Should You Put an Empty Plastic Bottle in Your Washing Machine? Here’s What You Need to Know

You may have seen the household tip of putting an empty plastic bottle in the washing machine drum while doing laundry. Some people claim it helps clothes wash better, but the reality is more complicated.

Why do people put plastic bottles in washing machines?

1. It may help separate clothes

A bottle moving around with the laundry can create extra movement inside the drum, which some people believe helps prevent clothes from clumping together.

2. It may improve water and detergent circulation

The extra object can create more turbulence, potentially helping water move through the load. However, modern washing machines are already designed to circulate water and detergent effectively.

3. It may reduce tangling in some loads

Some people find that a lightweight bottle can help keep certain items from tightly twisting together, especially larger fabric pieces.

4. It can be a low-cost experiment

Since empty plastic bottles are easy to find, some people try the trick as a simple laundry hack.

Why you should be careful

5. Plastic bottles can damage your washing machine

A hard bottle repeatedly hitting the drum may create unusual stress, especially in high-speed spin cycles. A damaged bottle could also crack or break into sharp pieces.

6. It may not actually clean clothes better

There is limited evidence that adding a plastic bottle improves washing performance. Detergent choice, water temperature, load size, and proper machine maintenance have a much bigger impact.