How to Do Laundry: The Basics
We all have to do it and for many of us it seems to be never ending, piles upon piles of laundry to wash, fold and put away. But what if there were ways to make laundry a little less time consuming and a little more organized? Perhaps you might actually look forward to laundry day.
Our home economists have been hard at work researching and compiling their knowledge about laundry and have come up with some great tips to help banish the laundry blues and make laundry day run like a well-oiled machine in your household.
- Stock up on a selection of mesh laundry bags. Using mesh bags makes it easier to sort lingerie, socks, or smaller items like baby things into a bag and put it right into the washer and dryer. No more looking for lost socks!
- Set up a clothes line or rack in the laundry area for items that need to hang dry. Many houseware stores sell a variety of options, so you’ll be sure to find one that will find your needs.
- Mark plastic detergent measuring cups on the outside with a permanent marker. This will serve as a guide for how much detergent to use. Many measuring cups are larger than the recommended amounts, resulting in too much detergent in each load, which can make it harder for the washer to properly rinse the detergent out of your clothes.
- Put a bulletin board next to the washing machine. This will be a great place to put single socks and buttons that have come off until you find where they belong.
- Post a copy of the Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols on the bulletin board. This guide will help you ensure you understand the symbols on your clothing so that you launder them properly.
- Use a permanent laundry marker to label garments that need to be washed in cold water or hung to dry so everyone can see at a glance any special handling that is needed.
- Give each family member a different coloured laundry bag this will help keep everyone’s laundry separate, making it easier and faster to put away.
- Place an easy-to-clean garbage can within easy reach so the lint trap can be emptied after every load.
- Use fabric softeners in the washer or dryer as little as possible as they may leave deposits on your garments. This can result in oily marks on your clothes or towels, causing them to become less absorbent over time. To avoid static build-up, do not over dry items. Try using dryer balls instead.
And as always ensure that you sort your colours to avoid colour bleeds and the dulling of more vibrant colours. For more laundry tips, visit our Laundry How-To section on our website.