How to do laundry

We all have laundry. Some of us do the laundy and some of have the laundry done for us.

This instructable will show you how to do the laundry, with ideas for making the job easier and ideas for making it more environmentally friendly.

(This instructable is dedicated to LinuxH4x0r, may he learn to do his laundry, sooner rather than later....GASP, did I say that.)

Step 1: Planning the wash

If you're the typical individual wearing blue jeans and t-shirts, or polos and khakis, odds are sorting the laundry is a thing of the past. Tossing them all in together makes the job easier.

BUT, here are a few exceptions:

If you have greasy clothes (i.e. garage/mechanic work clothes), wash them separately to prevent grease staining your "good" clothes. Use a paper toweling or clean rag to wipe down the washer afterwards to clean up any residual grease that may have remained. Residual grease in the washer is a disaster waiting to happen.....consider yourself warned!

If you have delicates (i.e. fancy laces and silks), hand wash or use a special bag for them in a gentle cycle.

If you have a lot of heavy items, multiple pairs of jeans, or bath towels, wash them together.

If you are doing family laundry, it may be easier to do each individuals separately as it makes putting the clothes away easier. No guessing--and no one complaining their Hanes are too tight!

If you have any inkling something will bleed or fade, hand wash it. If it doesn't bleed dye when you hand wash it, toss it in the washer the next time around. Remember, most fabrics and dyes are colorfast nowadays.......

Comments

[ybunnygurl]

My mother would die if I ever thought of putting a white and black shirt together in the washer. And i will admit whites do get a gray dingy if you wash them with blacks to often.

However those shout color catchers they sell at stores do work, even if they are a little pricey. Some people like me cant put my clothing on a line out side due to HOA rules, so no sun bleaching can happen here.

[Mirime]

All Hail linuxmom better a landry than any one

[linuxmom]

*ducks quickly between the kinda white sock and blushes* Linuxmom thanks you for the comment!

[HollyHarken]

I see that some of your clothing has embroidery on it. Never, ever, use bleach on clothing with embroidery on it as it will weaken and break the threads. Most of us computerized machine embroiderers use Rayon thread because that is what is available to us in stores. Also if you actually iron your clothing (GASP!) don't iron over the embroidery as it will melt at high temps. I embroider a lot of baby items as gifts, bibs, onesies, etc. Since babies always seem to stain their clothes, new moms tend to use bleach to get the clothes clean again. I also give a lot of embroidered kitchen towels as gifts and those also tend to get bleached as they don't get washed often enough. I iron on a customized tag with the warning not to bleach the item.

[albylovesscience]

thanks im 14 i have only done laundry 2 times i n my life this will help

[D.L.H.]

Nice pitch and I liked how it is done 5 stars.

[deofthedead]

*favorites, 5 stars, has glee.* You have a wonderful way of writing, ma'am, and I couldn't help but laugh throughout this instructable. It's very inspiring, and reminds me so much of my own mother... Thank you!

[linuxmom]

*hides head in apron and blushes* Give your mom a hug the next time you see her and offer to do her laundry!!

[Gjdj3]

Lol. The GASP thing has caught on! But anyways, nice instructable. 5 stars.

[linuxmom]

Gasp...a vote would be appreciated....GASP....Linuxh4x0r is still away...and GASP...he only has dial up.....GASP...GASP... this and the pie contest......GASP GASP.... I'm on my own...........GASP

[lukeyj15]

get some oxygen stop the gasping

[Gjdj3]

Haha. I voted. The linux family sure knows how to get votes. Lol.

[linuxmom]

Interesting, because none of us has any desires to be a politician.

[Gjdj3]

Haha. I could see the campaign slogan though. GASP! LinuxFamily '08.

[Rock Soldier]

GASP! LinuxFamily'09. They will keep your clothes clean(and dry)

[linuxmom]

LinuxFamily'09 needs your vote and more!

[linuxmom]

Just think...the whole nation could be GASPing!

[Gjdj3]

Haha. We'd all have clean laundry, virus free OSs, and pie!

[Da_Fudge]

Lol Classic. (((GASP!!!)))

[linuxmom]

5 stars....GASP....... *hides head in laundry and blushes*

[mycroftxxx]

Congratulations, you are a true mom of the 21st century. I'm betting that during the past almost-eight years has used a user-submitted content site to chasten or encourage their offspring, but it's still really cool and really funny. Also, good/informative Instructible, congrats on your win!

[linuxmom]

Hopefully us "elders" are mostly encouraging and creating good rapport..... Thanks you the comment!

[sockeye101]

the Last time i dryed my clothes was at camp 2 years ago. i blew it up. they called the base fire dept. (i was at CFB Borden) and all my clothes smelt like burnt out electric motor for 6 weeks.

[tercero]

This is brilliant. The kind of thing that a site like instructables was invented for. Lot's of arsehats posting the negative crap don't get the fact that ordinary kids (and parents) can't do laundry and it's good that a site like instructables will tackle the basics. Food, sewing, buying fruit, doing laundry. Tell me that most of life's little chores aren't sometimes hard to conquer the first time you try. Ever go about arranging your own automobile insurance (without getting screwed in the process). Or cooking a slab of salmon to perfection. Or baking a cake from scratch. Or swinging a golf club for the first time. Or soldering without burning the circuit. OR starting a camp fire. Great instructable. Thanks again for posting what most of us take for granted. Ignore the idiots. J.

[linuxmom]

Wow, you're so kind..........rushes to make a cake from scratch.

[goldfishbutt]

I would also recommend setting a timer so that you don't forget about your clothes. Otherwise, you'll return 5 hrs later only to find your clothes are starting to mildew and super stinky from sitting damp. This means, if you're in a busy communal facility, you're annoying others (the nice folks will throw your load in the dryers, the mean ones will toss it on the floor), and you'll have to redo your laundry to de-stink your clothes.

[ByronOrpheus]

Beg to differ: Mean people will throw your laundry on the floor. Dishonest people will steal your laundry. Nice people will pile your laundry on top of a washer so your clothes don't occupy a dryer for an undetermined amount of time. Law of the laundry jungle: 20 minute grace period. After 20 minutes it's OK to move someone's clothes.

[skunkbait]

Sadly, this ible is needed. I used to work at a college where some grown girls didn't know how to launder their own clothes. When asked about their prior experience, they said "That's what maids are for!"

[FreshPineSent]

EXPERIENCE FAIL.

[linuxmom]

Ah, and to think I just thought "that's what moms are for"............

[skunkbait]

Never put that sort of thing in print. They'll use it against you! My 14 year old does laundry, butif he thought he could shove it off on Mrs. Skunkbait, he definitely would.

[goldfishbutt]

Amazing! You can tell linuxmom is a pro because we have here an even number of socks!

For those of us still in training, I recommend having a box where socks can live in "purgatory" until you can re-find it's mate which is currently living with that pizza box behind the couch.

[racerrose]

Allow purgatory socks to redeem themselves: Put it over the end of a dowel rod, and sweep it under the dryer, or any other heavy appliance or furniture that collects dirt, shoes, legos, etc. Who knows, it may rescue its own mate?

[linuxmom]

Gasp, I pride myself on having even numbers of socks...... Amazing that you noticed!

[goldfishbutt]

It's a super power that few posses. We all bow to the awesome powers of linuxmom!

[papyrus-eyes]

I have dicovered an excellent way of dealing with socks thanks to tesco. They do two sets of nice but cheap socks that are black but with coloured toes and heals. I dont like odd socks, but these are great cause they match!!! Instead of pairing them all I have to do is flatten them and pile them in a row! Then it comes to morning and I pick what colour combination I want today! Complementary colours of course.

I dont often loose socks, but now, if I did, I wouldnt know!!! Plus not pairing them saves me lots of time :D

[mysterygirl154]

I always wondered about clothes bleeding because my mom sorts the laudry by color no matter what. It seems like it would be alot easier just to throw them all in.

[nate121]

if you wash with cold water and turn you colthe inside out they wont bleed!

[Julibopper]

Might I also add that if you happen to be washing a load of towels only, don't use fabric softener! It makes them softer, but it also makes them less absorbent. A trick from my own mom :)

[linuxmom]

Ah, the things mom knows..........