If you put forth the effort to fertilize your lawn, you already have great intentions. However, you can end up doing more harm than good if you aren’t armed with the right knowledge and tools.

We caught up with lawn expert Brian Feldman to learn about the five mistakes he often sees people make when fertilizing their lawns.

Applying Too Much Fertilizer

When it comes to fertilizing your lawn, there really is such thing as too much of a good thing.

“Fertilizing your lawn may seem straightforward, but there are several vital steps to follow and nuances to grasp to ensure your lawn receives the required nutrients to stay healthy,” Feldman says. “Without fertilizing, you are much less likely to achieve a dense, green outdoor space that you can enjoy.”

Applying an excessive amount of fertilizer could harm the soil and burn your grass. Dousing your lawn with too much fertilizer destroys the soil’s pH balance, which, in turn, leads to fertilizer burn.

Fertilizer burn causes your grass to turn brown or yellow, which is not the look you’re going for. You’ll need to water your lawn extra to help it recover.

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Not Applying Enough Fertilizer

On the other end, not applying enough fertilizer is also a common problem Feldman notices. Lawns that don’t receive enough fertilizer often lack the proper nutrients required to grow and stay green.

You can spot an underfertilized lawn by its thin and patchy appearance, while a properly fertilized lawn will look more lush and dense.

Selecting the Wrong Fertilizer for Your Lawn Type

When searching for the right fertilizer for your lawn, you need to consider its specific needs.

“There are different fertilizers on the market to choose from, and the best one for your lawn depends on your growing zone,” Feldman says. “Consider tapping a professional to provide expert direction on the type of fertilizer that is best for your lawn.”

Commissioning a soil test from a professional can also help you determine what nutrients it’s missing. Commercial fertilizers have NPK numbers that indicate the amount of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) a bag contains.

Fertilizing at the Wrong Frequency or Time

Determining how often and when to fertilize your lawn can be one of the trickiest pieces of the equation, because it depends on several things: You’ll need to take the type of fertilizer, climate, and grass type into consideration.

Regardless of any of these factors, applying it in the spring is typically a good idea. Feldman also recommends applying nutrients to your lawn in the fall in preparation for the winter, especially if you are also applying seed to a cool-season lawn that contains Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or fine fescue grass.

If you have a warm-season lawn such as Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, St. Augustine grass, or Centipede grass, you should feed it during the summer months and also in the fall.

“You’ll focus on applying potassium in the fall to help the turf through the winter,” Feldman says.

Not Using the Right Tools

Having the right tools on hand makes any job easier, fertilizing your lawn included.

“If homeowners choose to fertilize their lawn, they’ll likely also need to buy a spreader and fertilizer, calibrate the equipment, and ensure they apply the right amount of fertilizer to the lawn,” Feldman says.

Regardless of which option you go with, the important thing is that you’re putting in the effort.

Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.

Microfiber towels make simple yet effective cleaning tools against some of your home’s biggest messes. Whether you’re battling a dirty oven, shining up your stainless steel, or cleaning streaks off a television screen, those tiny-but-mighty fibers are highly effective at trapping dust, dirt, and bacteria. However, if you aren’t sure how to wash your microfiber cloths properly, you actually might be making your home dirtier.

Luckily, our cleaning professionals are here to share the best way to care for these tidying superheroes.

Materials Needed:

• Large sink or washer
• Mild liquid detergent 
• Mesh laundry bag 
• White vinegar
• Dryer or dryer rack

Cleaning Instructions for Microfiber Towels

Whether you’re using microfiber cloths to polish silver or soak up spills, it’s important to follow these cleaning instructions to keep them performing.

1. Separate Your Microfiber Towels 

While an additional laundry load may take a bit of time, it’s worth the effort to wash microfiber towels separately. As laundry professional Melia Long explains, cotton, fleece, and any other garments that produce lint could harm your cleaning cloths. “The microfiber acts like a magnet and will grab onto those particles, reducing its effectiveness,” Long explains.

“Treat microfiber like its own laundry category. If you have just a few, consider using a mesh laundry bag to keep them contained during the wash.”

2. Consider a Pre-Rinse

If you are washing heavily soiled towels, rinse them by hand in cold water before tossing them in the machine, suggests Scott Schrader, cleaning expert at CottageCare. This will help get them thoroughly clean—as well as protect other, less-dirty towels in the load.

3. Choose Your Detergent Wisely—and Use Sparingly

Use a detergent that’s free of fabric softeners, fragrances, or optical brighteners, says Long. “Those leave a coating that clogs the fibers and ruins absorbency,” she explains. “A little detergent goes a long way with microfiber, as too much can actually leave residue behind.”

4. Use the Gentle Cycle

Microfiber doesn’t need heavy agitation to get clean, says Long. “Using a gentle cycle helps preserve the structure of the fibers over time and avoids wear,” she suggests. 

5. Add Vinegar

“Do not use a fabric softener,” warns Elizabeth Shields, operations manager of Super Cleaning Service Louisville. “Instead, toss in a half cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle.” Among all of its cleaning uses, vinegar can help naturally soften and deodorize the fabric.

6. Assess an Extra Rinse

Ensure all detergent is rinsed out completely, advises Alicia Sokolowski, co-CEO of AspenClean. “Residue can reduce absorbency and cause streaking when cleaning,” she says. “When in doubt, run an extra rinse cycle.”

7. Minimize Heat

Air dry or tumble dry on low or no heat. “High heat is microfiber’s enemy, as it can melt the synthetic fibers and leave the towels feeling stiff or slick—a sign that they’ve lost their effectiveness,” says Long. “Air drying works great and is gentler in the long run.” 

If you’re determined to machine-dry your cloths, Shields suggests throwing in a few tennis or dryer balls to help break up stiffness and speed up drying. “Always take them out right after the cycle ends,” says Shields. “If you can’t dry right away, at least hang them over something to air out. Don’t let that damp swamp smell take over.”

8. Skip the Dryer Sheets 

If you’re machine drying, avoid dryer sheets since they coat the towels in residue, warns Long.

Special Precautions to Take with Microfiber Towels

To help extend the longevity of your microfiber towels—and make cleaning them even easier—heed the following precautions and expert tips.

• Avoid bleach, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets: Fabric softener and dryer sheets are the biggest microfiber killers, according to Long. “They leave behind a waxy residue that destroys the towel’s absorbency and grip,” she says. “Bleach also breaks down the fibers over time.”
• Don’t overload the machine: “Microfiber needs room to move in the washer,” says Shields. “If you overload the machine, the towels don’t agitate properly and end up not getting fully clean.”
• Keep away from heat: Avoid ironing or using hot water since high heat damages the structure of the microfiber. 
• Store away from contaminants: “Microfiber towels should be stored away from dust, dirt, and moisture—preferably in a clean, dry place,” says Schrader. “This maintains their static-charged cleaning ability and extends their life.”