Treat Stains ASAP
If a clothing item is stained look after it as soon as you can. Spray the stained spot with a stain remover. Ten minutes later throw it in the washing machine to wash. If the stain is still there, pre-treat and wash again.
Prevent Dark Colored Items From Fading
Turn dark-colored clothes inside out before washing to avoid them from fading.
Separate the Delicates
Place lingerie in a mesh lingerie bag and use the delicate cycle on your washing machine to wash them.
Use the Right Temperature
Use cold water for shirts, jeans, sweaters, socks, and anything that is dark or could possible shrink. Use hot water for towels, bed sheets, and underwear, and wash towels separate from everything else.
Prevent Shrinking
The best way to avoid turning your size 8 jeans into a size 4 is by using a cold water setting and either hanging the item to dry or turning the dryer down to its lowest setting.
Separate Your Whites and Colors
Keep whites separate so dark dyes don’t ruin them. Don’t wash a red cotton t-shirt with white socks unless you want pink socks.
Find the Right Detergent
There are so many detergents to choose from. Powder, liquid, cold water, hot water, eco-friendly, stain remover, and so on. Experiment with a few to find the one that works best with your washing machine.
Limit the Detergent
Use a half cap of detergent instead of a full cap. Your clothes will still come out clean and you will save money on detergent.
Fabric Softener
Use dryer sheets or liquid fabric softener to eliminate static cling and to make your clothes and towels feel soft against your skin. Again, experiment to find which works best for you.
