How can I keep clothes from getting tangled together during a wash?

Start with the load as a whole. Avoid packing the washer tightly; items need room to move. Whirlpool’s guidance for its top-load HE washers says tightly packed loads can increase tangling and wrinkling, and that a load made up only of one item type—such as long-sleeved shirts—tends to tangle. It suggests mixing different load items to help reduce tangling.[S1]

That is model-specific guidance, not a rule that every washer works identically. Use your own washer’s loading instructions, and keep the garments’ care labels in view. Don’t add items just to make a load look more varied if their care requirements are incompatible. The practical aim is a suitable load with room to move, not a particular number of garments.

Do a quick item-by-item check before loading. Empty pockets; zip zippers; and fasten snaps or hooks, as Whirlpool advises for the top-load HE washers covered by its guidance.[S1] For long strings, LG advises securing them or placing the garment in a net; it also recommends securing fasteners, removing detachable parts, and turning items inside out for its washers.[S2]

Treat these as preparation options, not instructions to alter every garment. Check the care label first, especially if a garment has a delicate finish or special washing directions. If you use a laundry net, confirm that the garment’s care instructions allow that kind of washing. These sources do not establish that any one preparation method prevents tangling on every washer.

Here’s a hypothetical example—not a universal load recipe. Suppose you have long-sleeved tops, a garment with a long tie, and another item with a zipper. First, read all their care labels and compare the washing instructions. If the labels and your washer’s guidance allow them to be washed together, empty pockets, zip the zipper, and secure the tie or use a suitable net if the garment’s instructions permit. Then check that the load is not tightly packed and that the items have room to move.

If the labels call for incompatible care, separate the items rather than forcing a mixed load. If all the pieces are long-sleeved tops, consider whether other compatible items belong in the load; Whirlpool notes that loads consisting of one item type tend to tangle in its specified washer type.[S1] The example illustrates a decision process, not a promise of a tangle-free wash.

Use the next load as a small observation, not a reason to assume a fault. Note which items tangled, whether the load was tightly packed, whether it consisted mostly of similar long garments, and which preparation steps you used. For the next compatible load, change one preparation choice at a time—such as securing long ties—so you can see whether that seems to help in your situation.

Also check your washer’s cycle guidance alongside the garment labels. LG says cycle availability varies by model year and advises using its cycle guide with garment care labels; its tangling guidance concerns LG washers and should not be assumed to describe every model.[S2] The supplied guidance does not establish a guaranteed fix or identify a cause for every tangled load. If the pattern continues, consult your washer’s own instructions for loading and cycle selection.