How often should you do the laundry? At least once a week. That’ll prevent germs and other microbes from accumulating on your clothes, some of which can make you sick. What’s worse, is that they tend to smell.
This happens because the bacteria break down proteins in the skin to form smelly byproducts.
That’s not all, washing your clothes regularly will also prevent body oils and sweat from building up on the fabric. Why is this important? If you wear unwashed clothing, the excess oil can get reabsorbed into your skin and that can lead to acne and other skin issues.
But let’s face it, laundry isn’t the most exciting of chores. If anything, it’s a tedious and monotonous task; this is especially true if you have a lot of clothes.
Not only do you have to sort out the clothes but you also have to put them in the wash, wait for the cycle to finish, and then transfer them to the dryer (or hang dry, depending on the item).
The bottom line is, it can take a while and if you have kids or pets, you’ll probably be doing it a lot.
But don’t worry, doing the laundry doesn’t have to be tedious. It’ll still be a chore regardless, but there are things that you can do to make the process easier and that’s exactly what we’ll be going over in this post!
8 Laundry Tips That Everyone Needs to Know
Without further delay, here are a few tips that’ll help you save time so that you can do laundry like a pro.
1. Make Use of Vinegar
Chances are, you have a bottle of white vinegar in that kitchen. Believe it or not but it’s not just good for cooking, you can also use it to clean your clothes- in more than one way!
For example, you can add a cup of white vinegar during the final rinse to get rid of any soap residue that’s left behind. That way, your clothes will come out fresh and bright each time. It’ll even soften the fabric.
You can also use vinegar to get rid of odors; this has to do with its mildly acidic properties which help neutralize smells. Simply add one cup to the rinse cycle.
And if you have a front-loading washing machine, you can add one to two cups of vinegar to help get rid of the odor-causing bacteria. For the best results, run a hot water cycle with an empty machine.
If vinegar doesn’t eliminate your washing machine odors, you may need to step up to a dedicated washing machine cleaner. These cleaners help ensure the whole inside of the machine gets cleaned and odor-causing residue is eliminated. Here’s our top pick for the best washing machine cleaner we’ve reviewed.
ACTIVE Washing Machine Cleaner is specifically designed to clean the internal parts of a washing machine like inside the drum where odor-causing grime builds up. It is formulated to work with all types of washers including top-load, front-load, and HE. The enzyme formula removes residue from dirt, detergent, softeners and more.
Not only that but they’re also eco-friendly and safe for the environment. For one thing, they’re septic-safe. They also use less packaging compared to other washing machine cleaners. The fact that they’re tablets also eliminates unnecessary messes and waste. During our testing they weren’t only our top pick overall but they also came in as our best front load, top load, and our best eco friendly washing machine cleaner!
- Free of fragrances
- Eco-friendly formula that's safe for the environment
- Works with all washing machines
- Great for removing odors, limescale, mildew, and bacteria
- Each pack contains a year's supply
- Customers outside of the U.S. will have to pay extra for shipping
2. Keeping Your Socks Together
Tired of having to deal with single socks? If so, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a way to keep them together while they’re washing. All you have to do is put the socks in a mesh laundry bag before throwing them in the machine.
Not only will that keep your socks from disappearing but it’ll also prevent them from rubbing against your other laundry. In other words, your socks will stay new for longer.
You can also keep your socks together by pinning them with a stainless steel safety pin (other materials will get damaged over time) or by tying them together with an elastic.
There are also gadgets called ‘sock locks’ and ‘sock docks’ that you can get that’ll keep them together during the wash but you’ll have to buy them separately.
3. Make Use of Baking Soda
Baking soda is great for neutralizing odors but that’s not all it can do- you can also use it to boost the performance of some laundry products. In some cases, it can even replace them altogether.
For example, you can use baking soda instead of commercial fabric conditioners. Not only will it soften your towels and clothes but it’ll do so without leaving any waxy residue on the fabric.
That’s not all, you can also use baking soda to boost the whitening power of oxygen and chlorine bleach. All you have to do is add one cup of baking soda to the machine during the wash cycle when using bleach.
If you want, you can even use it to clean the bottom of your iron. That way, there won’t be any gunk when you’re trying to iron your freshly washed clothes.
4. Dry Your Clothes Faster with Towels
The dryer is pretty efficient at what it’s supposed to- drying your clothes. But there will be times when you want it to dry your clothes faster, and as it turns out, it is possible.
Simply add a couple of dry bath towels to the dryer before you put your clothes in. The towels will help absorb some of the excess moisture so that everything will dry faster.
And if you’re hand-washing your clothes, you can get the excess moisture out of the fabric by putting it in a kitchen salad spinner. Just spin it a few times and the moisture will come right out without you having to wring or twist the fabric.
If anything, you just have to make sure the spinner is big enough for the item.
5. Remove Wrinkles From Your Clothes Using Ice Cubes
Some fabrics are prone to wrinkles if you pop them in the dryer. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to remove them without having to take out the iron. The answer is- ice cubes.
Start by taking all your clothes out of the dryer (or you can start with an empty dryer). Once you’ve done that, add a handful of ice cubes. Put your wrinkled clothes back in and tumble dry for 10 to 15 minutes on high heat.
The ice cubes will melt and create steam, which will help relax the fibers. In doing so, the wrinkles will disappear. Just smooth out the cuffs, collars, and seams with your hands and you’ll be good to go.
6. Fix Your Shrunken Clothes With Hair Conditioner
Accidentally threw your wool sweater into the dryer with your other clothes? Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw it out; there’s a way to ‘reverse’ the shrinking so that you can wear it again!
All you need is some hair conditioner. Put the sink stopper on and squirt some into the sink. Mix it with some cool water to create a solution and put the shrunken sweater in.
Leave it in for 20 to 30 minutes and the conditioner will relax the wool fibers so that you’ll be able to pull the sweater back to its original state.
7. Use Dryer Balls Instead of Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets may be effective but there are better options out there. For one thing, they contribute to environmental waste. Not only that but they may also emit harmful compounds into the air via dryer vents.
On top of that, they can be expensive in the long run.
What you want to use instead is dryer balls. They’re made of wool and will soften and fluff up your clothing in the dryer without creating any static.
Not only that but they’ll also keep your clothes separated in the dryer during the tumble dry cycle so that the heat will disperse more evenly. That way, your clothes will dry faster.
8. Remove Stains with Salt
Believe it or not but you can actually remove stains with table salt. This has to do with the fact that it’s a mild abrasive, which helps to remove rust, blood, and other liquid stains.
For the best results, it’s best to apply the salt before the stain is set into the fabric.
Given that, you may want to keep a container of table salt in the laundry room. That way, you’ll have it right there when you need it for a stain.
Simply sprinkle a generous amount onto the fabric and it’ll absorb the liquid. Alternatively, you can create a paste by mixing the salt with a bit of water. From there, you can rub the paste into the stain.
Rinse with water afterward and you should be good.
