Why Do My Clothes Feel ... Slimy?

Laundry is a chore dreaded by many, but it's unfortunately inevitable. What might make laundry day even worse, though, is slimy clothes. If you've ever had the experience of fetching your wet clothes from the washer only to find them feeling a bit slippery, there are a few reasons this might be happening.

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Why Do My Clothes Feel Slimy After Washing Them?

Many factors can be contributing to slimy clothes, including using too much detergent, inadequate rinsing, hard water or specific washing machine issues.

Detergent Residue on Washed Clothes

The most common reason clothes feel slimy after washing them is detergent residue. You may be using too much detergent when washing your clothes, causing oversudsing and soap not rinsing away properly, leaving behind a slippery-feeling residue on your clothes.

Make sure to follow the guidelines on the bottle and cap for measuring detergent. Detergent bottles provide guidelines for how much to use given the size of your load. Better Homes and Gardens recommends the following liquid detergent amounts based on your laundry load size:

• Medium load: Approximately 3 tablespoons

• Large load: Approximately 4 to 5 tablespoons

• Extra-large load: Approximately 8 tablespoons

For further guidance, you can look at the measurements provided inside your laundry detergent cap, which should have fill lines for medium, large and extra-large loads.

If you use powdered laundry detergent, these amounts may vary slightly. In all cases, check the packaging of your laundry detergent for how much detergent to use.

Water Temperature

It's possible cold water may not rinse detergent from clothes as effectively as warm water, which can lead to residue on clothes. Keep in mind that when you select the cold water setting on your washing machine, the water isn't truly as cold as tap water coming from your faucet — instead, washing machine cold water temperatures are between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 26 degrees Celsius). This is warm enough to rinse detergent properly.

If you're using the cold setting on your washer and your clothes are still feeling slimy after a cycle, it's possible something could be wrong with your hot water supply.

Hard Water

If your home has hard water, which means it contains more minerals than soft water, it can interfere with detergent dissolving properly and rinsing from clothes. A water softener can help mitigate the effects of hard water, including ensuring your clothes are properly rinsed in the washer.

Excess Fabric Softener

Too much fabric softener can also leave clothes feeling slimy after you wash them. Just like with detergent, make sure you measure the proper amount for your load size and put it in the proper receptacle in your washing machine.

Other Washing Machine Issues

Problems such as a clogged drain, blocked filter or broken pump can prevent proper water drainage, which can lead to slimy clothes. If you suspect your washing machine isn't draining properly, it may be a good idea to consult an expert for help.

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Preventing Clothes From Feeling Slimy

In addition to the tips above, such as measuring detergent and fabric softener properly and checking drain hoses and the water temperature, other maintenance tasks you can do at home to ensure proper rinsing include:

• Clean your washing machine. You can use a combination of vinegar and baking soda or a washing machine cleaner to clean your washing machine. Add baking soda directly to the drum and add white vinegar where you would normally add detergent. Then, run the machine on the hot wash cycle. This will help eliminate residue and odors from your washing machine. Consider using a washing machine cleaner for more stubborn residue or grime.

• Don't overload the machine. Loosely adding clothes to the washing machine ensures even water and soap distribution.

• Run an additional rinse cycle. Adding an extra rinse cycle to your loads can help rinse extra residue away.

If you're having persistent problems with clothes feeling slimy after washing them even though you're measuring detergent properly, not overloading the machine and using the right water temperature, it may be worth consulting a professional for assistance.