Laundry Cleaning Tips

If you LOVE doing laundry, skip this!

Laundry. You either like doing it or you don't. Believe it or not, their are some people who actually enjoy doing wash. Others absolutely hate it. I myself don't mind it too much, but it certainly isn't the brightest spot in my day either. I started doing my own wash when I was 12. All my clothes went in together, usually in one giant load. You live, you learn, you turn all your socks and panties pink and then, you get smart. I at least separate laundry into four piles now: whites, darks, mediums and reds.

I try and do one load of wash per day. Some people spend their entire weekend doing laundry. That's just awful. By keeping on top of your wash and doing at least a load a day, the task of laundry does not have to consume all of your spare time. Here's something really important for you to be aware of: Laundry is not a strictly female sport. There is no good reason for your husband not to pitch in with the laundry effort! My husband does 99% of his own wash. It's one of the reasons I'm still married to him. I'm afraid I could never find another man that's both willing AND able to do his own laundry. Older children can learn to do laundry too. Start out by having them transfer clean, wet clothes from the washer to the dryer and work them up to doing a whole load, start to finish, on their own. Younger children can help my sorting clothes and checking pockets in pants.

Organization!

Organization is the key to a happy laundry life. In our house, we all have our own hampers and laundry baskets. We also have extra baskets in the laundry room that we use to sort out clothes. Always, always, always read the labels on your clothing. They put the instructions on there for a reason.

Read the Labels!

If you're laundry illiterate, here's what the labels mean:

BLOCK TO DRY - Shape the article of clothing to it's size and shape while drying.

DRY FLAT - Lay article of clothing out evenly on a flat surface to dry.

DRY-CLEAN ONLY - Should only be cleaned by a professional. This can be a major pain. I avoid dry-clean only clothes at all cost.

COOL IRON - Iron on lowest setting.

HOT IRON - Iron on highest setting.

HAND WASH ONLY - Wash only by hand, do not put in machine.

MACHINE WASH SEPARATELY - Wash in machine alone or with same colors to avoid bleeding.

Laundry Prep

As you separate your laundry, make sure to:

- Zip up zippers and close buttons and hooks

- Check pockets for fun surprises - pens, dirty tissues, lighters, bubble gum - and turn pockets inside out.

- Pretreat stains and spots with prewash remover.

Keep your laundry organized and make it a household effort. Do what works best for you, but make keeping your wash under control a priority. You'll be a much happier Mom as a result!

More Laundry Cleaning Tips:

Tips for Cleaning Laundry Quickly

Cleaning Your Washing Machine

How to Clean Stains