Common Laundry Mistakes (And How To Fix Them)
Laundry is something that mothers seem to be experts in, but for those of you attempting to decipher tags, washer and dryer settings and detergent labels, laundry can seem like speaking another language. Show of hands, how many of you have at one point given up entirely and just thrown all your clothing in together, hoping for the best? Laundry mistakes can be costly, wasting your time and money, as well as potentially damaging your washing machine, so how do you go about fixing them? In this post, SITEX will address the most common laundry mistakes providing solutions to each. Mom would be so proud.
The issue: Uneven loading.
The solution: There’s more to this than throwing all your clothes in and crossing you fingers. For example, purding detergent directly onto your clothing is not the way to go, because that can keep all the detergent from dissolving aka keep your detergent from actually cleaning your clothes. In a top loading washer, the clothing should be the last thing in. In order, you’ll want to go water, detergent, clothing. Having the water run with just the detergent for a minute gives the detergent a dissolving head-start. For front loading washers, you can go detergent, clothing, water but still don’t put detergent on the clothing!
The issue: Too much detergent.
The solution: A capful of detergent in hand is too much in the machine. “But my clothes won’t be as clean without the recommended capful!” Not only is that not the case, but you’re doing more damage to your clothing and machine if you use that much detergent. Too much detergent foams to the point where the dirt is lifted above the water, so it never really gets washed away. All that dirt stays in your washer (meaning clothes stay dirty) and builds over time, meaning there is a nice layer of grime in the washer. Try using half the amount of detergent you normally do, and if your clothes aren’t at your desired cleanliness add a little bit more until you get there. We would also suggest using a high-efficiency detergent, or HE detergent, which are designed to foam less. HE detergents also require less water to achieve the same clean, so you’ll be conserving water and energy while you clean. Win win!
The issue: Leaving clothes in the washer too long.
The solution: We’ve all forgotten to switch a load of wet clothes over to the dryer at some point (We get it, you’re busy), but what separates the laundry novices from the laundry champions is knowing that this mistake doesn’t mean you have to replace all your clothing. If the clothing has only been left in a day or so, re-run that load with some vinegar (just pour some in around the perimeter of the washer, you don’t have to measure it) and you should be good – just remember to move them into the dryer this time!
The issue: Not cleaning your washer.
The solution: For a machine that cleans all day, your washer can sure get dirty, and sometimes that mildew smell isn’t just the clothing you’ve left in overnight. When your empty washer smells like this it’s time to clean. Vinegar is your friend again here for cleaning your washer. For top loading washers, fill the washer with the hottest water on the highest load size. Add a quart of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda to the water and let the washer agitate to mix these. Stop the cycle, and let the water sit with the vinegar mixture for an hour with the lid open. Once the hour is up, complete the wash cycle as normal. For front loading washers, you’ll have to create the baking soda and vinegar mixture ahead of time and add it to the detergent container. Then just run the washer’s full cycle on the hottest water setting.
The issue: Washing or drying on the wrong setting.
The solution: Do you actually know what all the setting on your washer or dryer do? If you don’t you could be missing a chance to better clean and protect your clothing. This is a complicated topic which we’ve broken down in further detail in Do Laundry Better, parts I and II.
The issue: Not cleaning your dryer’s lint filter.
The solution: This is as much a fire hazard as an impediment to your clothing’s dry time. You probably know to remove the lint trap each time, but the trap is not the same as the filter. The filter is at the back of your dryer where the hot air comes in, and lint can gather, blocking the filter. Long brushes specifically for cleaning your lint filter are available for purchase, and the cleaning process is simple. Detach the hose from the back of the dryer, and use your new special lint brush to clean. Easy.
The issue: Putting too many clothes in the dryer.
The solution: If you’ve already cleaned your lint filter and your clothing isn’t drying, you’re probably overstuffing your dryer. Too many clothes might seem like a good idea (less cycles, less time!) but overfilling means there isn’t enough air to dry all those clothes, and not enough room for whatever air is there to circulate. So you’ll have to take those clothes out, split them up and dry each again. You’ll save time in the long-run by running two medium-sized loads than one overfilled one.
Having issues with a slightly more clothing? Contact SITEX. Our industrial laundry services could be the solution you need to save you time and money. Make both mom and dad proud by choosing what’s best for your business.
