Doing laundry feels like one of the most ordinary chores imaginable. Sort the clothes, turn on the machine, hang everything to dry. Yet across cultures, washing clothes has never been just about cleanliness. For centuries, people believed laundry could influence luck, health, and even spiritual safety.
From lucky washing days to strict rules about timing and fabric choices, here are eight laundry superstitions from around the world that show just how symbolic this everyday task once was.
Hanging Laundry Inside Out in Hawaii
In Hawaii, there’s a long-standing belief that hanging laundry inside out can protect your personal energy and attract good luck. This practice is linked to the traditional concept of mana, the spiritual power believed to flow through people, places, and objects.
Clothing sits directly against the skin, which is why the inner side of a garment was thought to absorb and carry personal energy. By turning clothes inside out while drying them in the sun, people believed they were shielding that energy from negative outside influences.
The idea wasn’t about appearances. It was about protection. If the part of the clothing touching your body stayed energetically safe, then your own well-being stayed protected too.
Washing Clothes on New Year’s Day in the Southern United States
In many parts of the American South, doing laundry on New Year’s Day is considered very bad luck. The belief says that washing clothes on January 1st can wash away good fortune or even symbolize the loss of a family member in the coming year.
This superstition likely developed from a mix of African, European, and early American traditions that emphasized starting the year with caution. Over time, the idea stuck.
As a result, many families make sure all laundry is done before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Some even avoid household chores entirely on January 1st, just to be safe.
Never Hanging Laundry on Fridays in Italy
In Italy, especially in more traditional regions, hanging laundry on a Friday was long considered unlucky. The belief is tied to Catholic tradition, where Friday is associated with penance and remembrance.
Hanging clothes to dry on such a solemn day was seen as disrespectful and potentially inviting misfortune. Some believed the laundry would never dry properly, while others thought it could bring bad luck into the home.
In certain areas, this rule extended beyond Fridays to include Holy Week before Easter. While many modern Italians no longer follow it strictly, the superstition is still widely known.
Mixing Certain Fabrics Brings Trouble
Some laundry superstitions focus on what you wash together rather than when you wash. Mixing cotton and wool was once believed to damage clothing or bring bad luck.
Before modern washing machines, this concern made practical sense. Wool and cotton behave very differently when washed by hand, often shrinking or stretching unevenly. Over time, practical laundry advice turned into superstition.
Another common belief warns against mixing black and dark blue clothing, as black was traditionally associated with mourning. Washing these colors together was thought to attract negative energy.
Washing Clothes at Night Is Unlucky
In several cultures, washing clothes after sunset was believed to invite unwanted energies into the home. Nighttime was traditionally associated with spirits, shadows, and uncertainty, and doing chores during those hours was thought to draw attention.
Because laundry involves water, movement, and exposure, it was seen as especially risky after dark. Many households preferred to finish washing before evening and let clothes dry during daylight hours.
Pregnant Women Should Avoid Laundry
In parts of Central and Eastern Europe, there’s an old belief that pregnant women should avoid doing laundry. The superstition claims it could lead to complications during childbirth.
While there’s no clear origin, the belief likely developed from a mix of concern for physical strain and symbolic ideas about water, labor, and vulnerability. Folding, lifting, and scrubbing were seen as unnecessary risks for expectant mothers.
Even today, older relatives sometimes repeat this advice, framing it as protection rather than restriction.
The First Wash After a Funeral
Another superstition focuses on laundry after death. In some cultures, the first load of laundry after a funeral should contain only the deceased person’s clothes.
The idea behind this belief is separation. Washing those garments alone was thought to prevent grief, illness, or misfortune from spreading to the rest of the household. Only after that first wash would normal laundry resume.
This practice reflects how deeply laundry was once tied to emotional and spiritual boundaries.
Washing Only Feet on the First Day of Spring in Egypt
In Egypt, the first day of spring has long been marked by a symbolic cleansing ritual rather than full laundry. Traditionally, people would wash only their feet.
Feet were seen as the part of the body most connected to the earth and one’s life path. Cleansing them symbolized leaving behind the struggles of the past year and stepping into the new season refreshed.
Scented water, herbs, or flower petals were often used, adding a ritual quality to the act. The focus wasn’t cleanliness alone, but renewal and intention.
Why Laundry Was Never Just Laundry
These superstitions may sound unusual today, but they reveal how deeply everyday chores were once connected to belief systems. Laundry wasn’t only about clean clothes. It was about timing, protection, transitions, and respect for unseen forces.
Even if you don’t follow any of these traditions, they offer a reminder that simple routines once carried much deeper meaning. And who knows, maybe there’s something comforting about treating even small tasks with a bit more intention.
