How to do Laundry

1. How to do Laundry A quick and easy tutorial!

2. 5 Steps to Clean Clothes! • Gather your materials • Separate & evaluate your clothes • Wash your clothes • Dry your clothes • Fold your clothes

3. Step 1 • Gather Materials • Quarters (if you don’t have a washing machine at your house) • Each load will usually take between $0.75-$1.75 (per machine) • Drying will take more quarters! • Detergent • Two kinds…bottles (liquid) or boxes (powder) • Really no difference between the two…liquid may be less messy but slightly more expensive • STOP!!! • Watch out for detergents that may cause an allergic reaction!!

4. Still Gathering… • Bleach • Used to make your WHITES brighter • Use ONLY with WHITE colored clothing and linens • They now have “color-safe bleaching action” in some detergents • So…which bleach is the best? Consumer Reports found that • Tide with bleach alternative came in 1st • Followed by Cheer and then Arm & Hammer

5. Fabric Softener • Eliminates static cling • Makes clothes soft • Two forms • Liquid…added during the wash cycle • Sheet…added during the dry cycle • Please note that liquid fabric softener is DIFFERENT from liquid detergent…if you use this form of softener you must also use detergent!!! • Examples…Bounce, Downy, Snuggles

6. Last thing to grab! • Laundry Basket • If you’re classy…buy a plastic heavy-duty basket or a nice drawstring bag • If you’re not…a pillowcase will work too! • Now you are ready to begin!!!

7. Step 2 • Separate and Evaluate Your Clothes • Preparation is CRUCIAL!!! • Evaluate your dirty clothes to see how many loads should be done • Separate your clothes by color

8. Sorting • Whites • Basic t-shirts, white socks, sheets, pillowcases and other plain white clothing/linens • Lights • Everything from pastels to striped or patterned whites • A white item with enough color (logo/pattern) to make you think doesn’t fit with the whites • Darks • Dark socks, shirts, all jeans, dark pants • Newly dark clothing should be washed alone first • Delicates • Wool garments, sweaters, satin, undergarments • These can be washed in a machine but hand-washing is usually better.

9. Why separate? • Separating helps protect the color and durability of your garment • Should an accident occur the damage cannot be undone! • What would happen if a red sock got mixed into white towels? • Look at the care labels

10. What to evaluate? • Pockets • Are they empty? • Zippers • Are they up? (This prevents snagging) • Ties (hoodies/drawstrings/etc) • Should be tied to prevent losing them or getting them tangled

11. Step 3 • Wash • This is the easy part • Pre-treat any visible stains • Select your cycle • Add your detergent to the machine

12. Setting Your Machine • Some require you to set the temperature(of the water)others ask you to set a cycle • WHITES • “hot” cycle…vigorous agitation, hot water rinse • LIGHTS & DARKS • “warm” or “permanent press”…mild agitation, extra cool water rinse • cool water protects the colors • DELICATES • “delicate” or “cold” cycle…extremely short and gentle agitation spin cycle

13. A last few tips… • When in doubt…read the care label! • A typical wash cycle takes 25-40 minutes • 2 problems that arise • Overloading the machine • Fill the machine ½ to ¾ full • Using too much detergent • Only use the full amount if you have a full load…use your judgment for the rest • smaller loads = smaller amt. needed

14. Step 4 • Drying your nice clean clothes • Clean the lint filter • Add fabric softener/dryer sheets • Unload clothes from washer…shake them a little • Inspect stains…the heat in the dryer will bake it in!

15. More drying… • Overloading…why is this a problem • Most cycles last 30-40 minutes • Jeans/towels take longer • Take light cotton items out early to avoid wrinkles • Dry for too long=shrinking!!! • Hang delicates to dry • Helps them maintain shape

16. Step 5 • Folding…the last task! • Begin immediately…avoids wrinkling • Don’t hang sweaters (they will lose shape and take the form of the hanger) • Hang button down shirts