Zippers are a likely culprit of your favorite clothes getting ruined in the laundry

Even if you’re not separating your whites and darks (sorry, Mom—it’s a lot of work!), there’s one simple thing you should always do before tossing all your precious clothes in the wash: Make sure your zippers are zipped. Even though it might not seem like a huge deal, that tiny mistake could seriously cost you down the line.

According to Apartment Therapy, the laundry mishap isn’t one you typically see on a dos and don’ts list. And that’s pretty unfortunate, because those unzipped garments can ruin your clothes far beyond accidentally turning your whites blue. The teeth and sharp corners on the zippers of your jeans, dresses, and workout jackets can harm the more delicate items in the wash, causing snags and even holes. Yikes.

The teeth and sharp corners on the zippers of your jeans, dresses, and workout jackets can ruin the more delicate items in the wash, causing snags and even holes.

Before you know it, a once-flawless top can look like it lost in a fight with a Weedwacker. Okay, okay—maybe not that extreme, but still: There will be way too many loose threads to tuck back in and make your shirt look new—or even wearable—again. So before all your clothes get ruined, just make it a habit to check your pockets and your zippers before running a spin cycle. (Then deal with the whole clothes-sorting thing later.)

Here’s the number-one rule for how to wash your leggings. Or, check out the laundry hampers that will make your dirty duds look high-design.