6 Things That Drastically Improve How You Do The Laundry

Even with the invention of washing machines, wash days can sometimes be a tedious chore. No matter how expensive your appliances or laundry materials are, there are times when your clothes are not cleaned properly, even after an entire wash-and-dry cycle. Insufficiently laundered clothes often lead to inconveniences such as temporarily unwearable pieces, high water bills, and wasted energy from repeating the laundry process all over again.

If you constantly find that your clothes aren’t clean enough, there may be something wrong with your laundry agents, your washing machine, or simply the way you do your laundry. In this article, we’ve rounded up some things you should consider to improve the way you do your laundry and make your next wash day a hassle-free one.

Good Dryer Placement and Maintenance

A washing machine with dryer is a must for most households. That said, you should know where to place your laundry appliances, how to maintain them, and how to make the most of them. Dryers are best placed close to an exhaust port or outside wall so less energy is spent every cycle. Also, you need to periodically clean your dryer’s vent and hose to prevent lint buildup and other issues.

Speaking of lint, your dryer’s lint screen is there to catch fibers from clothes that are exposed to the high heat and friction of tumble-drying. Make sure to empty the lint screen between laundry cycles to prevent the dryer from overheating and shutting down.

Mold Prevention Techniques

Mold inside your washing machine leads to musty-smelling clothes and health risks. Front-load machines are more prone to mold growth since the rubber stopper around the door can trap residue from laundry agents, which mold can feed on.

To prevent mold growth, make sure to leave your washer door open after every cycle to allow the interior to dry. You may also want to disinfect your washer with bleach, baking soda, vinegar, and hot water. The placement of your appliance might help, too: mold dies in sunlight and so is less likely to thrive in a washer with access to natural light.

Properly Loading Your Laundry

If you have a top-load washing machine, you’re probably familiar with problems such as detergent buildup, grease, and powdery spots. These are caused by the uneven distribution of detergent, which often results from clothes that are not loaded properly inside the machine.

Using a top-load machine can be tricky, but experts recommend loading clothes around an invisible center column. To be sure, you can also check your machine’s manual for instructions on how to properly load your laundry.

Aside from top-load washers, dryers also need to be loaded properly in order to work efficiently. When using a standard dryer, you should pay attention to how many clothes you are putting in the dryer for a cycle. Avoid overloading your dryer to make sure that the heat permeates evenly through all your clothes.

On a related note, it would be a good idea to avoid periodically opening the already-running dryer to throw in forgotten items. Constantly opening and closing the dryer will cause its contents to not dry  properly, with some items left too damp and others over-dried.

If you have freshly-washed items left behind, place the wet clothes on a dry rack instead and run a new dryer cycle after the current one finishes.

The Type and Amount of Detergent

When shopping for detergent, choose the one that best meets your needs and fits your budget. But while it’s not too damaging to use the most accessible detergent for you, it’s still important to be aware of how each detergent type works.

Powdered detergents are often the cheapest ones and usually do the job for standard laundry loads. However, this type of detergent may not dissolve entirely in cold water and leave a powdery residue on your clothes. In contrast, liquid detergents are better for penetrating tough stains. They often contain enzymes and are generally recommended for front-load washers.

Besides the type of detergent you use, you should also be mindful of how much you use for your load. Using too much leads to an abundance of suds that trap soil in the fabric of your clothes. If you don’t want to bother with measuring doses, you may want to consider using items such as laundry pods.

The Right Water Temperature

Another important thing to consider when doing your laundry is the water temperature. Cold, warm, and hot water all work differently depending on the clothes you are washing and how dirty they are. Cold water is best for delicate fabrics, dark-colored fabrics that “bleed,” and shrink-prone items. On the other hand, warm water works well for handmade fabrics and lightly soiled clothing.

Hot water should be used for cotton whites and heavy fabrics like towels and bedding. This temperature is also best for heavily-stained clothes, especially those soiled with grease and oil.

Turning Your Clothes Inside Out

Turning each item inside out before putting them into the wash is a tried-and-tested way to maintain the quality of your clothes. It’s a common practice to prevent the fabric from wearing out, which causes clothes to look dull and faded.

While it’s generally recommended to wash clothes in bleeding colors separately, turning them inside out is still a good precaution nonetheless.

Wash Day Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

If you’re dreading the next time you have to do laundry, maybe it’s time you made some changes to your washday routine. From where you place your dryer to the detergent you use, many factors impact how your clothes look, feel, and smell. To keep your clothes in tip-top shape, make sure to routinely check your laundry methods and the appliances you use to do them.