Do you cringe every single time you walk past that dirty clothes hamper and do you groan at the thought of having to finally do the laundry that you have been putting off? Well, fret no more. We have a few laundry tips and tricks that can make laundry day seem less daunting and more fun, so you no longer have to dread the dirty clothes hamper and laundry day.
Keep Your Whites Fresh and Clean
If you have been doing laundry for a while, then you probably already know how dingy your whites can start to look after a while. This is especially true if you don’t take the time to sort your whites from your darks too.
First, you should set up an easy and convenient sorting station in your laundry room so that you don’t have to take that extra time sorting through clothes on laundry day. Throughout the week, you simply throw your whites in one basket, your darks in the other and then when it comes times to wash them, they are ready to go, and all you have to do is pop them in the washing machine.
Now, about those whites. To keep your whites looking fresh, you can soak them in a solution of water and bicarbonate soda, or you can add a bit of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Don’t worry about the smell if you use vinegar because the smell of white vinegar will go away as soon as the clothes are dry.
Get the Stains out Immediately
Instead of waiting for laundry day and possibly ruining your clothes, it is always best to try to rid your clothing of stains prior to washing them. If you wait to tackle the stain, you may find that you are doing a lot of scrubbing for nothing because the stain has already had ample time to set.
Most of life’s stains can easily be removed with one of the following:
- Club Soda
- Lemon Juice
- Hydrogen Peroxide
For more specific stains, there are other methods you can use if you notice the stain right away. For example, if you have a red wine stain, then you can use white wine on top of the stain, or you can blot it with the club soda. For sweat and deodorant stains, you can mix equal parts of water and lemon juice and then hang the clothing item out in the sun for a few hours to help eliminate the stains.
Wash Everything Properly
To save time and money, it is important to pay attention to the wash instructions on your clothing. Some will tell you the temperature of the water that needs to be used, the cycle and whether you should use a normal, permanent press, or heavy cycle, and it will also tell you if the item needs to be hand-washed or not.
Also, remember to sort your clothing as we already mentioned. If you don’t separate your clothing, then you will want to wash your clothes with cold water so that the colors do not run.
Additionally, when you wash towels, you do not want to use any kind of fabric softener because doing so can actually ruin the absorbency of the towels.
You Don’t Have to Use a ton of Detergent
When doing laundry, be mindful of how much detergent you are actually using. While this tip won’t save you time, it can definitely save you money in the long run. Yes, the manufacturer will have their recommendation on how much soap you should be using for each cycle, but you can also use a lot less and still have clean clothes at the end of the day.
Other Towel Tips
We mentioned not using fabric softener when washing your towels, but it should also be mentioned that you should also skip the dryer sheets if you want your towels to maintain their optimal absorbency.
Also, if you find that your towels have seen better days and they are beginning to look worn, faded, and dingy, then it is okay to skip the detergent and instead use a vinegar and baking soda mixture to wash the towels, so they will last a bit longer and look a bit better. Doing this will also help the absorbency of the towels.
Wash them in hot water with this mixture for two cycles, and you will see the difference it makes.
A Few Other Quick Tips and Tricks for Laundry Day
- Wedge sneaker laces in the dryer door so you don’t have to hear the banging
- Have excess water? Use a salad spinner to remove the extra water before going to the dryer
- Dryer balls are just as effective, if not more effective, as dryer sheets
- To prevent your clothes color from fading, toss in a teaspoon of salt when you wash them
- Turn your darker clothes inside out before washing to help preserve their color
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