40 People Who Should Be Banned From Doing Laundry Forever
It’s one of those chores we all pretend to be experts at… until the white T-shirt turns pink, the wool sweater shrinks into a toddler crop top, or the detergent ends up in the fabric softener tray—again. Laundry may seem simple. It’s not. And the proof? These 40 absolute catastrophes, courtesy of people who might genuinely be a danger to themselves—and their wardrobes.
Grumpy Sharks has trawled the chaotic corners of the internet to bring you the finest examples of fabric-related failures. We’re talking melted clothes, dyed disasters, accidental tie-dye masterpieces, and yes, someone who actually tried to “wash” a laptop (please don’t). These photos aren’t just funny—they’re therapeutic. Because nothing eases your own laundry shame quite like seeing someone else completely annihilate a load of delicates.
So grab your favorite (unshrunk) hoodie, settle in, and prepare to feel wildly superior to these people. Or at least, deeply understood.
#1. Went down to the basement to do laundry…
Source: drkwtrs
#2. Doing laundry when suddenly…
Source: Joans1
#3. I accidentally put my leather gloves in the washing machine
Source: gene100001
#4. Boyfriend tried to wash a down pillow…
Source: splanderson
#5. Over two months of laundry has generated thirty-two unmatched socks. WTF?
Source: colemanjanuary
You might think these images were staged, but nope—they’re raw, real-life disasters sourced from Reddit’s r/Wellthatsucks and r/Laundry, two thriving communities dedicated to everyday misfortunes.
r/Wellthatsucks, with over 4.1 million members, is a hub for moments when life just doesn’t go your way. From broken appliances to laundry machines that decide to self-destruct, it’s a space filled with humor, empathy, and brutal honesty.
r/Laundry, while smaller, is a focused corner of Reddit where users share tips, ask questions, and—yes—confess to epic washing fails. Whether it’s a shredded sock mystery or someone asking if they can wash leather in hot water (please don’t), it’s as entertaining as it is educational.
We, Grumpy Sharks, scrolled deep to curate the best of these misadventures. The ones that made us cringe, chuckle, and maybe rethink that next mixed-color load. For more visual chaos, Instagram pages like @HomeFailsDaily and @LaundryNightmares are pure gold.
Because honestly? Laundry fails are inevitable. But they’re also endlessly entertaining.
#6. Washed my favourite jumper 🙁
Source: KarenFromAccounts
#7. My wool sweater shrunk in the wash
Source: Enefai
#8. Did the laundry today. Dryer caught on fire 30 minutes later.
Source: Reddit User
#9. Laundry Sucks
Source: BaxterTheMoose
#10. My wife said she heard a noise in the laundry room
Source: firstinitallastname
We’ve all had laundry regrets—pink socks that were once white, shrunken sweaters, ink-stained shirts. It’s a universal experience, no matter who you are. Mistakes like these remind us we’re human. Laundry fails often carry stories—busy days, missed labels, moments we wish we could undo.
At Grumpy Sharks, we know it’s more than just fabric. It’s memories, emotions, and the occasional disaster. But when you can laugh at it? That’s how you move on. So if you’ve ever dyed everything blue or boiled your hoodie, welcome. You’re not alone—and at least you didn’t wash your phone with your jeans.
#11. I don’t think I had to wash that
Source: BugsyShort
#12. Lost my favorite hat a couple days ago, and somehow didn’t see it while doing laundry…
Source: Nanquak
#13. Don’t wash a blanket with a fitted sheet. Still suffering from PTSD from the sound
Source: DocMock
#14. There were 12 minutes left in the washing cycle when I saw this
Source: No-Self7717
#15. Why are people like this
Source: Kouriger
According to research from MIT, the human brain processes entire images in as little as 13 milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye (MIT News). That speed means when we see something visually jarring—like a laundry mishap involving neon-pink underwear or a completely shrunken wool sweater—our brain reacts instantly.
Psychologically, this is due to cognitive dissonance: the mental discomfort experienced when expectations clash with reality. Laundry fails show us something that shouldn’t happen—a perfectly normal task that went wildly off course. And that contrast makes it funny, relatable, and highly memorable.
#16. Obviously scatterbrained today, I put a laundry detergent pod in the dishwasher 🙁
Source: uglypatty
#17. No description needed. FFS.
Source: LentilRice
#18. I was stripping my bed, and piling my laundry, until I found the clothes basket was being used
Source: jwFrogYou
#19. My mom washed my favorite sweater… is this THE LEWK?! :/
Source: PhilEshaDeLox
#20. Tried to wash my pillows… they exploded and filled my washing machine with sticky blue and green pillow fluff.
Source: Reddit User
Psychologists refer to this as negativity bias—our natural tendency to focus more on negative experiences than positive ones. A laundry success is forgettable. But that time your favorite hoodie came out Barbie-sized? Unforgettable.
According to Psychology Today, this bias helps us avoid similar mistakes in the future (source). But in the social media age, it also fuels viral content. A mistake becomes a moment. And when shared with a touch of humor, it becomes part of the cultural fabric we all laugh at.
#21. My wife washed my new pair of jeans so I could wear them today. She also threw in her big fuzzy blanket.
Source: MelArlo
#22. Diaper got mixed with laundry and went into washing machine. Everything is covered in absorbent hydro gel. Toddler loves hiding things. Put used diaper in laundry basket, we didn’t notice and put clothes in washer. Diaper expanded, exploded and covered everything with hydro gel.
Source: SpelunkPlunk
#23. My girlfriend did laundry……
Source: aamo
#24. I washed a book with my laundry
Source: seekingssri
#25. Accidentally shrunk my sweater while doing laundry, so naturally…
Source: LeCorndog
In today’s world, laundry is never just laundry. It’s done while replying to emails, feeding kids, or binging Netflix. We’re rushing through the routine—and paying the price.
A 2020 Pew Research Center report found nearly 70% of U.S. adults feel rushed or pressed for time daily. That mental overload leads to forgotten tissues, color-bleed disasters, and mysterious dryer damage. Laundry fails are just another casualty of our busy lives.
#26. Somehow chucked a dirty nappy in the washing machine this morning
Source: couldntdecidemyname
#27. The result of running an entire Uno deck through the wash. (It fell into the laundry chute and nobody noticed.)
Source: Reddit User
#28. Getting my laundry out of the dryer and apparently forgot I had a roll of dog poop bags in one of my pockets
Source: thishereticflesh
#29. Washed my lenses. Didn’t realize my lens bag fell into my laundry before dumping everything in. They got submerged in soapy water for at least 5-10mjn before I realized.
Source: deltasnowman
#30. Accidentally put my wool hat in the washing machine. Label said handwash cold.
Source: liyachopsuey
Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist, and author of Laundry Love, knows a thing or two about avoidable messes. In an interview with Apartment Therapy, he said: “Most fails happen from rushing or ignoring labels. Don’t assume. Sort. Be present.”
He compares laundry to a ritual of care, not a chore. And when you treat it with respect? Fewer meltdowns—literally and emotionally.
#31. We have washers in our building that we have to pay per wash. Someone left a ball of hair in it beforehand I think, had to rewash everything, expensively.
Source: BathroomSpiders
#32. This is my 2nd set of iPods that I have idiotically left in my pockets and washed. Please mock me.
Source: VerboseWraith
#33. My friend had a pillow that said “Washing Machine and Dryer Safe”. He opened his dryer to this
Source: BextoMooseYT
#34. My clothes were ripped to shreds because the laundry machine shattered. Already texted the apartment management to let them know about it, we’ll see if they do anything
Source: Buzzy009
#35. Tried washing a pillow
Source: OverBasil7856
It started with a normal Sunday wash. I had just gotten back from a trip, dumped everything into the washer, and hit start. I didn’t check anything—not the pockets, not the tags, not the water temp.
When I pulled the clothes out, my heart dropped. Blue ink everywhere. Turns out, a gel pen had been hiding in a backpack pocket. It exploded. Jeans, shirts, even socks were ruined. The worst part? My grandma’s hand-knit scarf was in there too.
That scarf was the first thing I ever asked her to make me. After she passed, I couldn’t look at it without guilt. That’s when I realized—sometimes a laundry mistake hits deeper than fabric.
#36. Came to wash my pillows at a self service laundry
Source: Saruix
#37. Tried to wash and dry our pillows. After a long flight we decided to wash and dry the pillows we brought and made our laundry room look like a bird horror movie.
Source: Ellacod
Laundry fails don’t define you. They refine you. Next time you do a load, slow down. Use the right settings. Double-check pockets.
And if something still goes wrong? Document it. Share it. Laugh at it. We promise someone, somewhere has done worse—and they’re probably on this list.
#38. Washed my machine washable pillows. They exploded.
Source: reluctantrolemodel
#39. I washed a blanket with my clothes and it basically disintegrated…
Source: NikkiThunderdik
#40. Did the first load of laundry of the decade today! 2 rolls of toilet paper fell off the top of the fridge and into the washing machine without me noticing 🙁
Source: brbimjumping
These fails aren’t just memes. They’re miniature life lessons. They prove that no matter how chaotic things get, there’s always room for humor, healing, and maybe a second rinse cycle.
So share this list. Pass it on to the friend who melted their leggings or the cousin who dyed everything pink. They’ll appreciate the solidarity. Grumpy Sharks is here for every laundry victory—and every hilarious fail in between.
