4 Effective Laundry Tips

What are some tips to do your laundry effectively?

1. Washing
2. Drying
3. Ironing
4. Folding

Laundry is an essential part of everyday life. Your home appliances in the Philippines such as washing machines and dryers can make this whole process easier. But what if you’re missing out on essential tips and tricks that can improve the way you wash your clothes?

Some individuals dread washing their clothes because it takes up so much time and effort. Often, it’s more appealing to go to a laundromat or pay someone to do the laundry. In the long term, this doesn’t do much good for the wallet because it gets expensive. Inflation rates can affect the fees of goods and services. It’s much wiser to just do it yourself.

If you’re interested in improving how you do your laundry, here are some effective tips that you can use at home.

Washing

Besides sorting by color, you can sort your clothes by how dirty they are. Sort your dirty clothes accordingly and categorize them. The degree of how soiled they are can make the washing process more effective. It’s also a good idea to soak the clothing before proceeding to wash it. This can help loosen up dirt and grime. For example, if you have muddied clothes, it wouldn’t be wise to combine them with items that are only mildly dirty. The dirt would just contaminate the water. It may even smell clean, but the dirt from the mud can stain light colors. Heavy fabrics such as denim should be separated from delicate fabrics. The heavy fabric is prone to fading, so it’s wise to use gentle methods while washing it.

A common mistake made by people is that they tend to put the detergent directly on the clothing. If you do this and you’re using a washing machine, the distribution of the detergent becomes uneven. To improve the distribution of the detergent, start off with the clothing and then clean water. You should put the detergent in last for the best pay off.

Avoid damaging your clothes while washing by zipping up jeans, clipping in bras and buttoning up shirts. Unzipped jeans and unclipped bras can snag on other clothing and cause tears while they’re spinning in the wash. Jeans can greatly benefit from being turned inside out. It can prevent fading. For lingerie, you can use a separate bag or an old pillowcase to prevent it from damaging other clothing items. Buttons are prone to damage if they’re not secure in the wash. Secure all buttons (including the ones on the sleeves and collars) so that they don’t randomly snap off when washing.

If you’re unsure if the colors of your clothing will bleed, do an initial patch test. Heavily dyed clothes can affect pristine clothing if the dye bleeds. Dampen a spot and use a white cloth to blot the spot. If you see any discoloration on the white cloth, you’ll know that you have to separate this item. However, if this persists even after a few washes, you may have to wash the item separately so it doesn’t dye other items. Once you’re done with a patch test, separate similar colors to prevent cross-contamination of the dye.

Stains may seem like it would require clothes to be handled roughly. However, handling stained clothes roughly can only cause the stain to spread, Soak the stained clothing then gently rub the stain away. If the water you’re using starts to look dirty, immediately replace it and repeat until it becomes clear. If there’s still a stain, it’s time to bring in the bleach. Apply the same gentle principle — you don’t want to be too harsh on your fabric.

Drying

If you have a dryer at home, then you’re in luck. If you have items that need to be dried in a hurry, just add a clean towel during your dry cycle. The towel will absorb more moisture and can lessen the energy you use for your dryer.

However, make sure that you take out the towel after 20 minutes if you have a lot of clothing to deal with. The towel that absorbs the excess moisture can slow down your drying process if you don’t take it out right away. It can do more harm than good if the towel remains in the drum of the dryer for a long time because the moisture absorbed from your other clothes has nowhere to go.

If you’re planning to hang your clothes on the line, avoid doing so when they are still soaking wet. The weight of the water can cause wrinkling in the clothes as you dry it. The more wrinkles you have on your clothes, the more time you spend on the ironing board.

Ironing

Just like washing, ironing also requires sorting and clothing. Sort your clothes according to the temperature required. High-temperature clothing should be separated from delicate clothing that only needs low temperature. This can save you time and energy during your ironing process. Avoid using circular strokes when you’re ironing your clothes because this stretches out the fabric.

To protect delicate fabrics, add a pressing cloth before getting started. This could be a handkerchief or scrap fabric. You can also flip it inside out to avoid burning the sensitive fibers.

Cut more out of your ironing time by adding a sheet of aluminum foil to the ironing board. Make sure that the shiny side of the foil is facing up. You can run your iron on top of your clothing and both sides will evenly receive heat. Be careful when using this method and make sure you’re using the right temperature to avoid burning your clothes.

Steam irons can be used to add your favorite fragrance to your clothes. If fabric conditioner isn’t enough, you can add a water-based essential oil or your perfume in the water before steaming. Don’t add too much as it can overwhelm your steam iron.

Folding

Folding your clothing the right way can save space in your closet. This can also help you effectively organize your clothing items so that you’ll always know where to find them. According to Marie Kondo, instead of haphazardly laying out clothing in the drawers, it should stand upright.

Socks

• Lay a pair of socks flat and stack the socks on top of each other
• Fold the toe inward, only an inch from the top
• Then fold it towards the center
• Fold the socks in half so that they stand upright

Underwear

• Lay the underwear flat and fold in half lengthwise from the crotch to the waistband
• Fold in the sides
• Fold the crotch over, make sure it stands upright

T-shirts

• Lay the shirt flat and fold in the right side with the sleeve flat
• Fold back the sleeve halfway through
• Begin folding the left side, mirroring the method with the right
• Fold in the neckline an inch away from the hem
• Fold it halfway and fold it again. Check to see if it stands upright

Key Takeaway

Use your home appliances in the Philippines effectively with these laundry tips and tricks. These tricks can save you money, energy, and space in your closets if applied correctly. These are just small steps to take to get started on a much more cost-effective journey in your laundry process.