Terrific Laundry Tips!

Laundry Day Made Easy! 

I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but in my town, I’ve gained a reputation (is this good or bad?) for being able to get out any stain that you can make!  Friends appear regularly on my door step with their most challenging laundry issues!  From the start of my writings, I’ve been asked to share my knowledge on laundry, and when a friend’s MOTHER (!) called ME (!) for advice, I figured that I’d better write up my laundry tips right away!

Necessary Supplies for Laundry

If you want to do a quality job with your laundry, there are some very necessary supplies you must have on hand!

• A good detergent - I only use Tide with Bleach Alternative – choose whichever scent appeals to you!
• Biz, a powder detergent for whites and colors
• Woolite for dark colors
• Spray n’ Wash - try to find the Dual Action version or the version that adds “Resolve” to the spray
• Clorox bleach - I like the citrus scent.
• Clorox bleach pen
• Febreeze for Laundry
• Bounce dryer sheets – I only use the dye and fragrance free variety.
• Niagara Spray Starch
• A roller lint brush
• An Ironing board
• A Good quality iron such as Rowenta – get this at Bed, Bath and Beyond with your coupon!  Expect to spend about $75.
• Stainless steel (not wood) drying rack – try Target’s Polder Accordian Drying Rack in Chrome
• Hangers – simple wire, tubular plastic, skirt/pant, padded, and wooden.
• Mesh lingerie bag for hosiery and delicate lingerie.
• Plastic laundry baskets – I like the Rubbermaid brand, and if you buy multiples of the same basket, they will stack perfectly.  Buy at least one basket for each member of your family and two extras.  One extra is for linens and the other for towels.
• A soaking bucket

The Down and Dirty

Sorting the laundry.  Using your baskets, divide laundry as follows:

• Light colors – to be washed in warm water
• Dark colors - to be washed in cold water
• White items needing bleach - to be washed in hot water
• Special clothing items should be divided into two loads - Black sweaters and pants should be washed alone in cold water with Woolite for dark colors.  Pretty white or light items like lingerie, cotton cardigans, and embellished blouses should be washed in cold water with regular detergent and a dash of Biz.  Any item receiving this special treatment should be line dried!

Washing the laundry:

• Start with each load as you have sorted above.  As the loads finish, put them into the dryer with a Bounce dryer sheet, especially during the winter months when static cling is at its worst! 
• Line Dry the bras, silk/satin nightgowns, tights and hosiery, bathing suits, cotton or wool sweaters, ski jackets, ski pants, anything that you don’t want to shrink, cotton tops in bright or dark colors, sundresses, cotton skirts, patterned tablecloths or placements, duvet covers or coverlets, anything that you LOVE! 
• If you take the time to line dry clothing that is colorful, you will prolong its life and keep the colors bright!  Don’t worry about the cheap/disposable clothing items, but give special attention to anything adorable and/or pricey.
• The dryer is perfect for towels, bath mats, sheets, jeans, cotton underwear and pajamas, sweats, t-shirts, blankets, turtlenecks, and socks.  If unsure, put it on the drying rack!

Expert Stain Removal:

• Basic dingy, dirty clothes - fill a soaking bucket with hot water and a good measure of Biz.  Add clothes and stir it up!  Let this sit overnight.  After soaking, wash in warm water with Tide. 
• Vintage Linens - follow the Biz formula, but change the water several times before moving on to the regular washing.
• Single spots - for small stains on white clothing, you’ll need the Bleach pen! Lay out the dirty item and carefully dot the stain with the Bleach pen.  Don’t get it on yourself or patterned areas of the dirty clothes!  Allow it to sit for a few minutes and then wash on its own. The bleach from the pen can transfer to other clothing if you throw it in a big load!
• Wax - allow wax to harden and scrape off with a dull knife.  Next, put a piece of brown paper over the stain and warm with an iron. The grease from the wax will absorb into the paper.  You may need to use fresh sections of brown paper as the wax is absorbed.  After you’ve removed all that you can, resort to the single spot method above if your tablecloth is white!
• General Stains - pre-treat with the stain solutions recommended above.  Don’t be discouraged if the stain doesn’t come out with the first try!  I’d try at least twice before tossing the garment!

Don’t Forget Ironing:

• I know some people will go to great lengths to avoid ironing, but some clothes just have to be ironed! If you’re going to iron, use spray starch! This will make the ironing go much more quickly and give you a more professional finish for your efforts!
• Choose selectively - with limited time, I’d iron curtains, tablecloths and napkins, white blouses for me, my little girl’s party dresses, my son and husband’s dress khakis and shirts, and any special occasion outfits.
• Don’t treat ironing like a punishment!  It’s one of the few household jobs that can give you an immediate sense of accomplishment!  Set up your ironing board in front of the TV and either rent or “on demand” a great movie!  Time will fly by and the lovely clothes will be the fruits of your labors.  June Cleaver, look out!

Folding Laundry Tips:

• Try to fold every one or two loads as they come out of the dryer.  As you fold, sort into each person’s basket.  Insist that your family members retrieve their own baskets and put their clothes away!  Keep towels in their own basket, as well as sheets and other linens.
• In a recent burst of genius, I installed a TV in my laundry room. The sorting, folding and ironing process goes a lot quicker with Oprah in the room! (or whatever you enjoy!)
• Enlist your family in the folding process as well!  At an early age, I had my little ones playing matching games with the socks – some are easy like the colorful ones that kids wear and some are hard, like my husband’s tiny and dark patterned dress socks!

Here’s to cleaner laundry everywhere! 

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• Dishwasher Double Duty

Tags: laundry tips, laundry  made easy, how to do laundry, stain removal tips, ironing tips

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