When it comes to doing laundry, knowing the basics of sorting clothes and selecting the correct water temperature can make all the difference in your laundry routine. Here are key tips for how to complete laundry.

Create a Laundry Schedule

 

Creating a laundry schedule helps you stay organized and determine how often you should do laundry. Dedicating specific days of the week for doing laundry and other cleaning tasks prevents huge piles of clothes from collecting in your laundry room. If you have a large family, consider doing laundry daily or every other day so you can reduce stress and keep an organized closet.

Sort Your Laundry

In order to maintain the quality and color of your clothes, you need to sort your laundry. Sorting laundry correctly helps ensure proper cleaning, and washing like items together helps to prevent clothes from fading or becoming damaged. Here’s how to sort laundry:

• Separate clothes by lights and darks.
• Divide delicate items like camisoles from heavy materials like denim to prevent tears, pilling, and snags.
• Check labels for special care instructions.
• Put clothes in a laundry sorter or separate baskets.

Prep Clothes Before Washing

To help protect your garments, take time to prep them before washing. Here are some tips for pre-treating:

• Briefly analyze all articles of clothing and try stain removal methods as needed. Pretreating stains helps to prevent set-in marks.
• Before washing dark-colored clothing and graphic tees, turn them inside out to reduce fading.
• Check pockets for tissues, coins, and other forgotten items.
• To help avoid snagging, close all zippers and fasten all buttons.
• Tie the strings on your clothes to prevent them from tangling or catching on the agitator.
• Put delicate clothing in mesh laundry bags.

Don’t Overload or Underload the Washing Machine

Overloading or underloading your washing machine can affect the cleanliness of your clothes. Overloading the machine can hinder your clothes’ movement, limit the spread of detergent, and damage the drum. On the other hand, underloading the machine can cause an imbalance during the spin cycle and waste detergent, energy, and water—which ultimately undermines sustainable living efforts. Depending on the capacity of the washing machine, try fill it no more than three-quarters of the way.

Use the Correct Laundry Detergent

For effective clothes washing, it’s important to select the best detergent. Based on your needs, different detergents are best for certain fabric types, skin sensitivity, and removing stains and dirt. To avoid detergent residue, use the recommended amount of laundry detergent based on load size—this information will be on the packaging. You can also use different forms of detergent based on your preference, like liquid detergent, powder detergent, or pods. Alternatively, you can make your own detergent out of epsom salt and other simple ingredients. While washing whites, bleach laundry with diluted bleach or with detergent specifically formulated for brightening whites.

Choose the Proper Wash Cycle

Selecting the correct wash cycle helps ensure your items are properly cleaned. Here’s what you need to know about the different wash cycles:

• Delicate Wash Cycle: Using a slow agitation and spin, this washing cycle is great for washing silk, sweaters, or embellished shirts.
• Quick Cycle: This fast cycle is great for washing small loads, as it uses a shorter wash time and lower water levels to clean lightly soiled clothes.
• Normal Wash Cycle: A great cycle for washing cotton garments at high speed.
• Permanent Press Cycle: With moderate agitation and a cool-down rinse, this cycle is designed to reduce wrinkles while maintaining the shape of wrinkle-free fabrics when washing polyester.
• Heavy-Duty Cycle: Using longer wash times, stronger agitation, and higher water temperature, this setting is best for washing towels and bedding.
• Hand-Washing: This gentle method of washing may be necessary to prolong the life of delicate fabrics like wool and lace, which can be ruined by machine washing.

Select the Best Water Temperature

When washing clothes, select the correct water temperature to ensure proper cleaning. Choosing the wrong temperature can cause shrinking, fading, or damage. Always check the garment care label to determine the safest temperature for washing clothes. Here’s a simple guide to choosing the best water temperature:

• Cold Water: Washing bright and dark-colored clothes—or clothes made from materials such as nylon, polyester, or wool—in cold water helps preserve their colors and shape.
• Warm Water: Clothes that need moderate cleaning but have lower chances of shrinking can be washed in warm water.
• Hot Water: Wash your towels and sheets in hot water to most effectively remove oils and dirt.

Dry Clothes Right Away

Once the wash cycle ends, hang clothes or put them in the dryer immediately to prevent them from developing a musty smell from sitting in the washing machine for too long. Add wool dryer balls as an eco-friendly way to eliminate dryer sheet waste, reduce static and speed up drying time. To prevent clothes from shrinking, here’s everything you need to know about using the proper dryer settings:

• Low Heat: Best for drying delicate fabrics and items prone to shrinking from high temperatures, this dryer setting uses a lower temperature to gently dry clothes, such as those made from spandex or nylon.
• Medium Heat: Ideal for drying fabrics such as cotton blends and linens that can tolerate moderate heat without the risk of shrinkage.
• High Heat: Uses intense heat for heavy-duty fabrics that require thorough drying. This dryer setting is suitable for items like towels and sheets.
• Air-Dry: Air-drying works best for items such as silk, clothing with embellishments, or denim. Lay them flat, hang them on a drying rack, or use an outside clothing line.

Hang, Fold, & Put Away

Once the dryer stops—hang, fold, and put clean clothes away on the same day to help maintain organization, prevent wrinkles, and preserve the shape and quality of each item. You can also enlist your kids to help put their laundry away—investing in a folding board can help give them a place to start. Putting items away in the dresser or closet rather than leaving them in a pile prevents you from having to frantically search for an item of clothing when you need it.

Clean Your Washing Machine & Dryer

Regularly take the time to clean your washing machine and dryer to help maintain their efficiency and longevity. Both machines can accumulate dirt, detergent residue, lint, and even mold. Deep clean your washing machine at least every six months—common options include using peroxide or making your own cleaner out of vinegar and baking soda. To clean a dryer, remove lint and debris that has accumulated in the lint trap after every load of laundry and wipe down the drum. At least once a year, clean your dryer vent to prevent any potential fire hazards and keep drying times efficient. Once your washer or dryer reaches the end of its life, make sure to responsibly dispose of it.

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