Laundry prep procedure

[DADoES]

 
Curious who unbuttons shirt collars before washing/drying, who doesn't, and why or why not.

Myself = unbutton per my mother's procedure which I've always followed.  It seems to work best as compared to when I occasionally overlook it.

Same for jeans/slacks buttons & zippers.  Fasten or nay.  Usually I don't fasten but I may do so for dress slacks to avoid zipper abrasion.

 

[frigilux]

A few of my dress shirts and most of my around-the-house short-sleeve shirts have button-down collars. They are always unbuttoned before laundering. Zippers are always zipped up.

Reasoning: Collars don't develop that 'wear line' as quickly when unbuttoned before washing. There's also less stress placed on the buttons themselves, which means fewer trips to see the Button Lady. (Unlike Paul Newman, I cannot sew on a button.) I find front-loaders more button-friendly than top-loaders with agitators/impellers. Unzipped zippers can damage other fabrics (or the drum paddles, or the tub, or plastic agitators).

Bonus Tip: To help ease wrinkling, always button the top two buttons on shirts when you hang them up after pulling them from the dryer.[this post was last edited: 4/26/2014-18:16]

 

[supersuds]

I unbutton collars and cuffs. On the occasions when I forget or overlook, there don't seem to be any disasters, though.

I think the part of the cuff that overlaps tends to get curled up and take a set if they're washed frequently when buttoned.

 

[richardlxixxx]

Laundry Prep

Close zippers, fasten buttons and snaps on pants, unbutton everything on a shirt, turn out pockets on pants, and wash like colors together.  Also, use only warm water with a cold rinse.  Dryer temperature never higher than medium and do not over dry.  Clothes should still have a small bit of moisture when you remove from the dryer.  Hang up pants and shirts immediately when the dryer stops.  Always use fabric softener in the washer and a dryer sheet in the dryer.  I believe in taking the more gentle approach to laundry.  Hot water and a hot dryer are never used in my home.  Dark clothes only get washed in cold water.

 

[westie2]

Frigilux here is what you need to get for buttons.

Robot or human?

 

[appnut]

I zip and fasten trousers before washing--didn't do tis until O got a front loader. Jeans, I turn inside out also. Long-sleeve shirt cuffs and button-downed collars, I leave as is. I have enough difficulty as time goes on getting my fingers to work to button the top button on collars as I hang up shirts out of the dryer. Similar to Eugene, I button the top and 2nd buttons on shirts, but also the 4th down too as my mom did.

 

[frigilux]

Charles-- Buttoneer: The non-sewer's epi-pen! I've considered getting one, but have never taken the plunge.

Bob-- I'll have to try buttoning the 4th one down, as well. Makes sense that it would help keep the shirt in place when hung with many others in a closet.

 

[mrb627]

Buttons and Stuff.

On slacks/jeans, button all buttons and zip all zippers. On shirts, unbutton all buttons but zip up all zippers.

And everything is laundered inside out except for sweat shirts and pants.

Malcolm

 

[stan]

Laundry prep

Is sort of second nature for me using a wringer! But laundry prep? Is anyone pre treating, and pre soaking?

 

[frigilux]

I pretreat collars and stains on shirts with Amway Prewash Spray. It's fantastic. I could use a long cycle with the steam or allergy option and probably get away with not pretreating, but prefer using a short cycle and warm water for dress shirts so they last longer.  

 

Loads of kitchen whites, which are always profusely stained, get washed with a Tide or Wisk pod and liquid chlorine bleach on the Sanitize cycle with an extra rinse. That 1 hour and 47 minute cycle (70 of which are wash tumble) removes every stain imaginable, and the water gradually heats to around 155 degrees.  There's no way I could pretreat all the stains in a load like that.  I don't bother with a presoak or prewash, as the lengthy cycle removes all stains on its own.