Laundry Oh dear laundry! The never-ending task. The least favourite chore that everyone avoids doing. You wash the clothes, hang them to dry and then fold them, Just to turn around, and boom! another load. But it’s something we all have to do no matter what. We need good-looking spotless clothes to look and feel our best.
But doing laundry can be tricky sometimes because washing machines aren’t always the best at making your clothes fresh and spotless. You sometimes need to intervene to achieve that end result.
Detergents and other laundry products don’t always cut it no matter how much the advertisements say the opposite. That’s why every mama needs to learn some laundry tips and tricks to make her laundry smells fresh and looks clean as new.
Without mentioning how laundry products can get pricy sometimes. And when you have kids it’s even worse, their clothes will be covered in mud, and God knows how mud is even more stubborn than tomato sauce.
Laundy tips that will leave your clothes spotless
1. Use baking soda and lemon
If you’ve got a stain on your clothes, make sure to pre-treat it first with some baking soda and lemon, sprinkle baking soda on the affected spot and squeeze some lemon on top, scrub until the stain has gone and then throw in the washing machine to complete the process.
2. Strip your clothes
You thought your laundry is clean? Think twice. Fabric can accumulate so much detergent and other chemicals over time which makes the clothes look old and smell bad even after washing. That’s why stripping clothes is so important every once in a while, especially on clothes that are heavily used.
3. Scrub the dirt immediately
The longer the stain stays on the fabric the more difficult it becomes when you try to remove it. That’s why it’s better to treat the stain straight away.
4. Use the sun
The sun is a natural stain remover. hang your stained clothes outside and allow the sun to do the work.
5. Clean the washing machine drawer regularly
I find that most people don’t know or don’t give so much importance to cleaning the washing machine drawer. It gets mouldy quickly and the detergent can build up over time. Without mentioning the fact that the water that washes your clothes runs through the drawer. Which is why you should always keep it clean.
6. Clean the drum and the silicone seal
Your machine needs maintenance and cleaning too, it’s true that water and detergent run through that silicone every time which makes you think that the machine is clean. But the reality is, bacteria gather there quickly, and mould can build up between the silicone folds, leaving your washing machine smelling awful, and your clothes not fresh enough.
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7. Let your washing machine and drawer open after each use
The best thing you can do for your washing machine is to leave it open after each use. That will allow all the remaining water to dry out completely and reduce the likelihood of moulding.
8. Separate the whites, darks and colours
This is the tip that everyone knows but often ignores. It’s important to separate your laundry. This will allow your clothes to preserve their original colour for as long as possible.
9. Use a mesh laundry bag to keep small and delicate items together
Small items are annoying when thrown with other big items when doing laundry. They somehow end up getting lost somewhere and never being found again. That’s why it’s wise to put them all in a mesh bag and wash them.
10. Turn clothes inside out to avoid fading
Over time, your clothes will start to lose their original colour due to frequent washing and rubbing against other clothing. The best thing to do to preserve clothes for longer is to flip them inside out.
11. Don’t overload your washing machine to allow agitation
I mean, how will the clothes get cleaned if you don’t allow room for them to move around right? Filling the washing mashing until no room is left, not only is useless and won’t get your clothes perfectly cleaned, but it’s also damaging to the fabric.
12. Check your garments care labels
They are there for a good reason, if it says hand wash only, don’t attempt to throw it in the washing machine. Delicate items need delicate care. And if the label says don’t wash it over 30 degrees then don’t do that. As this will decrease the life of the clothing.
13. Remove your laundry as soon as possible after they’re done washing
If you leave your washed laundry in the washer for a long period of time, it’ll start to smell and the machine rubber will accumulate bacteria and get mouldy over time. That’s why it’s recommended to remove them immediately after they’re done washing.
14. Fold your clothes and put them away immediately
Procrastinating folding laundry is a bad habit that we’re all guilty of doing. Once you decide you’ll do it later, you end up never doing it. The best thing to do in these situations is to fold and put away immediately after the clothes have dried.
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