Laundry day doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a few clever tips and tricks, you can turn this routine chore into a more efficient and even enjoyable activity.
Whether you’re a laundry novice looking to master the basics or a seasoned pro seeking to optimize your process, here you will find practical advice to help you tackle your laundry with ease.
Get ready to transform the way you do laundry and achieve fresher, cleaner clothes with less effort.
Laundry Shortcuts to Cut Your Time in Half!
This video showcases game-changing shortcuts to significantly reduce the time spent on laundry, potentially cutting it by up to 80%. The presenter emphasizes that most laundry time is consumed by folding and putting away clothes, which will be the focus of the time-saving strategies.
A pie chart is used to break down where time is spent during the laundry process:
- 5% on loading/unloading the washer and dryer.
- 10% on sorting clothes.
- 75% on folding and putting away clothes.
Sorting Strategy:
- Kids: Each child gets their own laundry basket, preventing the need to sort later.
- Adults: Simplified sorting with three hampers: general clothes, sportswear, and sheets/towels. This pre-sorting helps avoid mixing and reduces the sorting time after washing.
Washing Guidelines:
- General Clothes: Wash on a cold cycle to mix lights, darks, and colors without worrying about color bleeding. Alternatively, use a warm cycle with a color catcher.
- Sportswear: Wash separately on a cold cycle to prevent pilling and lint collection.
- Sheets and Towels: Wash together on a long hot cycle for thorough cleaning due to higher levels of dirt and bacteria.
Hanging and Folding Techniques:
Hanging:
- Use plastic hangers for faster hanging. Load multiple tops onto your arm and slip them onto hangers efficiently.
- For tank tops, use the straps and hang them sideways for quick hanging.
Folding:
- T-shirts: Use a quick folding method involving imaginary lines and precise pinching to fold in seconds.
- Leggings: Fold into a compact “burrito” shape by rolling and tucking in the waistband, making storage neat and easy.
- No-Fold System for Kids:
Utilize labeled bins for different types of kids’ clothing (short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, pants, shorts, underwear) to avoid folding entirely. Simply toss clean items into the appropriate bins.
Additional Laundry Hacks:
- Scent Boost: Mix high-end scented detergent with unscented detergent to make it last longer while keeping clothes smelling fresh for weeks.
- Stain Removal: Use an effective spray stain remover on kids’ clothes to tackle food and other stains easily.
Storage Solutions:
- Use collapsible laundry baskets for space-saving.
- Install a magnetic lint trash can next to the dryer for convenient lint disposal.
- Use slim storage containers between or beside the washer and dryer for extra storage of laundry essentials.
The Secret to Getting White Clothes Whiter
This video reveals a method for making white clothes whiter and smelling fresh. It shows the effectiveness of the method with before-and-after comparisons.
The method works on various items: white shirts with stains, dirty white socks, white towels, white shoes, and even a white pillowcase with dirt stains. Specific stains mentioned include underarm stains, sweat marks on t-shirts, and general dinginess.
The primary ingredient is Oxiclean White Revive, which can be in pod or powder form.
Clothes are soaked in warm water for about six hours. If the washing machine has a limited soak time, alternative soaking methods like using the kitchen sink, a bucket, or a bathtub are suggested.
After soaking, the clothes are washed with regular laundry detergent. Bleach is added carefully to avoid damaging the clothes. It is recommended to add the bleach five minutes after starting the washing cycle. The washing machine settings used include hot water, medium spin, and heavily soiled options.
The presenter advises being careful with bleach to prevent removing the blue tint from white clothes.
The presenter showcases the whitened clothes, highlighting the significant improvement in the appearance of previously stained and dingy items. Specific examples include a stain-free school uniform shirt, nearly perfect white socks, and much whiter dish towels.
15 Laundry Hacks to make Laundry Faster + Easier!
The video features Jordan Page, a mother of five young children, sharing her laundry hacks to make the process faster and easier.
Sorting and Preparing Laundry:
- Advises sorting laundry immediately upon entering the laundry room, turning clothes right side out, and checking pockets to prepare them for washing.
- Emphasizes sorting by fabric type and soil level rather than color for better cleaning results.
HE Washer Tips:
- Highlights the importance of using an HE (high efficiency) washer and HE detergent for improved efficiency and cleaning.
- Recommends checking for the HE symbol on both the washer and detergent packaging.
Detergent Usage:
- Suggests using Tide Pods for pre-measured detergent, stain treatment, and fabric brightening, which saves time and money.
- Advises using two Tide Pods for larger loads in HE washers to ensure adequate cleaning.
Water Temperature:
- Explains that, except for whites, using cold or warm water is preferable to hot water for washing to avoid setting stains and fading clothes.
Sock Management:
- Offers various hacks to prevent losing socks, such as pinning them together before washing and checking the washer’s lining for stray socks.
- Recommends keeping a basket for stray socks and periodically attempting to match them.
Drying and Freshening Techniques:
- Recommends adding a dry towel to the dryer to reduce drying time and ripping dryer sheets in half to make them last longer.
- Advocates using vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser with towels to remove buildup and odors.
Family Involvement and Organization:
- Encourages involving children in the laundry process by assigning them tasks like folding towels and putting away their clothes.
- Proposes assigning a clean clothes basket to each family member as a motivational tool for timely organization.
How To Wash & Maintain Your Clothes | Laundry 101
This video is a detailed guide on how to properly wash and maintain clothes to preserve their quality.
Sorting Clothes:
- Importance of sorting clothes properly before washing to maintain quality.
- Sorting method based on fabric type: Cotton, synthetics, delicate fabrics like wool.
- Further sorting by color: Whites, light colors, dark colors to prevent color transfer.
Checking Garment Tags:
- Importance of checking garment tags for specific washing instructions.
- Explanation of symbols, particularly the water bucket symbol indicating washing temperature.
Washing Machine Settings:
- Overview of selecting washing machine settings: program, temperature, spin speed.
- Guidance on adjusting settings based on fabric type and garment instructions.
- Preference for liquid detergents over tablets or powder, with a brief explanation of personal choice and sustainability considerations.
Washing Different Fabric Types:
- Specific instructions for washing different fabric types: Cotton, synthetics, delicate fabrics.
- Recommendations for temperature, spin speed, and potential considerations (e.g., avoiding fabric softener for workout clothes).
- Note on items requiring dry cleaning and potential exceptions.
Drying Clothes:
- Discussion on tumble drying versus air drying.
- Reasons against tumble drying due to potential damage to fibers, shrinking, and energy consumption.
- Tips for air drying delicate knitwear, including laying flat to prevent stretching.
Laundry Maintenance Tips:
- Advice on washing clothes less frequently to prolong garment lifespan and conserve energy.
- Recommendation to wash clothes inside out for extra care, and using a laundry net for delicate items.
- Guidance on folding knitwear instead of hanging to maintain shape.
- Recommendation of using a fabric shaver to remove lint and pills from sweaters.
- Importance of ironing at correct temperatures based on garment instructions, with a demonstration of using a protective cloth for delicate fabrics like polyester.
13 Laundry Mistakes You Should Never Make
Too Much Laundry Detergent: The creator explains that using an excessive amount of laundry detergent can lead to residue buildup on clothing. She recommends using half the usual amount of detergent, which not only ensures cleaner clothes but also saves money in the long run.
Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets: The video advises against using fabric softener and dryer sheets due to their tendency to leave waxy buildup on clothing and towels. Instead, the creator suggests using distilled white vinegar as a natural fabric softener and wool dryer balls to reduce drying time and impart fragrance.
Washing on Hot: Washing laundry on hot temperatures is discouraged except for heavily soiled items, as it can damage fabrics and consume more energy. The video suggests using lower water temperatures for most loads to preserve clothing and reduce electricity bills.
Washing New Clothing: The importance of washing new clothing before wearing it is highlighted to remove dyes and chemicals that can cause skin irritation. This step is emphasized as a preventive measure against allergic reactions.
Stain-Fighting Tips: The video offers various stain-fighting techniques, including soaking stains immediately, using specific stain-fighting products like messy eater spray or Dawn dish liquid for oil stains, and utilizing natural methods such as sunlight to remove stains.
Laundry Efficiency Tips: Tips for saving money and improving efficiency include doing laundry during off-peak electricity hours, avoiding overstuffing the washer to ensure thorough cleaning, and maintaining the washing machine by cleaning the lint trap, lint vent, and dryer vents regularly.
Proper Sorting: Properly sorting laundry to maintain clothing items and using color catchers in mixed loads is recommended. The creator shares her personal sorting preferences and laundry routine for different types of clothing, including athleisure wear.