You may think that doing laundry is an easy task– but, no. It’s a daunting task that you have to do correctly, and even if you have been doing laundry for years, sometimes the results are not what you expected.
Have you ever experienced your dark-colored shirt bleed into your white ones? How about dealing with stubborn stains? I bet you have, and that sure is frustrating. Here are the 9 best laundry techniques you should know to have the best results possible every time you wash a laundry load.
1. Sort your laundry by color, dirtiness, and fabric type.
Some of you may only sort the laundry by color because it may cause color bleeding. However, you also have to check how the level of dirtiness and your clothes’ fabric type. Separate your clothes that are heavily soiled from the lightly soiled ones. Moreover, you have to separate your delicate clothes from the regular ones. Check whether you need to dry clean, hand wash, or place them inside the washer.
You have to sort your clothes whether you will do the laundry at home or have your laundry pickup and delivered by your trusted laundry shop.
2. Pre-treat stains. Do not scrub them.
Stains are the extra hassle in the laundry. You do not only deal with the stain. You also have to deal with its odor. However, if you know the techniques, even these things will not give you a headache. If your clothes have stains, do not scrub them. The question here is– when the stain happened, did you pre-treat it immediately?
The stubbornness of the stain is determined whether you did an immediate pretreatment or not. Pre-treating helps you remove most of the stubborn marks and odor.
3. Zip the zippers. Unbutton the buttons.
Before you place your jeans or clothes with zippers in the laundry, ensure that they are tightly zipped. Open zippers can damage your clothes and scratch off the walls of your washers. Do not put your bras and undergarment in the load, and they are easily unclipped by the wash cycle. Unclipped undergarments can damage the drum. Thus, invest in wash bags or lingerie bags. If you do not have time to buy one, use an old pillowcase.
As clothes with zippers have to be fastened, the buttons should be left unbuttoned. If you leave the buttons fastened, it will rip the buttonholes or detach the buttons. Give your clothes some attention before putting them inside the washer.
4. Determine which clothes to dry clean.
Check the wash label of your clothes. If your clothes are from natural fibers, you can hand wash and air-dry them safely. However, those garments that are more structured and made with suede or leather make it better to follow the label and go to your trusted dry cleaner.
Your trusted laundry shop knows the in-and-out of dry cleaning. They are experts in the field. Thus, you can leave your delicate clothes to them.
5. Handwash clothes with delicate fabrics.
“Dry clean” labeled clothes do not necessarily mean they cannot be hand washed. Delicate garments made from linen, rayon, wool, and silk are tolerable with hand wash. If you choose hand washing, soak them with lukewarm water and mild detergent, and swish them for a few minutes.
Swishing your clothes will result in soapy water. Drain the water and rinse them until the water becomes clear. Do not wring your delicate clothes if you try to get excess water from them. Instead, let the excess water drip.
6. Use the right detergent. Do not add the detergent directly to the load.
Some shoppers buy the cheapest laundry detergent without looking at the ingredients. Using the right detergent plays a big part in doing laundry.
Although powdered detergent is cheaper and suitable for general loads, it won’t dissolve quickly and adequately in cold or hard water. It will result in white residues on your clothes or accumulate white crystals around your washer’s tub.
Liquid detergents are a more fitting choice for those who have hard water. Moreover, most liquid detergents have ingredients or enzymes that can help pretreat stubborn stains. Check its components to know whether they have a better formula for cleaning.
Detergent packs, tablets, and pods are convenient to use, and they provide enough amount a load needs, preventing detergent overdose. However, you have to check their prices if you are on a tight budget.
7. Check the water temperature.
One of the laundry techniques to remember is checking the ideal water temperature indicated on your clothes’ wash label. The right water temperature for human-made fabrics and soiled clothing is warm water. However, if you are dealing with delicate fabrics, garments that quickly shrink, and sensitive dark colors that bleed, use cold water. Moreover, use cold water for your laundry helps reduce the energy bill.
8. Air-drying is better than dryers.
Not all your garments are ideal for hot air dryers. It is only suitable for your gym clothes, undergarments, jeans, and pajamas. The rest of your clothes are only suitable for sunlight or natural air. If you cannot air-dry your clothes in an open space, then use a collapsible drying rack.
However, if you do not have an open space or enough area for a drying rack, the only option you have is the dryer. Use the cool or air fluff setting on your dryer to prevent your clothes from shrinking.
9. Maintain and keep your washer and dryer in their best condition.
The same with your other household appliances, you have to maintain your washer and dryer regularly and properly. You have to disinfect your washer’s tub with a cup of white distilled vinegar or a tablespoon of detergent and a gallon of warm water. Let the solution stay for a few minutes in the tub before you drain the solution. Ensure that you will rinse it a few times to prevent accumulations on the tub.
Do not forget to clean the filter and remove lint to prevent the dryer from overheating. Moreover, to ensure that your washer will not have a foul odor, do not immediately close the door. Leave it open for a few minutes after every load.