Keeping your clothes clean is an essential part of self-care and hygiene. Proper laundry habits help you keep your wardrobe looking its best and promote a healthy lifestyle. Plus, doing laundry the right way will ensure your garments stay in good condition for years to come. Here are things to remember when doing your laundry.
Separating Clothes
When gathering your garments, you should understand each fabric type to care for and sort them properly. This is because each fabric type may require a different treatment when laundering.
For example, you should always wash delicate fabrics, such as silk or rayon, on a gentle cycle with cold water. On the other hand, durable fabrics like denim can handle hot temperatures. You may also want to separate your lights from your darks to avoid bleeding colors.
Preparing Clothes for Washing
After sorting your clothes by fabric type and garment color, properly prepare them for the washing machine. First, you should check all pockets and remove any items that might damage or discolor fabrics during laundry cycles. You could also turn clothes inside out to protect colors from fading over time. Then, before loading everything into the washer, pre-treat any heavily stained areas with an appropriate stain remover solution.
Selecting Detergent & Conditioner
When selecting detergent and conditioner, you need to understand the available types. There are many options, including powder, liquid, and tablet-form detergents, as well as natural or plant-based formulas. Each has its own benefits, depending on the type of fabric you need to wash and stains you need to treat. Read labels carefully before deciding which product best suits your needs.
Using the Right Settings
You should always check the care labels on garments before placing them in the washer, as washing instructions can vary among different fabric types. The label will indicate which cycle is best for a particular garment. It will also indicate if you must apply any special treatments, such as pre-soaking or air-drying.
And in terms of temperature, cold water is generally best for most items. Hot temperatures can cause fading over time and shrink delicate fabrics like silk or rayon.
Taking Care of Your Machines
As you’re doing your laundry, you’ll also want to make sure to take proper care of your machines. Avoid putting too large a load in at once, as this can cause your machine to spin out of control. In fact, overloading a machine is one of the ways you could be damaging your appliances without knowing. Along with gentle treatment, you should also perform regular maintenance. This maintenance includes cleaning your dryer’s lint trap and your washer’s drain pump.
Now that you know what to remember when doing the laundry, you can put these tips to good use. Following these best practices will help you take the best care of your clothes and machines.
