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Washing your clothes at designated intervals helps banish pesky bacteria, dirt, mites, and allergens, ending the cross-contamination cycle and keeping your home a haven for health (and happiness). It’s not just to avoid getting rid of that sour smell but also to keep your clothes looking like new for longer. Sweat and body oils can break through and build up, and fibres weaken as they keep accumulating, not to mention that if you let stains “set,” the harder it’ll be to remove them. Taking care of household laundry can be unbearable if you let it pile up. 

In truth, laundry can be frustrating, even for an enthusiast, because it’s time-consuming, and there’s so very much that can go wrong. But it’s necessary. Lighten your load and make doing laundry easier and more effective with these tips and tricks. 

Create A Convenient Drop-Off Zone 

As humans, we tend to find easier ways to do things for various reasons, like saving energy and effort or freeing up time to focus on other important things. So, have a convenient spot to put your dirty laundry. You can stack your dryer on top of the washer to increase floor space; the washing machine can get heavy when filled with water, so it must stay on the floor. A laundry basket gives you more space to pile your clothes and minimises trips to the washing machine. If you don’t have a ton of space or need to sort your laundry, you’re better off with just one. 

Some people don’t use hampers, they put the clothes directly in the laundry basket, and then carry the basket to the washing machine. It’s tempting to buy the first basket you see, but it’s worth doing your homework, so think about your household’s needs (how often you do the laundry and for how many people) and how big your laundry room is. Make sure the laundry basket is easy to squish into spaces and lets you easily navigate up and down the stairs. You can keep your home tidy and dirty clothes out of sight using a collapsible basket, but let clothes dry off completely before loading them to prevent mildew. 

Separate And Sort Your Laundry Before Washing to Prevent Colour Bleeding 

You should separate whites, colours, and darks to avoid unwanted coloration. The fabric gets wet, and dye leaches out – the “red sock ruining white laundry” thing really happens, even if clothing manufacturers have much better dye processes that seal the colours. Even separating whites from colours is no recipe for success because dyes from darker clothes can bleed onto lighter ones. Wash your whites separately in hot water between 90° and 130° F to remove dirt and stains, but don’t go in straight for the hottest cycle setting just yet. What temperature you decide to use depends on the material type and the level of stain the clothes have suffered. 

If you want to do laundry without clothes bleeding on each other, the following suggestions may turn out to be helpful: 

• When you shop, avoid clothes that are likely to bleed: If you don’t want to spend your entire life doing laundry, buy clothes that won’t look drab once washed. Dodge labels with instructions like “Colour Rubs Off” or “Turn Inside Out To Launder,” as they can indicate the colours may bleed when washing. 
• Hand-wash clothes separately: Use only your hands to wash gently. You’ve got complete control over the water temperature, there’s no turmoil, and the clothes don’t get stained through colour bleeding. You should rinse well when washing clothes by hand. 
• Don’t rely on colour catcher sheets: Colour catcher sheets aren’t reliable, so your clothes won’t come out clean, intact, or without the need for a rewash. While they do work to some extent, their effectiveness varies depending on the type of fabric.

Optimise The Power of Your Detergent 

If your laundry detergent isn’t working the way you’d like, boost its cleaning power by adding half a cup of baking soda to the washing machine to have whiter whites and brighter colours. Baking soda softens the water, so you can stop using so much detergent; it also helps break up particles left by detergent that lock in odour-causing bacteria. Whirlpool recommends soaking soiled laundry in a blend of vinegar and water to treat stains like tea, coffee, wine, fruit juice, and beer. Run the clothes through the washing machine in a normal wash cycle. 

Dry Your Laundry Indoors Without Causing Dump or Mould 

Hanging clothes to dry outdoors lets you take advantage of natural air circulation and sunlight, but what do you do if it’s raining or you have inadequate outdoor space? Put up a washing line in the kitchen, hallway, bedroom, or dining area, but give the clothes a good shake to get the big wrinkles out first. The best part is that the clothesline can slink back into a state of near oblivion when not in use, so it doesn’t interfere with the surrounding décor. The unit itself is solid and user-friendly. Plunging your nose into a pile of dried clothes will release a cascade of endorphins. 

When drying clothes indoors, you’ll want to avoid the issues of damp and mould by placing them close to spots with good airflow and opening the windows for at least 15 minutes to increase ventilation. If it’s too cold, think about getting a dehumidifier to eliminate excess humidity. Above all, don’t overload the washing machine because washing too many clothes at once won’t give them a good clean. It creates an imbalance in the washer tub reducing spin speeds, leaving the clothes wet. It’ll take even longer for them to dry, so try spreading out your laundry loads. 

Final Thoughts 

Properly caring for your clothes isn’t just sensible and hygienic – it can greatly expand their lifespan. We need things in our lives to be easy, so find ways to do laundry smarter, not harder, to avoid wasting valuable time and energy. It’s better for your schedule and your clothes.