When you do laundry, how much attention do you pay to the different cycles? Some of the choices seem straightforward enough — Normal, Express — but others baffle me. Am I really supposed to wash my cotton sheets differently than my towels?

Apparently, yes. “Bedding” and “Towels” are separate settings on my washer. Hmm. I’ve touched neither button in the two years I’ve owned this machine.

Another vaguely mysterious setting is “Perm Press.” What does this cycle do, and when should you use it? How long does it take? Does it vary from machine to machine?

Clearly, I needed to consult an expert. Haven Polich is a product manager at Asko, a manufacturer of Scandinavian-inspired laundry and kitchen appliances. According to Polich, the Perm Press cycle is all about caring for and extending the lifespan of your clothes. Let’s find out more.

What Is the Perm Press Cycle?

First thing’s first: “Perm,” as you might surmise, is short for permanent.

“The permanent press cycle on a washing machine is a gentler spin cycle that uses a combination of warm water during washing and cold water during rinsing to release wrinkles,” Polich says. “The cycle was originally named as a special cycle for ‘permanently pressed’ clothes, which are chemically treated to resist wrinkles.”

Think about how wrinkled your cotton t-shirts become when you leave them in the dryer. Natural fibers like cotton and linen wrinkle easily due to their molecular structure, so permanent press (aka chemical treatment) was invented to reduce the need for ironing. Once these “wash-and-wear” garments gained popularity in the 1950s, washing machine and dryer manufacturers responded.

“Many brands will call their permanent press cycle different names such as `casual’ or wrinkle control,'” Polich says. But they’re for washing the same kinds of clothes — dress shirts, synthetic blends, knits and other casual wear.

“Using the permanent press cycle on the right materials will help you avoid wrinkles and the need to iron clothing, which damages the fabric,” Polich says.

It typically takes about 30 minutes to complete a Perm Press cycle.

What Is the Normal Cycle?

Normal cycle is the standard, everyday wash cycle for towels, bedding, jeans and cotton t-shirts. It agitates and spins faster than other cycles, and takes about twice as long as Perm Press — usually about an hour, but individual machines and manufacturers vary.

You can set the temperature to hot, warm or cold, although the default is usually warm. Modern washers also allow adjustments for heavy soil, deeper water or longer rinse times.

The earliest washing machines were all normal, all the time, because they generally had one cycle only. (The first washing machine was little more than a bucket and hand-powered agitator.) As electricity and technology advanced through the 20th century and beyond, manufacturers added cycles and options.

Asko’s machines offer up to 25 intuitively-named programs. And yep, one of them is Normal.

What Fabric Types for Perm Press vs. Normal Cycles?

So can you just throw everything in on Perm Press? Well, no. “It is best used for clothing made of synthetic fibers,” Polich says, “as well as natural fibers that wrinkle easily.”

Check the label for best results. If you see permanent press — aka easy care, no-iron, wrinkle-resistant or similar — into the Perm Press cycle it goes. “Reading the labels of your clothing, and using the appropriate cycles, can help increase the longevity of your pieces,” Polich says.

Use the Normal cycle’s rougher agitation and longer wash time for tougher garments like jeans and sturdy cotton, but not cotton that’s been treated with a permanent press finish! Sheets and towels can go on Normal, too, as well as things that are really dirty.

If you’re looking to cut down on time or energy use, laundry expert Patric Richardson offers a tip: Use the Express cycle. The author of Laundry Love extols the virtues of the express wash on his YouTube channel: “If your clothes aren’t clean in 30 minutes, they’re not going to come clean.”

“That’s the magic of the Express cycle,” Richardson says. “If you bring the temperature up to warm and you don’t use too much detergent, the 30-minute cycle is fine no mater how dirty your clothes are.” Get to know what perm press means on a dryer.

Note: The Express cycle is not the same as Perm Press, even though the cycle length is about the same. Express cycles spin faster than Perm Press.