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The first thing you should do is understand the washer you are using. It is high-efficiency? Does it have an agitator? Most of this information and how to properly use your washer can be found in the sticker inside the lid or door.
If you don't have a high efficiency washer and you are thinking about replacing yours, I strongly suggest getting one. The HE washers use significantly less detergent and softener than others. This is an easy way to save money. They also use less water to wash the clothes, which if you pay for water is another way to cut back on expenses.
If you don't have a high efficiency washer and you are thinking about replacing yours, I strongly suggest getting one. The HE washers use significantly less detergent and softener than others. This is an easy way to save money. They also use less water to wash the clothes, which if you pay for water is another way to cut back on expenses.
Next you want to understand the settings on your washer. If you are new to doing laundry yourself or never learned how to do it properly. These are some important things to know. First you need to separate your laundry. The easiest way to make your clothes look dingy is by throwing everything in together. Separate your "whites" first. "Whites" should be any clothes you have that do not have any other colors on them. You can include shirts that are printed as they generally will not bleed but they may fade if you use bleach. The next pile should be "lights." You can include clothes of really any color except black as long as they are light. "Darks" would be your third pile and can include any clothes that are dark, all of your blacks and reds should be in this pile as they tend to bleed and need to be washed in cold water. I make a fourth pile of towels and sheets. If you have white towels or sheets I would separate those from the other colors. Last pile should consist of your delicates. I try not to throw my towels in with regular clothes as they tend to "shed" and can leave lint on your other clothes.
Definitely make sure you are not washing anything that says "Dry Clean Only." I have made the mistake of throwing some of them in the wash and they made it out alive. However, most of the time they will be ruined or you'll spend lots of time and money trying to bring them back to shape. Also the label will tell you any special instructions like having to wash them on a delicate setting.
A big time saver is making sure that you button, zipper and snap all your clothes. Main reason you should do this is that it helps keep the garment in the correct shape. It tends to have less wrinkles after drying as well. It also saves times when you go to fold your laundry after drying. Another tip is that it will help your clothes get less tangled on one another and dry more evenly so the clothes have to spend less time in the dryer. You'll also spend less time untangling clothes before having to fold them. The number one reason I button, zipper and snap all my clothes is because it makes it less likely for your more delicate items that have lace etc. to become ripped or stretched from snagging on a button or zipper.
Invest in a lingerie bag. They are surprisingly inexpensive. I got this one at Target in the dollar bins for just a dollar. They have all different sizes. Bras, lingerie, anything with lace or is gauzy should go in these bags. And anything you would put in these bags should be hung to dry instead of going in the dryer. If you must dry these items they should only be in the dryer on a low setting. You will make you clothes last much longer if you take proper care of them.
Another time saving tip, turn all your clothing the right way. Never throw anything in the wash that is balled up. Anything that is inside out should be fixed. This will help get the clothes cleaner. Generally speaking clothes are dirtier on the outside than the inside. But taking the few extra minutes to fix all the clothes the right way will save you from having to wash them more than once. Especially your kids clothes, grass stains, food debris and everything else is on the outside of the clothes.
Some more quick reminders: Always empty the pockets of pants. One piece of paper can ruin an entire load of laundry and have to be re-washed. Get your clothes out of the dryer as soon as they are done. (I know I know, easier said than done.) Hang up the dress shirts, dresses and anything that typically needs to be ironed while it's still hot. This will save you so much time. You may not even need to iron, but if you do it will probably cut the time in half!
