Benjamin Franklin once said that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” But with all due respect to Mr. Franklin, I think his list of life’s certainties could use one minor update in order to capture our modern times. Because nowadays, nothing is truly certain but death, taxes, and losing a sock in the wash.
And in my opinion, a problem as universally vexing as lost socks demands a solution. Or better yet, several solutions, because it’s always good to have options! And that’s exactly what I’m offering in today’s blog post—three simple solutions that will help you stop losing socks in the wash for good. (I’ve also tossed in a little bonus tip about how to handle the socks that get left behind!)
Related: 6 Simple Solutions to Your Most Annoying Laundry Problems
We may not be able to do much about death or taxes, but we can learn to keep our sock collections intact. At least that much is certain! :-)
3 Easy Ways to Stop Losing Socks in the Wash
1. Homogenize Your Sock Collection
Consider replacing your current collection of socks with new, identical pairs. If you’re willing to sacrifice variety, making the switch to one style of sock can make your life a lot easier!
When all of your socks look the same, you never have to worry about pairing them up correctly. And because you’re not worrying about pairs, losing one isn’t as big of a deal.
2. Use a Mesh Laundry Bag
Zip all of your socks into a mesh laundry bag before doing laundry. Put your sock bag through both the washer and dryer, and the problem of lost socks is all but solved! (This can be especially helpful for tiny baby socks that are hard to keep track of.)
You can also use this system to make sure your socks make it into the wash in the first place. Just keep your mesh laundry bag in your hamper, and whenever you remove a pair of socks, zip them into the bag. That way you’ll be certain they’re all accounted for come laundry day!
3. Pin Socks Together
Pin pairs of socks together with a rust-resistant safety pin before putting them into the wash. (Or better yet, pin them together right after taking them off.) Keep them pinned through the wash, in the dryer, and even in your sock drawer.
Unpin the socks when you’re ready to put them on, and drop the safety pin into a small dish or bowl to reuse again and again!
Bonus Tip: Set Up a Sock Orphanage
Due to those mysterious laundry room forces that I doubt we’ll ever truly understand, a sock may still manage to turn up without its mate. Designate a jar or box in your laundry room as your “sock orphanage” and store the lonely socks there.
Once a month or so, do a quick inventory of your orphaned socks. Occasionally, you’ll find that one or two of the missing socks have actually turned up, and you’ll be able to reunite that pair! And for socks you haven’t been able to reunite, you can always put them to good use!
Looking for ways to use your old socks? Use them to…
- Dust your house
- Polish leather
- Shine your car
- Make a microwavable rice heating pad
Do you have a system for keeping socks together that I didn’t mention here?
More Ideas You'll Love
Hi Jillee and all of the Jillee-ettes!
We always had trouble with socks gone missing until we stopped using our clothes dryer.
In Connecticut the electric rates nearly doubled after deregulation.
The price increase coupled with our elderly dryer got me to clothesline and drying rack exclusively.
The last time that the dryer was repaired the drum had to come out and guess what I found???? All of the socks that had ever gone missing
I am convinced that everyone with missing socks will find them there.
The dryer though old, still works and I will occasionally use it for sheets with damp corners that need to go right on bed.
Love your website even when the posting is not something that I’ll use.
PS Sure hope that I win that Kitchen Aid!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Ruthie. I really appreciate you saying that. :-) (Love your name btw….that was my roommate’s name in college!)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another way to repurpose mismatched socks is as erasers for white boards. I teach and the students all know that they are washed before I bring them!!! Some grab a favorite color, a soccer sock, a character…and then they put their white board markers inside the sock. If you have enough, you can donate to the whole school!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have trouble with socks not drying when in a mixed load so how do your socks dry when lumped together in a mesh bag? I love the creative names for the single sock collection.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They do fine in the mesh bag as long as it’s not too stuffed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am going to try the lingerie bag for each family member and have them pin their dirty pairs together before putting them in the lingerie bags. as it sounds like it will kill 3 birds w/ 1 stone: losing socks, keeping pairs together and sorting by person. It sounds heavenly!
W/ 7 people: 3 boys and 4 girls we have a “unique sox” bin of over 100. We have sox in 3 sizes for the girls and just when you think you’ve found the match, GOTCHA! They’re 2 different sizes. I really don’t mind the girls wearing mismatches except for church on Sunday, when we can’t find a pair of matching sox! :) Thanks for your suggestions!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! I couldn’t understand why I had so many missing socks until one day I was getting the trash from all the rooms and “found” some sock that they had tossed in the trash. No holes or any reason to trash them but being lazy. I made them do all the laundry for the week – about 6 loads for us – and I have never had the trashed sock issue again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a mesh hamper for those who are “Lost Soles Looking for their Sole Mate”.!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a bushel basket
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Of socks that have no mate.
How this happened
I am not sure.
Did they divorce of just separate.
The state of matrimony
Is not what it used to be.
I think we’d better investigate
When socks can’t even agree.
Hilarious! Thanks Joyce!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Bravo Joyce! ;-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee! I have been using the “bag method” for loose sock for a few years now. Even have my hubby checking the bag to match his socks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the curtains in you laundry room. Are they just strips looped on a rod? My washer and dryer are outside on a room off the old garage the previous owners converted.
Thanks for all your posts.
We used to do the safety pin idea and it worked really well in addition to buying all matching socks. The only problem we had was a sock thief that would steal the other kid’s socks. At one point we even put initials on the bottom of the socks. We identified the thief but she didn’t care and kept on stealing socks. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.O dear, “hear” for “here”…and we were just working on homophones the other day. Need coffee……
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Anyone else notice that the teens and tweens are wearing mismatched socks all the time? I’m guessing this craze was started by a popular teen who couldn’t find matching socks because she had a laundry challenged mom like me. Anyway, I thank that girl from the bottom of my heart! So hear is what we do in my house.
1. The 3 girls socks go into a common drawer, there they can mix and match to their heart’s content. I have completely perfected the ability to avert my eyes from their feet! Which can be hard to do when they mix “themed” socks, think St. Pat’s day and Halloween…. :o)
2. I bought all the same socks for my son, and they all just go to his room.
3. My husband’s socks stay with his laundry, and my socks stay with mine.
Works for me!
Really enjoying your blog, Jillee, ever since Mary Hunt gave your laundry soap a shout out in The Daily Journal, Kankakee, Illinois.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Rebecca! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m fortunate that my daughter doesn’t like to wear matching socks. I buy those cute little socks with crazy designs on them and she mixes and matches, I’ve even started doing it when I’m wearing sneakers, it gives me a smile to know that even though I look like a grown up, my feet are still five!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have the mesh bags for the kids, but they are only as effective as the person using (or not using them). I started a support group called “socks without partners”, but it hasn’t really helped. LOL!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I pin all my socks together with a safety pin! Pretty little dish on my dresser full of pins means all my socks are paired and ready to go. When I grab them from the drawer, I toss the pin in the dish and run. Love it, all my little socklets used to get lost – now they are tidy and pre-paired. Best part is, I don’t end up with a bin of doom that my hubs and I both avoid. (Hate pairing socks)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Highly recommended!
When my husband first got his office job, I bought different colors of dark sox, brown, green,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.black, and blue. He would get dressed in the morning and had trouble seeing
what color the sox were. I sewed a few stitches of bright colored thread in the toe area.
Blue sox had pink thread, brown had yellow etc. It worked.
Then we decided that it was easier to buy black cotton (Gold Toe) and wear them with all colored pants. The only problem with that is if they are washed in different loads of clothes they come
out different shades of black so all do not match. I used cold water and Tide so that is not the
reason for the different shades. Cannot use all the sox interchangeably. bummer
When I do laundry I just make sure that two sox go in the washer and two come out. I hang them up on the clothes line in pairs so the dryer cannot eat them. Underwear too. Haven’t lost anything yet.
I am not really that organized, but the sox system worked for us..
My teen girls refuse to wear matching socks so I have no idea when or if we are missing socks! :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s even more impossible for those of us who have shared custody of our children…socks get split between 2 houses and never get paired up again…and how is it that whenever I buy new underwear for my kids, that ALL the new stuff inevitably ends up at their Dad’s house within a couple of weeks, while I am left with the old, holey, grotty stuff? LOL! Anyone know what to do with about 50 odd socks?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fill them with baking soda and toss in your kids shoes or in the closet to keep them smelling fresh! Use them as a “swiffer” for dusting or cleaning ceiling fans, blinds, baseboards…or stuff them all together, stitch shut and give to the dog as a stuffy. Ha!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the dog toy idea!! Thanks! I dislike buying stuffed toys for our dog (she won’t tough plastic or rubber items). She loves to “destroy” the squeaker in them and pull out all the stuffing.
We did the “odd socks tied into knots as a dog toy” thing. Toby (our dog) loves it! Problem is that now nobody in the house can put their socks on or take them off without a little help from Toby! Gggrrrr….
My husband makes a batting type toy out of old socks…he just stuffs an old sock super tight with other old socks until it’s quite hard and uses it to bat balls with the kids.
Wow! Loads of ideas for all my odd socks…I was using up the rest of my old dryer sheets tied around baking soda for shoes…now I’m going to use socks! Feeling quite happy that I have enough odd socks to try ALL these ideas :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the fact that the new trend here with our 3 girls and all of the girls in our area, is wearing MIS-Matched socks!! Problem really solved!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The columnist Erma Bombeck used to tell her children the other sock “went to live with Jesus”. I remember years ago my husband was working as an electrician and his pants kept bothering him. At lunch time he reached up his pant leg and found a pink stocking stuck to his pants!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s funny. Made me laugh.
My husband was in CVS pharmacy, about to walk out and was stopped by security. They made him take off his outer shirt because it looked like he was stealing something. Turned out to be an old, stained microfiber cloth that had clung to his shirt when I took it out of the dryer. LOL!!! Oh, man!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found out the hard way that there is indeed a washer sock monster….all these years I thought it was the dryer… twice our front loading overflowed. The first repair person revealed. nice pink thong in the water valve of the washer….years layer it was a knee high sock!!! I put all socks & panties in mesh bag and kids know to put there’s in one too!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas! I think the bag idea will work best for my kids – I did the same sock thing when they were younger and it worked like a charm. But since I have a son and daughter – that no longer flies.
Thanks!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found the website for your curtain~going to make these too! Great ideal! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh good! I’m glad you like and you found it. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I want to know did you make the curtain in your laundry room? Love it!! I also buy socks all to match for the boys..black ones and white ones..that way they always “Match” Thank you for all your great ideals!! :D
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a basket I call “Socks without friends”. When I need to feel like I have accomplished something, I will sort this basket, and match up the friends. Our worst sock issue is traveling and leaving one on the floor of the hotel/ camp. A small price to pay for all the adventures…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.haha….I’m loving all the different names for our lone sock depository’s! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.“Sock orphanage” – I love it! Have used the all socks alike (or at least a large # of them) for some of the folks here (you are right, guys are easier) but I like the idea of the bag for others (say…MINE!)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks!
Carrie