Laundry Tips for the Beginner

 

Be sure to sort your clothes before beginning your laundry (especially if you use a Laundromat). This will save you from a long list of mishaps that can occur during the washing process.

Clothes should be sorted as follows:

• Whites

• Darks

• Delicates

• Red/Purples

 

While sorting clothes, be sure to check clothing for stains and pockets for items that you may have forgotten.

 

Always take notice of the laundry care labels in your clothing. These labels are there to help ensure you get the most use of your clothing.

 

The key to successful stain removal is treating the stain before it has a chance to set in. When the stain occurs gently blot it with a clean paper towel or cloth to remove as much as possible. Rinse with water if you have access or use ice. Liquid detergent is perfect for pre-treating tough stains and helps clean full laundry loads. Launder as soon as possible.

 

Before putting your clothes in the washing machine, let the water run a little, then add some soap, let the washer fill half way, then add your clothes. This will ensure cleaner fresher clothes and keep the soap from sticking to them

 

Large items such as bedspreads, comforters and king size blankets should be washed alone or laundered and dried in oversized machines, which are available in most Laundromats.

*Bedding is the only thing that should be washed in Hot water. Washing in Hot water will kill dust mites and reduce allergies*

 

Cold water is almost always good enough. If everyone in the United States switched to cold water for most loads, it would mean a savings of 47 million tons of CO2 emissions a year. Which could help reduce global warming and its health effects, such as increased rates of asthma, heatstroke, and West Nile virus infection.

 

Drying small loads reduces the tumble effect and lengthens drying time.

 

Overloading your dryer can result in excessive wrinkling.

 

When drying down-filled items some people recommend putting tennis balls in the dryer to keep the down from clumping. However, the neon dye on the tennis ball could transfer to the down-filled item, or the tennis ball might not be able to withstand the heat. To avoid clumping, it is safer to periodically remove the item and shake vigorously. Adding clean, dry towels to the dryer load can also help.