Please tell me how to do laundry

[sarahperdue]

Hi Y'all,

I've learned a lot from you about the right way to do laundry over the years, but I still periodically find myself thinking, "um, I do that..." when reading some of the "what not to do" and "worst laundry" threads.

I find myself wondering how people learn the right/best way to do laundry. My mother didn't teach me. She had help. Home Ec. wasn't offered by the time I came through school, and I suppose it never occurred to me that I needed to be taught. I mean, how hard can it be? Toss in some clothes, add soap and turn the machine on.

So, I've learned to stop overloading my machine and wash on hotter temperatures. Most of the time I sort colors from whites. 90% of my wardrobe is black or dark so that's pretty easy. I only do my laundry and, most of the time, the sheets. None of us use scented products, fabric softener or dryer sheets. We hang our clothes out most of the time, but the boys are leaving the nest and will probably be using dryers for the foreseeable future. They will probably also be doomed to communal and laundromat machines. So, advice on the best way to get clean laundry from a laundromat would also be welcome. Of course, I used dorm machines my last two years of high school and laundromats for most of my college years, but I wasn't tuned in to the "ick" factor back then.

The guys are do their own and have been since elementary school. At 60, Bruce is an old dog who will refuse to learn new tricks. He'll just get sulky if I make suggestions. The boys, like me, are open to instruction.

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[frigilux]

Back when I was in college ('77-'82) and using the dorm washer on our floor, (one a nifty mid-'60s GE Filter-Flo; the other an early 70's Whirlpool) the hot water at our taps was still hot--probably 135-140 degrees. So when you selected hot water for the wash, it was truly hot.

These days, I would expect both laundromats and dormitories have lowered their water temps to somewhere in the neighborhood of 120.

In light of that, I'd suggest they use the hot water setting which will probably provide what most of us would consider warm water--around 90-110 degrees. Using the warm setting will probably provide what most would consider cool. If the water at their tap is truly hot, then step down to the 'warm' setting.

Otherwise, if you pass on to them what you've learned about sorting, not overloading, and using a high quality detergent, I'd say you've done well. Aside: Hope things are going well with your microbiology class. Makes my brain hurt just to think about it, lol.

 

[sarahperdue]

My head hurts too!

Thanks. I will most definitely pass it on. My clothes are definitely cleaner since y'all taught me to use hot and hotter water.

What about cleaning the washer?

Sarah

 

[gelaundry4ever]

My parents would sort the clothes

then show me around the kitchen and tell me which pile is which. Or, I'll presort my dirty laundry using my talking color reader when I'm in a college dorm. I use the proper temp, cycle and additives accordingly.

 

[dermacie]

I wash clothes in order of how long they take to dry. I wash my darks mostly apparel first since I usually hang them up. Then I wash underwear and socks and then towels. I wash bedding on a different day.

 

[askolover]

I usually do my uniforms myself but sometimes Tony will do a large load of colors and put them in too..120F and Tide pod.  Our whites are always done on 140F with some kind of powder (currently Bold) and some Clorox.  I just washed a load of T shirts on a 190F cycle with oxy bleach and German Persil perls and they came out brilliantly white.

 

[iej]

My only tips:

1) Use detergent that has bleach in it for whites.
2) Use colour detergents for everything else, preferably one without optical brighteners.
3) Get a good wool detergent.
4) Never machine dry t-shirts (especially if you're tall!)
5) Wash t-shirts, shirts and other similar items on a delicates cycle.
6) Wash and dry jeans/denim separately (or with other similar denim) and always inside out - can be a total disaster if it runs, especially when new.
7) Don't overload your dryer unless you like wrinkles.
8) Don't worry too much about overloading a front loader on longer cycles.
9) Wash towels hot, especially these days!

Other than that, I've no tips.

 

[sarahperdue]

Good list!

I use Eucalan for wools and delicates. My favorite thing about my Speed Queen is that hand wash cycle which really is like hand washing. I love doing my wool blankets in the machine. I wash most of my wool clothes by hand. I'm starting to wear a lot of "performance" wool clothes and reducing my wardrobe. While I wouldn't wear anything for a year without washing, I love being able to wear things a bit longer between washes.

I hang most of my good clothes and foundation garments to dry. I have an outside line where we dry most everything when the weather is good, and an inside line for most of my clothes if it's raining.

Sarah