20 helpful laundry tips

Is laundry your least ‘favorite’ house duty? I’m sure most people feel the same. And even the fact that we don’t have to hand wash or air dry most of our clothing items, bed linen and other stuff doesn’t help the situation.

Are we too lazy? Or is just doing laundry too boring and routine task to get it over with without a hopeless sigh?

Either way, there are a few things that may help you cope with it a little bit faster and more efficient. Want to learn them? Here you go!

How to wash clothes effectively. Easy laundry tips and hacks

1. How to do laundry without even noticing it? If you have to deal with a lot of laundry in your life, the last thing you want to do is to postpone those laundry duties and pile up a mountain of dirty clothes that has to be washed like right now.
   Just do a load a day and have your laundry always tackled.
2. Save time on sorting your laundry basket before setting a load by purchasing a multi-section laundry hamper.
   It will take time for you and your family members to get used to choosing the section before tossing a dirty clothing item away. But once you do, you’ll notice a huge difference.
3. Set a different smaller hamper for your socks and wash them in a laundry bag not to find them among other items while unloading your washer.
4. Having trouble finding at least one decent pair of matching socks? Well, those funny prints might look great, but they don’t help the situation.
   But purchasing several pairs of the same socks in neutral shades (like grey, white, black and navy) will help you forget about this problem.
   Your black sock will match any other black sock in your drawer. How great is that?

1. If you have a makeup spot on your shirt or dress, treating it with cotton pad soaked in non-oily makeup remover (not dripping pad) will make it much easier to remove.
   That same makeup remover works wonders when it comes to cleaning light shoes. Learn more about the ways to get rid of different stains on your clothes, bed sheets, carpets and upholstery on Web.extension.illinois.edu.
   
2. Don’t try to remove blood stain by washing your clothes under the hot water. It will only set the stain and make it even harder to get rid of. Use cold water and ordinary soap
3. Set your tumble dryer so that it doesn’t dry your clothes all the way through and hang the items on hangers to avoid extra ironing and excessive wrinkling.
4. Fold your clothes while unloading the dryer to save time and avoid postponing. One step/load at a time, remember?
5. Has your favorite knitted sweater shrunk after laundry? Do you want it back?
   In order to save it, just leave it to soak in warm water and baby shampoo mix for a while. Stretch out the item (don’t try too hard though) and let it dry naturally.
6. An old dry towel you don’t really use anymore thrown into the tumble dryer together with the load of wet things will speed up the drying It will absorb some water and thus decrease the moisture level. Lower energy use is a nice bonus of this hack.
7. Make sure that you read the labels of your clothing items and other things you might consider shuffling into your washing machine.
   Some things are supposed to be hand washed or dropped off at the drycleaners only. Otherwise, their texture, shape, color and general look will most likely be ruined.
8. People avoid washing their denim items too often not to end up with extremely worn out jeans or jackets. But what about that smell? You don’t want to turn into a walking odor, do you?
   If not, pack your pair of jeans into a zip-lock bag and keep them in freezer overnight or even between wears.
   Bacteria will be killed, the unpleasant smell will be gone, and your jeans will good as good as new for a longer time.
9. Another jeans hack. Don’t wash them to bring them back in shape. Run a drying cycle for them instead.
10. Dry knitted items on flat horizontal surfaces to preserve their shape. Avoid hanging them, especially when they’re wet.
11. Don’t panic if you can’t wash your clothes at home for some reason.
    Go to HireRush.com to leave a task or contact servicemen who’ll collect your dirty laundry and deliver it to your house all fresh and clean. Leave a task here
12. Some clothing items aren’t meant to be put and dried in the drying machine. Unless you absolutely hate them and want to have a reason to get rid of them, of course.
    Again, read the label on your tops, shirts and other clothes attentively. If you spot a sign that forbids tumble drying, just wash your clothes following the instructions and let the ‘sensitive’ items air dry.
    Distinguish tumble drying temperature signs as well.
13. Are you sick of spending money on dryer sheets? Use an old towel or reusable dryer balls
14. If you’re afraid that a stubborn coffee or blood stain is going to become even more stubborn and practically impossible to remove on the laundry day, sort it out right after its appearance.
    Don’t have time to wash it right away? That’s Ok. Use a spot-resolving pre-treating solution to make the stain harmless.
15. Washing and drying dark or bright clothes inside out prevents unfortunate color fading.
16. Save time and reduce your electricity bill by choosing cold water settings when it comes to regular laundry.
    Your clothes will benefit from that as well, as they won’t shrink, fade or repaint in cold water. However, bed sheets and some towels require almost the hottest settings.