According to Consumer Reports, Americans are washing less than they should. Whether it’s a lack of time or a lack of love for laundry duty, we can all find an excuse to get out of the time-consuming task.
If laundry days are dragging you through the wringer, there are some easy ways to simplify the task. The first step is learning the what and when, as in what articles of clothing and when they should be laundered.
The American Cleaning Institute – along with domestic icon Martha Stewart – suggests using these guidelines as a general rule of thumb.
· Sheets: At least every two weeks, more often if you sweat a lot.
· Pajamas: After 3 or 4 wears (if you shower before bed, you may get a few more).
· Towels: After 3 or 4 normal uses or more frequently if you play sports.
· Socks and underwear: After each wear.
· Bras: After 2 to 3 wears. TIP: Be sure to give your bra a rest day in between wearings to give the elastic a chance to regain its shape.
· T-shirts, tank tops and camisoles: After each wear.
· Dress shirts and khakis: Can be worn a few times before washing unless you are sweating, or they are visibly dirty.
· Jeans: Typically can be worn 3 times before washing.
· Leggings: After every wear to get rid of the baggy knees.
· Bathing suits: After every wear.
· Whites and silks: After every wear because they’re prone to discoloration. Whites are apparently the most forgotten laundry.
· Suits: Suits typically can be worn several times during normal use before dry cleaning (not washing).Think 3-4 wears for wool and 4-5 wears for synthetics. Depending on environmental factors (i.e., smoke or smog), you may need to dry clean more often.
Save Time by Sorting Daily
There are organizational products out there to ease the laundry burden. Hampers can help you sort your darks and whites, which will save you time in the long run.
“Keep divided sorters for lights and darks and have separate baskets or bins,” suggests Carolyn Forte, Director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI).
Take a load off by making pre-sorting a family affair. It’s never too soon to get the kids in on the act. Even elementary school-aged children can be taught to divide clothing by color.
Test for Colorfast
Clueless on colorfast? You’re not alone. Clothing that has colorfast prevents runs and dyes, reducing the risk of laundry disasters. Stewart has said not enough people read the labels on their clothes and offers tips on how to determine if they are colorfast.
If you are unsure, dampen fabric in a discreet spot (like an inside seam), wait a minute or two, and blot with a white cloth.
If the cloth takes on color, the garment is not colorfast.
TIP: Wash non-colorfast clothes alone until they stop releasing dye. Include an old white handkerchief or sock in the wash each time. Once it emerges untainted, you can add the garment to the rest of your wash.
On the Mend and Yikes, Bed Bugs!
After an illness or infestation, take measures to prevent reinfection or infecting others. In case of the unthinkable – bedbugs or illness -- there are household tips that can help you through it.
Common household products like bleach, lemon juice or vinegar are often the go-to for getting things back on the up and up. DO wash every bedding after an illness and utilize one of nature’s greatest resources, the sun.
Here Comes the Sun
Talk about a ray of light. The sun has long been a cure-all for many things. That includes disinfecting sheets and articles of clothing. The ultraviolet light bleaches clothing and kills germs. Wash clothes as you usually do, and then air dry them on a line outside in direct sunlight for several hours. An added perk – you’ll save money on your electric bill. Also, keep in mind that both lemon juice and vinegar are acids that will help effectively wipe out many germs and bugs.
What You Need in a Washer and Dryer
The top-rated washers and dryers are expensive. If you have priced them recently, you know. But do you need all the bells and whistles?
According to the Today Show, look at the efficiency of the washing machine. Does it use a ton of water? Opt for a machine that has a quick cycle to save on water. This can save more than $1,000 a year.
If extras like knowing how much time is left on a cycle or steam cycles are important for you, go for the gold. More important things to keep in mind include the noisiness of the machine or the amount of effort it takes to get the clothes in and out of the tub.
As for a dryer, stick to the basics – heat level, fabric type and timed dry. There’s no need to go overboard.
Save Energy and Dollars
There are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes according to Energy.gov: Use less water, and use cooler water. Unless you're dealing with oily stains, the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.
Here are the Energy.gov recommendations:
· Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
· Wash and dry full loads. If you are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
· Dry towels and heavier cotton in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
· Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
· Clean the lint screen in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation and prevent fire hazards.
· Periodically, use the long nozzle tip on your vacuum cleaner to remove the lint that collects below the lint screen in the lint screen slot of your clothes dryer.
· Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the heat remaining in the dryer.
· Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire. Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting material -- not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.
· Consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks. Clothing manufacturers recommend air drying for some fabrics.