How to Wash Linen Clothes: The Ultimate Care Guide (Wash, Dry, Iron)

Updated: 11-02-2026

Nothing beats linen for a scorching Aussie summer. It is lightweight, breathable, and gives you that effortless holiday vibe. But we have all had that panic moment after spilling a drink or seeing a nasty stain. Since linen is a natural fibre, it needs proper care to keep it looking fresh. If you wash it incorrectly, you risk shrinking your favourite outfit to kids' size. 

Can You Wash Linen in the Washing Machine?

Good news: you can absolutely wash linen in the washing machine. In fact, it often gets softer the more you wash it. First up, always check the care and instruction tag just to be safe. You need to sort your laundry properly because linen loves to soak up dye. Keep your whites, lights, and darks separate, and never chuck a delicate linen shirt in with heavy stuff like denim or towels. The friction from heavy fabrics can wreck the delicate linen fibres.

Why Lucent Globe is Good Detergent for Linen Care

You have sorted your colours and set the dial to cool, but the detergent you use matters just as much. Regular powders often fail to dissolve fully in cool water (30°C), leaving a chalky residue trapped in the linen weave. On the flip side, many liquid detergents contain harsh enzymes or optical brighteners that fade natural dyes and eat away at the flax fibre over time.

We recommend using our Detergent Sheets. They are a game-changer for linen care because they dissolve instantly in cool water, ensuring your breathable fabric stays porous and soft. Plus, they are pH neutral, which means they clean without making the fibres stiff or brittle. They are pre-measured, so you never risk overdosing the machine, which is the main cause of residue buildup, and they are also super lightweight and mess-free, making them perfect for travelling with your summer linen staples.

Washing Linen Clothes vs. Linen Sheets: What’s the Difference?

While the general rules are similar, washing a delicate linen shirt is very different from washing a heavy set of sheets. Bedding gets incredibly heavy when wet and holds more dirt, while clothing has buttons and finer stitching that need extra protection.

Use this table to tweak your machine setup based on what you are washing.

Tips How to Clean Linen Based on the Stain Type

Linen is thirsty stuff. It drinks up spills instantly, so you need to act fast before you even think about the washing machine. If you throw a stained shirt straight into the wash, you might set that mark forever. 

The number one rule? Don't scrub it. Rubbing a stain just pushes it deeper into the fibres and ruins the fabric surface. Blot the liquid gently, then grab one of these natural fixes to pre-treat the spot.

Oil and Grease (Salad Dressing, Sunscreen)

Oil is the enemy of fresh linen, but you can beat it if you break down the grease first. The best trick is to create a concentrated cleaning paste using your detergent.

Tear off a small corner of a Lucent Globe detergent sheet and mix it with a few drops of warm water. Smear this paste right onto the oil spot and let it sit for 15 minutes. This gives the enzymes time to eat the grease before the wash cycle starts.

Red Wine and Coffee

Acidic drinks need to be neutralised, not bleached. First, run cool water through the back of the stain to push the liquid out of the fabric, not further in.

Next, mix a splash of white vinegar with some water and dab it onto the mark. The vinegar lifts the dark pigment, gently. Give it a good rinse, and it should be ready for the machine.

Sweat Marks and Yellowing

We all sweat in the Aussie heat, but you don't want those yellow pits on your white linen. Avoid using chlorine bleach, as it just weakens the fibre and makes things worse.

Instead, fill a basin with cool water and dissolve half a Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheet. Chuck your shirt in and let it soak for 30 minutes. This pre-soak allows the natural ingredients to attack the bacteria and lift the discolouration safely.

Dirt and Mud

This sounds backward, but if you get mud on your linen, do absolutely nothing. Seriously, don't touch it while it's wet, or you will just smear it into a massive stain.

Wait until the mud is completely bone dry and crumbly. Once it's dry, get a stiff brush and flick the dirt right off. If there is a faint shadow left, dab a bit of that detergent paste on it, and then it's good to go.

How to Dry and Iron Linen Without Shrinking

You have washed your linen perfectly, so don't undo all that hard work at the final hurdle. Heat is the absolute enemy of linen. If you blast it with high heat now, you are practically asking for shrinkage.

The Golden Rule of Drying 

Tumble drying is the quickest way to shrink your favourite shirt by up to 10% and turn the fibres brittle.  Pop shirts directly onto a hanger to air-dry, and the weight of the water will pull the wrinkles out for you. Just keep your darks out of direct sunlight because the Aussie sun is pretty harsh and can fade your colours fast if you aren't careful.

The "Snap" Trick

Here is a lazy hack to save you time on ironing later. Before you hang your wet garment, hold it by the shoulders and give it a firm, sharp snap. This shakes out the deep wrinkles while the fibre is still pliable. Then, smooth it down with your hands. It takes two seconds but makes a massive difference to the finish.

Do You Need to Iron?

To be honest, the crinkled look is part of linen’s charm, so feel free to skip the iron. But if you want a quality, crisp finish, iron your garment while the fabric is still damp. The steam flattens creases instantly without the hassle. Too easy.

 How to Store Your Linen

Linen needs airflow, so it's always best to hang your shirts and dresses. It stops hard creases from setting in and keeps the fabric fresh.  For sheets, try rolling them instead of folding. This saves heaps of shelf space and prevents those annoying hard-folded lines. 

What about Long Term Storage? Packing away for winter? Ditch the plastic bags. Plastic traps moisture, which leads to mildew. Store them in a cotton bag or pillowcase so the fabric can breathe for years to come.  

Caring for linen doesn't have to be a headache. Just remember to keep the water cool, give it space in the wash, and steer clear of the dryer. By swapping harsh chemicals for Lucent Globe, your favourite pieces will stay soft and breathable for plenty of summers to come. Ready to upgrade your laundry routine? Check out our range of Lucent Globe Detergent Sheets today and keep your wardrobe looking fresh.