Create a fresher home with a few laundering tricks
Whites, brights, dark colors and delicates 鈥� doing the laundry can sometimes seem overwhelming.
It鈥檚 actually a simple process but you have to think about what you鈥檙e doing.
Pam Howarth of Menallen Township, a retired family consumer science teacher for Uniontown Area School District, shared some insights into cleaning clothes.
鈥淔irst of all, stain treatment should be done as soon as possible,鈥� Howarth noted.
Howarth prefers using a dishwashing detergent that cuts grease and doesn鈥檛 have to be laundered right away, but remarked that specific stain treatment products are also good. Read the label, however, to see if the clothing has to be washed within a certain amount of time. Howarth also mentioned some people like to carry stain treatment products that are made to be taken with you, such as wipes.
Howarth said sometimes she puts bleach on a garment held over the sink but then rinsed well to avoid bleach causing a yellow stain.
After applying stain treatment, Howarth said, 鈥淚 use a toothbrush or a scrub brush on the stains 鈥� a little elbow grease.鈥�
Next, pay attention to any repairs you need to make on your clothes.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 loose buttons or a tear, take care of it before you put it in the machine because it鈥檚 going to get worse,鈥� said Howarth.
And before you put your clothes into the washing machine, go through the pockets.
鈥淚t鈥檚 best to pull the pockets out. Clothes will dry faster if the pockets are not in. Or turn the garment inside out. Otherwise, you鈥檙e drying three layers of clothing 鈥� the garment and two layers of pockets. If you turn it inside out, then everything is exposed,鈥� Howarth said.
Inside out also works well with clothes that have sequins or glitter threads, Howarth noted.
鈥淲hen it鈥檚 inside out, the threads rub against each other and not against the other clothes in the dryer,鈥� explained Howarth,.
By this time, you鈥檙e ready to sort your clothes.
鈥淵ou want to sort by color,鈥� said Howarth, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 not a bad idea to do just a black load as well. Sometimes black fabric bleeds onto other colors and you wonder why your clothes are losing color.鈥�
Howarth believes it鈥檚 also a good idea to make separate loads for red, purple and navy-colored clothes.
鈥淚 have held them until I have several pieces or reds, purples or blues,鈥� she said.
If that鈥檚 not possible, these three colors can be washed together, but don鈥檛 wash them with oranges, greens or yellows or the lighter clothes will lose their color. But Howarth frowns on washing white underwear and white towels together.
To make your whites their whitest, Howarth noted a lot of people put a cup of white vinegar in their loads.
As to socks, which can become separated from each other while in the laundry, Howarth offers three suggestions: pin a pair together 鈥� but be careful of the pins; tie socks together 鈥� but this can make drying more difficult; or bunch the socks together when you put them in the hamper and then separate them to be washed.
The amount of detergent and your water temperature depends on your washing machine.
Howarth explained that higher performance washers 鈥� marked with an HP 鈥� require a high performance detergent and cold water.
鈥淔ollow the rules. There鈥檚 a reason,鈥� said Howarth.
If using a regular washing machine, water temperature for towels and sheets can be whatever you like.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a personal preference, but hot water is harder on a washer and clothes,鈥� said Howarth, adding, 鈥淎nything will come clean given agitation and the right amount of detergent.鈥�
Read labels on your clothing to see if there are any special instructions.
Regarding delicates, Howarth noted there are laundry bags available that can zip shut during the wash. Delicates must also be sorted by color.
Don鈥檛 use too much laundry detergent when washing clothes. Use what you prefer for a fabric softener but Howarth likes dryer sheets which she said can be used more than once.
For infant clothing, Howarth recommends using baby laundry detergent until the babies are at least three months old.
鈥淭hen if they develop a rash, you know it鈥檚 not the laundry detergent,鈥� Howarth said. 鈥淵ou have to be careful. They鈥檙e sensitive. This can happen with older people as well. As people get older, their skin gets thin. If you notice irritation, you made need to switch to this as well.鈥�
After washing clothes, Howarth recommends line drying for delicates. That includes bathing suits.
鈥淗eat breaks fibers and can cause spandex to snap,鈥� said Howarth, agreeing that chlorine from a swimming pool can also damage fibers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a combination of the two.鈥�
Clothing that is line dried can develop wrinkles so Howarth suggests that once the clothing is dry, dabbing it with a damp cloth and throwing the clothes and the cloth in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes to take the wrinkles out.
As for ironing, permanent press fabric that is wrinkle resistant can cut down on the amount of ironing time. But there are some clothes that always look better when ironed, including button-down and polo shirts.
鈥淒o you want to look like a wrinkled mess or a professional?鈥� Howarth asked.
She gave advice on how to iron a button-down shirt: 鈥淪tart with the upper back yoke. You press that first. Then iron both sleeves and start on the button hole side of the front and go around to the back, then do in between the buttons. Then do the collar.鈥�
For ironing, Howarth suggests staying on the polyester setting as some clothing, such as newer dress slacks, can have spandex in them and a hotter iron will catch on the fabric.
鈥淚 also have a spray bottle of water. I slightly spray everything,鈥� said Howarth, noting a spray bottle can be purchased cheaply and can make it through two ironing sessions.
Washing, drying, ironing 鈥� everyone has to do the laundry.
But a little planning and a little attention to what you鈥檙e doing can make your clothes last longer and laundry day a little easier.