While you may not have given it much thought, many of us have some bad laundry habits. These seemingly minor issues may be costing you money for new clothes, washing machine repairs and even higher bills. Breaking these habits can be simple, and here we have some tips to help you get started with better habits today.
Too Much Laundry Detergent
There is an assumption that more detergent means that you’ll get cleaner clothes, but this isn’t always the case. While not using enough detergent can leave your wash less than fresh, using too much can cause a residue to be left on your clothing creating a dull look. Excessive amounts of suds can also cause damage to the pump and drain on your washing machine. So, it’s important to use the right amount of the right laundry detergent. Use the recommended amounts listed on your detergent bottle and check you’re using the right product for your washing machine.
Leaving Your Wet Clothes Lingering
As soon as your load finishes washing, it is important to transfer it into your dryer. Although it is easy to forget about a laundry load, in only 8 to 12 hours, mildew and mold can start to develop on your clean clothes. This will turn a fresh load of laundry into a smelly mess overnight. If you have a load of towels or clothing slip your mind, you’ll need to rewash them, and if there is a lingering sour smell, you should add a cup of white vinegar to the load with your normal detergent.
Tossing Clean Clothing in a Laundry Basket
If you’re in the habit of simply tossing your clean clothing in your laundry basket, you are creating far more work for yourself. If you don’t hang or fold your items straight away, they’ll end up wrinkly and in need of a really good iron. If you pull your items out of the dryer and fold or hang them while they’re still warm, they’re less likely to look wrinkled, and you can avoid standing for hours of ironing.
Overloading Your Washing Machine
Whether you’re behind on your laundry or simply want to try and get your chores done a little quicker, you may be tempted to cram extra clothes into your washing machine. Some people even believe that they are conserving water or energy, but this is not the case. In fact, overloading your washing machine causes the appliance to work harder and may contribute to a breakdown. Additionally, since there is less room in the drum for the water to circulate and the detergent to agitate, you are likely to find that your clothing doesn’t come out as clean as you would like. This means that you’ll be forced to wash them again anyway. So, it is far better to adhere to the load limits detailed by the manufacturer in your user’s manual to achieve the best results.
Not Zipping Up
The metal teeth of zippers can easily snag on your delicate items and cause damage. So, develop a new habit of ensuring that any zippers on your clothing are all the way up before they go in the wash. As an aside, this does not apply for buttons, as leaving buttons fastened on shirts and pants can actually create stress on the button and could cause them to pop off.
Putting All Your Items in The Dryer
While using a dryer is the fastest option it can also cause premature wear on clothing. Jeans and towels can benefit from always being put in the dryer as they won’t go crispy, but everything else should be hung dry where possible. You should also pay close attention to the clothing care labels and never put anything that says “line dry” in your dryer.
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