you are also ruining your clothes by cramming too many into the wash at once. the machine washes them by agitating them and rubbing them together but if they're crammed in there there's more friction. so they're less likely to get clean and they're wearing each other out. don't use tiny loads of laundry bc that's a waste of water but focus on medium sized loads with only a tablespoon or two max of laundry detergent.
you can also hang up your cotton shirts to dry to prevent them from shrinking in the dryer, and to maximize the lifespan of printed graphics on your shirts or sweatshirts. this saves electricity and keeps your clothes nicer for longer.
fabric softener is a scam, you don't need it because most detergents come with a softening agent already. dryer sheets are handy to minimize static in the dryer, but you can get a reusable wool ball that does the same purpose so they're not necessary either.
use bleach detergents sparingly, only if you notice your whites becoming stained or dingy. using bleach on every load of whites will degrade them.
also most of the time you really only need to wash with cool water. unless something is really soiled, (especially with something greasy, remember heat melts and removes grease,) cold water works just fine for day to day dirty clothes.
