Before you wash your clothes
Air out your clothes
Save your clothes a few trips to the hamper, and you’ll save money, water, time, and the environment. Hang them outside or by an open window to air them out after wearing, and only wash them when they really need it.
Keep a clean washing machine
Wipe it down with a solution of half a cup of white vinegar, half a cup of baking soda and 1 quart of hot water once a week. Kill bacteria by running a hot wash cycle with one cup of bleach and no clothes once a month. Always leave the door open after emptying out your laundry to prevent mold.
Sort your clothes
Because of varying times and temperatures, the laundry room isn’t the place to mix and match the fabric. Always sort by:
- TYPE (knit vs woven)
- WEIGHT (heavy denim vs light blouses)
- COLOR (lights vs darks)
Laundry’s Secret Ingredient
A half-cup of white vinegar added to the rinse cycle works like magic to kill germs, whiten whites, get rid of odors, and make your clothes soft and fluffy.
Washing your cotton clothes
Don't overload your washing machine
When a washing machine is stuffed to the brim, clothes don’t get cleaned or rinsed properly. Stains will stay put, and you could wind up with work, ripped, or pilled wardrobe and a broken washing machine. Make sure the load size is less than 3/4 full.
Turn clothes inside out
When fabrics rub together in the wash, it creates fuzz that can knock the color right out of your clothes. Keep color in its place by turning clothes inside out before you toss them in the wash.
Use less detergent
Using too much detergent is actually worse than not using enough because it speeds up the wear and tear of our clothes and sends your money down the drain. Take the time to read the directions and measure the proper amount of detergent required for your load.
Drying your clothes
Air-dry on your dryer
Speed up the air-drying process by borrowing some heat from the dryer. Place delicates and other air-dryable on top of the dryer when it’s in use.
Goodbye overdry
Overdrying your clothes is a real thing and it’s time to put a stop to this time-sucking, energy-wasting, fuzz-creating habit. Instead of setting a drying time, use an auto-dry setting that will turn your dryer off once the clothes are dry. If your dryer doesn’t have this setting, make sure you remove your clothes while they’re still a little damp.