Here’s how to wash linen clothes:
- 1. Turn your linen clothes inside out
- 2. Use cool water
- 3. Select a gentle wash cycle
- 4. Use a mild laundry detergent pod
- 5. Hang to air dry
Linen gets a lot of hype—and for good reason. It’s 30% stronger than cotton, gets softer with every wash, and breezy enough to keep you cool during sweaty summer days. But while it’s built to last, linen still needs a little TLC in the laundry room. One wrong move and you’re stuck with shrinkage, stiffness, or both.
The good news? Washing linen is way easier than people make it out to be—and we’ve got the no-nonsense guide to prove it.
Whether you’re dealing with wrinkled linen sheets or a well-loved button-down, these tips will help keep everything soft, fresh, and in rotation for the long haul. Just be sure to peek at your care tag first—some pieces have specific instructions for temperature and dry time.
1. Turn Your Linen Clothes Inside Out
Before putting your linen clothes in the washer, turn them inside out. Linen fabric can be prone to abrasion during the wash cycle when it rubs against other garments or surfaces.
Turning your garments inside out creates a protective barrier that helps prevent pilling, fraying, or surface damage to linen’s natural fibers.
Pro tip: Don’t overload your washing machine. Cramming your clothes and sheets prevents the water and laundry detergent from distributing evenly during the wash cycle. When in doubt, follow the machine manufacturer’s guidelines.
2. Use Cool Water
Linen clothes and sheets should be washed in cool water, between 60°F and 80°F. This prevents shrinkage and preserves colors, not to mention it uses way less energy. Hot water can shrink linen up to 10% and weaken the fibers, so don’t dial up the heat.
3. Select a Gentle Wash Cycle
Choose the gentle or delicate cycle on your washing machine to minimize agitation and reduce the risk of wear and tear. This ensures that your linen garments get thoroughly cleaned without compromising their quality.
4. Use a Mild Laundry Detergent Pod
The best laundry detergent for linen is an enzyme-based formula designed for cold-water washing. This is one of the most important steps you can take to keep your linens strong and soft.
Laundry Sauce detergent pods are perfect for washing linen. We may be biased, but it’s for good reason. Our proprietary formula is designed to fight tough stains while preserving the integrity of the fibers. Plus, our pods infuse your linens with premium fragrances like Australian Sandalwood, Egyptian Rose, French Saffron, and more.
Pro tip: Avoid detergents that contain sodium borate and sodium hydroxide—these harsh chemicals jack up the pH levels in your washer and can weaken linen fibers and lead to fraying.
5. Hang to Air Dry
Shake out your clean linens to get rid of any creases, then hang them up to air dry—ideally in direct sunlight. This will prevent shrinkage and help your garment maintain its shape.
If you absolutely must put linen in the dryer, tumble dry your garment on a low-heat setting, remove it while it’s still slightly damp, then hang it until it’s completely dry. The worst thing you can do for linens is bake them in a hot dryer, since high temperatures can shrink and weaken the fibers.
Common Questions About Washing Linen
Now that you know how to wash linens like a pro, let’s take a look at some common questions you might have on laundry day.
How Often Should You Wash Linen?
Linen clothes should be washed regularly—ideally after every few wears—to keep them fresh and clean. You can always spot clean linen clothes to remove stains between washes.
As far as linen sheets, those need to be washed at least every other week. Check out our ultimate guide to washing bedsheets.
Can You Put Linen in the Dryer?
Yes, you can put linen in the dryer, but it's best to use a low-heat or no-heat setting to prevent shrinkage and maintain the fabric's integrity.
How to Prevent Linen from Shrinking
To prevent linen from shrinking, wash it in cool or lukewarm water, avoid high heat during drying, and shake out your garments after taking them out of the washer.
Can You Bleach Linen?
Bleach can only be used on white linen fabrics—never bleach colored linen items. If you opt to bleach white linens, make sure the solution is chlorine-free to prevent the fibers from degrading.
Can You Use Fabric Softener On Linen?
It's best to avoid using liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets on linen—these can leave a residue that reduces absorbency and affects the fabric's natural texture. If you want to keep your linens soft and static-free, toss in a few wool dryer balls to safely fluff every load.
Linens Love Laundry Sauce
If you want your linens to smell as incredible as they feel, don’t count on generic laundry detergent to do the job. Treat your linens to Laundry Sauce: the best-smelling laundry detergent you’ve ever used.
Between our high-performance formula and collection of irresistible fragrances, these pods blow Big Detergent brands out of the water—pun totally intended. You can’t go wrong with any Laundry Sauce fragrance, but if you need help choosing one that matches your vibe, take our 2-minute scent quiz.
