How to do laundry |

Single Man’s Guide for Doing Laundry

Getting Started on Your Laundry

If you have found this article on how to do laundry, chances are good that someone has decided that it is well beyond the time for you to start washing your own “drawers”. Or perhaps you made that choice for yourself, either because you have “grown up” and want to become more responsible; or have moved and the distance between you and your mother no longer makes it feasible for you to save up all your dirty laundry for her to do. Whatever the reason, doing laundry is a simple chore that you can master.

Sorting

The first step in the process of doing laundry is sorting. Sorting involves separating your clothing into distinct piles for whites, darks, and bright colors. This is a crucial step. If you mix your white laundry with your colored laundry, the colors can bleed, turning your tighty-whities into tighty-pinkies fast. You should also separate the items in your laundry that produce lint (like towels) from clothing that can attract lint (like corduroy). It’s usually a good idea to wash your towels and wash cloths separately – and if you buy all white bath linens, it simplifies the process quite a bit. It is important to realize that not all clothing can be washed at home. Fabrics like silk, rayon, and wool, for example, should be sent out to the dry cleaners. While you’re sorting the laundry into piles, empty all of your pockets.

Stains

Most stains should be pre-treated ASAP; you can also pre-treat stains as you sort your clothing. Products like Shout or Tide-to-Go Stain Remover can be used to treat the stain prior to washing. Always heed the instructions that you find on the product’s label before treating, as it may differ from product to product.

Using the Washer

The washing machine has different water temperatures: hot, cold, and warm. As a rule of thumb, cold water will protect your darks and colors from fading and prevent them from shrinking. More durable fabrics, like preshrunk cotton, can be washed in either hot or warm water. Your whites should always be washed in hot water. Always consult the clothing label to determine the specific temperature that your item should be washed in.

Always use the measuring cup or cap that comes with or is screwed onto the top of your laundry detergent to measure out the right amount of detergent for your load. This is based on the size of the load, and you will need to select the appropriate load size on the washer, as well. Turn the washer on and select the load size and put your laundry detergent in, giving it time to dissolve, before you put in your load. Use your best judgment when determining load size, but the water in your washing machine should be well over top the entire load before it begins its work. Clothing should be packed loosely in the machine. If you try to wash too many clothes at once, they won’t get clean – and they may end up with laundry detergent powder clinging to them if you use powdered detergent.

Unless your machine has a built-in softener dispenser, f you are using liquid fabric softener, spring for one of the softener dispenser balls that you toss in when you start the load,. If not, you’ll need to come back and add the right amount of fabric softener (see the bottle label) when the load moves to the rinse cycle. You can also opt for dryer sheets that you just place in the dryer, or for one of the new “dryer bars” that provide softening for up to a month.

If you are adding bleach to your load, do so after the detergent has dissolved but before you put in your load. In general, a cup of bleach or less is enough for a large load. Too much bleach can actually cause your clothing to turn yellow. Be very careful with bleach. Don’t allow it to splash onto you or your clothing.

Once you have added everything you need to put in the washer, shut the lid and wait. It takes around forty to forty-five minutes for most washers to complete the entire washing cycle.

Using the Dryer

Once the washer has stopped, remove the load and place it in the dryer. Any delicates should be hung up or placed on a drying rack, like certain sweaters or clothing with spandex. If you have a doubt about a particular clothing item, check the tag to make sure if it can be dried, and what temperature setting it requires. In general, you should dry your delicates on low, cottons on high, and use medium for most of the other fabrics in your laundry. If you have any questionable items, always opt for low or medium heat to be safe.

Once your items have dried, remove all items from the dryer and fold your freshly laundered clothing, linens, and so on. Pat yourself on the back! Now that you know how much work is involved in getting your clothing clean, give your mother a call and thank her for her many years of dedicated service to you! She may appreciate that you have come to the realization that laundry doesn’t magically clean itself!

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