many wools need to be dry cleaned.

Texture: Separate smooth fabrics, such as polyester, from pile fabrics, like corduroy.

Lint: Wash fabrics that shed lint, such as towels made of terry cloth, separately from those that attract it, such as corduroy, velveteen, and most permanent press fabrics.

Construction: Wash delicate items separately, such as loose knits, lace, or any item requiring hand washing.

Soil: Separate heavily soiled from lightly soiled clothes.

Another reason to sort your clothes is to prolong the life of them, according to the website RealSimple. You’ll notice your clothes look and feel newer for longer, especially when washing in cold water, Jessica Zinna, Ph.D., P&G’s senior scientist for Tide, is quoted as saying.

So, I guess I need to change my laundry habits.

I did try it Wednesday. The lights are pictured above.