Laundry is a chore that never seems to end and one that most of us do several times a week, if not daily. And while it’s easy to assume you know what you’re doing if you’ve been doing something that long, not everyone knows how to get the most wear and use out of their clothes when it comes to doing laundry. But clothes cost good money and our washers and dryers are meant to work with us, not against us. The tips below can help you to work with your appliances and take care of your clothes for years to come.
- Pretreat stains.
It seems simple enough, but how many times have you gotten rid of or stopped wearing a shirt because of a tough stain that wouldn’t come out? The best way to combat stains is to treat them as soon as you can with some sort of spot cleaner like OxiClean or Shout. If you have a tough grease stain, dish soap can help get it out, and rubbing alcohol can get tough ink stains out. Another bonus tip for stains: If the stain hasn’t come out when you take the clothing out of the washer, don’t put it in the dryer. The heat from the dryer can cause the stain to set in. - Get the right water temperature.
The right water temperature really matters when it comes to washing clothes. Cold water is the best option for most things as it prevents shrinking and stretching. Using cold water is also better for your energy bill and the environment. However, you want to use hot water for whites or really dirty, greasy work clothes. - Get the detergent right.
A lot of us use a specific brand of detergent just because that’s what our parents always bought, but the right detergent matters. Powdered detergents generally work well, but they don’t always dissolve properly in cold water. Liquid detergents contain enzymes that help to better clean and fight stains with your clothes, and you can look at the ingredient list to see how many enzymes each liquid detergent contains. If you choose to use liquid detergent, it’s best to use about half of the recommended amount. One would think that more detergent equals a better clean, but more detergent can also trap in dirt. While pods, or individual packs of detergent, can be convenient, they may contain too much detergent, and they’re also not very cost effective. - Treat colors correctly.
It’s so aggravating when that favorite shirt you’ve had for years starts to fade. However, treating colors correctly from the beginning can prevent this (or at least prolong it). Separating your clothes into whites, light colors, and dark colors is one of the top ways to prevent bleeding colors and dark colors fading over time. You can also turn dark clothes (or any clothes you’re worried about fading) inside out, so that the fading happens on the inside, where no one will see.
While laundry isn’t anybody’s favorite thing to do, we hope these tips can help talk a little of the stress and guesswork out of it. If you’re in need of a new washer or dryer, remember that Modern Gas has washers and dryers in stock, and a new appliance can always make things a little more enjoyable!