when is it bad luck to wash clothes
It’s traditionally considered bad luck to wash clothes on a few specific days and occasions in different cultures, mostly as superstition rather than anything proven.
Common “bad luck” days
- New Year’s Day (Jan 1) – A very widespread belief says washing clothes “washes away” your good luck for the year or even symbolizes washing away a loved one, so many people avoid laundry and other housework that day.
- Chinese New Year (first 2 days) – In Chinese tradition, the first two days honor the Water God; doing laundry is seen as disrespectful and as “pouring away” wealth with the used water.
- Good Friday & Easter Sunday – In some Christian and especially Catholic traditions, washing clothes or doing heavy chores on these holy days is frowned on and linked with bad luck or disrespect.
- The Sabbath (Sunday or Saturday) – In religious households, washing on the weekly rest/holy day is often avoided, sometimes framed as inviting misfortune rather than honoring a day of rest.
Other folk beliefs
- Certain weekdays – In some Balkan traditions (like Bosnian folklore), washing on Tuesdays and Fridays is said to bring bad luck or even “open a portal to hell.”
- Thursdays – Some European folk beliefs say washing on Thursday brings bad karma or serious problems, though the exact origin is unclear.
- At night – A few modern lists of superstitions also say washing clothes late at night is unlucky or invites negative energy, though this is much less standardized and varies by source.
What this really means for you
- These are cultural superstitions , not rules backed by science or religion in any formal way; many people ignore them completely with no issues.
- Some families or regions treat them as fun traditions or handy excuses to skip chores on holidays, while others take them seriously as part of their heritage.
- If your family has a strong tradition around New Year’s Day or Chinese New Year, it can be meaningful to follow it; otherwise, you can safely pick laundry days that simply fit your schedule.
TL;DR: Most commonly, people say it’s bad luck to wash clothes on New Year’s Day, the first two days of Chinese New Year, Good Friday/Easter Sunday, and sometimes on certain weekdays like Tuesday, Friday, or Thursday in specific folk traditions—but it’s all superstition, so you can choose how much you want to follow it.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.