Laundry is a time-consuming household chore. The average person spends around 72 minutes each week washing, drying, and folding their clothes. You could spend even longer on the chore, depending on how big your household is.
While your dirty laundry basket might seem neverending, there are a few ways you can make doing this chore more efficient. Implementing a few laundry tips can keep your clothes wrinkle-free and fresh. Get your laundry done fast and move on with the rest of your day by following a few easy tricks.
This guide will discuss the top six laundry tips and tricks to keep your clothes looking their best. Reduce your time spent doing the chore while ensuring your clothing is fresh and clean.
1. Use a Mesh Bag for Your Delicates
A mesh or lingerie bag is a handy tool to keep your smaller items safe. Some of the types of items you can put in a mesh bag include:
- Socks
- Underwear
- Bras
- Lingerie
- Baby clothes
- Tights and hosiery
- Lace, satin, and silk items
How many times has a sock gone missing during a load of laundry? Put all of your socks together in the mesh bag. That ensures you don’t lose track of any of them.
You can also use a mesh bag to wash your delicate items. Clothing items that say “hand wash” or “delicate” on the tag can get safely washed in a mesh laundry bag.
Depending on what you’re washing, the mesh bag can get thrown in the dryer as well. Just be sure to check the tag of the item you’re washing to ensure it can go into the dryer.
2. Keep Your Loads Small
Your clothes will get cleaned more efficiently the smaller the load is. Washers need room inside of the machine to move the clothes around. The appliance tumbles or agitates items to remove dirt.
There also needs to be enough room in the washer so the detergent can get dispersed throughout. Your washer will also adjust the water usage based on how big your load is. Don’t worry about using more water if you have to do multiple small loans.
Small laundry loads are also easier for you to mentally handle. It’s easier to find the motivation to fold a smaller load than it is a gigantic pile of clothes.
3. Don’t Use a Lot of Detergents
Using more laundry detergent doesn’t mean that your clothes will get cleaner. Too much laundry detergent can cause a residue to build up on your clothes. They’ll start to feel scratchy and stiff.
A lot of laundry detergent in your wash can also create a lot of suds. The soil might get trapped in your washer instead of being able to drain out. As the dirt and grime get stuck inside the washer, it could redeposit on your clothes.
Some newer washing machines have an automatic detergent dispenser that gives you the right amount of soap for your load. If you don’t have that kind of washer, try to use half of the recommended amount of detergent. Your clothes might get cleaner and you’ll save money on detergent costs.
4. Sort Your Laundry
A lot of people put a load of mixed laundry into their washing machines. Unfortunately, washing mixed types of clothing together isn’t good for your clothes. One of the best laundry tips for beginners is to sort out what needs to get washed.
Some tips for sorting your laundry include:
- Sort clothes by color shades and fabric type
- Wash dark-colored clothing, like red fabrics and jeans, separately at first
- Use a detergent with bleach for your white items
- Wash heavy items together
- Turn your clothing inside out
- Wash stained or very dirty laundry together
Heavy items, like towels and sheets, can take longer to dry than more lightweight items. You also want to keep them away from more delicate items so they don’t damage the soft fabric.
5. Avoid Using Hot Water
Cold water is the best temperature to wash your clothes at. It’s less abrasive than really hot water. Hot water can also cause your laundry to stretch and shrink.
Washing your laundry in cold water is also better for bright and dark colors. Hot water can also result in those colors starting to fade.
Using cold water is one of the best eco-friendly laundry tips because it conserves energy. You don’t have to use gas or electricity to heat the water. Save energy costs while helping the environment.
There are some instances where washing your laundry in warm or hot water is a better choice. This can include:
- Towels and bedding
- Heavily stained clothes
- Cotton whites
- Human-made fabrics
- Jeans
Make sure you read the washing instructions on your clothing items before washing them in cold water. You don’t want to damage your clothes by washing them at the wrong temperature.
6. Pre-Treat Your Stains
One of the best laundry tips is to treat your stains as soon as possible. Treating a stain as soon as it happens will ensure that your clothes aren’t permanently damaged.
As soon as your clothing gets stained, soak or rinse the item in cold water. Apply a stain remover and put it in the washer as soon as possible.
Don’t put the clothing item in the dryer if the clothing is still stained. Putting it into the dryer will cause the stain to “bake” into the clothing. If the stain is still there, apply more stain remover and rewash.
Follow Our Top Laundry Tips to Get Clean Clothes
Many people don’t put a lot of thought into doing their laundry. Following a few laundry tips will ensure that your clothes get clean. It’ll also help extend the lifespan of your items, saving you money in the long run.
Hubbard’s Maid Service is here to make your life easier. We offer a wide range of cleaning services, including doing your laundry. Get an online estimate for our services today.