when is it bad luck to wash clothes
Lifestyle

When Is It Bad Luck to Wash Clothes: New Year’s Day Laundry Superstitions and Resolutions

Fred Bahnson 

Introduction

The New Year is a time of celebration, renewal, and resolutions. In many cultures, New Year’s Day is surrounded by superstitions and traditions. Among these are some regarding laundry. This article will explore some of the laundry superstitions and resolutions surrounding New Year’s Day, and provide tips on how to remove stains from traditional New Year’s Day foods.

When Is It Bad Luck to Wash Clothes?

According to some superstitions, washing clothes on New Year’s Day can result in bad luck. Here are some laundry superstitions you may want to keep in mind:

  • Don’t do laundry on New Year’s Day, or someone in your family may die during the coming year.
  • Doing laundry on New Year’s Day can wash a year’s worth of good fortune down the drain.
  • Avoid doing laundry on New Year’s Day if you don’t want to have more laundry to do throughout the year.
  • Wearing something new for New Year’s Day is believed to increase the likelihood of having more new clothes in the coming year.

New Year’s Day Laundry Resolutions

Now that you know some of the laundry superstitions surrounding New Year’s Day, it’s time to make some New Year’s laundry resolutions. Here are some you may want to consider:

  1. Treat Stains Promptly: As soon as you spot a stain, take care of it. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove.
  2. Wash Full Loads: Washing full loads not only saves water and electricity but also ensures a better, more thorough wash.
  3. Use an Indoor or Outdoor Clothesline: Drying clothes on a clothesline is eco-friendly and reduces your energy bills.
  4. Use Vinegar and Baking Soda: Vinegar and baking soda can help boost the performance of your detergent, while using less detergent overall.
  5. Fold and Hang Clothes Promptly: This helps to avoid wrinkles, so you can avoid ironing clothes.
  6. Clean the Dryer Lint Trap: This reduces the risk of fire and helps your dryer run more efficiently.
  7. Clean the Washer Monthly: A clean washer ensures your clothes come out smelling fresh and clean.
  8. Make Your Laundry Workspace More Attractive: Organize your laundry supplies and make your laundry room an ambiance of clean and fresh.
  9. Teach Others How to Do Laundry: This ensures that everyone in your household contributes to laundry duties.

Traditional New Year’s Day Foods and Stains

In many cultures, New Year’s Day is associated with special foods that are believed to bring good luck in the coming year. However, these foods can also leave stains on your clothes. Here’s how to remove stains from some traditional New Year’s Day foods:

Cakes

Cakes are often enjoyed as part of the New Year’s Day feast, and those shaped like a ring or round are said to bring good luck. To remove butter and egg stains, along with icing stains, treat the stain immediately after it happens. Flush the stain with cold water, then pretreat it with detergent or a stain remover before washing as recommended on the fabric care label.

Champagne

Champagne is a popular New Year’s Eve beverage, but it can also leave stains on clothes. To remove Champagne and white wine stains, blot the spilled liquid with a clean white cloth or paper towel. Then, blot the stain with cold water and wash the fabric using the hottest water recommended on its care label.

Fish

Fish has been a popular New Year’s Day dish since the Middle Ages. Any raw fish dropped on fabric should be immediately washed with cold water. An oily fish stain will require blotting, followed by pretreatment with a stain remover or detergent before laundering using the hottest water possible for the fabric.

Grapes

In Spain, it is believed that eating a grape with each chime of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve brings good luck. Stains from grape juice should be treated as soon as possible with cold water, followed by a stain remover or detergent, and washed as recommended on the fabric care label.

Pork

Eating pork on New Year’s Day is believed to bring prosperity and progress. Raw meat stains should be immediately removed and flushed with cold water or blotted with a slice of white bread. Oily stains should immediately be blotted, pretreated with a stain remover or detergent, and then laundered using the hottest water recommended on the fabric care label.

Conclusion

New Year’s Day laundry superstitions and resolutions provide a fun way to welcome the new year while keeping your clothes looking great. By knowing how to remove stains from traditional New Year’s Day foods, you can prevent permanent stains. Plus, by following these laundry resolutions, you can ensure your clothes remain looking their best all year round.