Laundry: The basics
When moving into your own home, one of the tasks you will do on a regular basis is laundry. We gathered some helpful tips to make laundry day easier.
25/07/2018
wilko
STAIN CONTROL
If you have an item of clothing that is stained, this needs to be treated before it's washed. If you wash stains without treatment them first, you fix the stain and make it far harder - or impossible - to remove. It’s always a good idea to keep a stain remover in your laundry supplies, so it's there when you need it.
Good To Know: Always Apply a suitable stain remover before placing clothes in the washing machine.
To treat fresh stains, dab off any excess with a kitchen towel (dab not rub) to remove as much of the stain as possible and then soak in cold water for an hour before placing in the wash.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
One of the most important tips to note when doing your own laundry is to separate it into piles, Place lights and whites in one pile, dark clothes in another pile, and delicates or synthetics that may shrink in a third pile.
Good To Know: If you're not sure what goes into the third - delicate - pile read the labels. Some fabrics can shrink when washed in warm water and require a cool wash.
By separating your washing into three different piles you will ensure colours don't run into whites and delicates don't shrink when you wash them. It's also a good idea to double check the label on your favourite clothes for any special washing instructions (like ‘dry clean only’ or ‘hand wash only’) to avoid damaging them.
DAMAGE CONTROL
Check your clothes before placing them in the washing machine. Make sure zips are closed and tie together the ends of drawstrings or cords. Empty all the pockets, making sure there are no pens, tissues, credit cards, or mobile phones hidden away.
Good To Know: Any clothes that have delicate decorations or printed slogans should be turned inside out to protect.
WASHING POWDER AND FABRIC SOFTENER
You will always need washing powder and fabrics softener and you can use whichever brand of washing powder and fabric softener you prefer, but use the correct one for your type of washing machine. There are washing powders to top loaders and front loaders, and washing powders for hand wash and machine wash, so make sure you buy the right one and only use the specified amount to prevent clogging the washing machine.
HANGING OUT TO DRY
You're going to need a place to hang your washing out to dry, preferably in a sunny spot. You will also need pegs or hangers to hang out your washed clothes. If you're living in an apartment or townhouse development you can buy yourself a wood or steel frame clothes hanger that folds up for easy storage when not in use.
Visit our Lifestyle Section for even more tips for laundry days.
