Is there anybody out there who actually enjoys doing the laundry? Sure, it’s easy enough when you live on your own or if its just you and your partner but throw children into the mix and it starts to get a little more complicated (and tiresome) Even more so if you have a new-born baby, where certain cleaning products might cause irritation to their delicate skin. It’s a mine-field indeed, but one that can be made far easier if you do it properly.

Of course, many people just throw a load into the washing machine, twist the knob, pour in whatever cleaning product they have to hand and away they go, but this is not recommended. In this post we’re going to share some dos and don’ts with you, so that you can get the most out of your laundry.

 

Do’s:

 

1 – Read the Label!

Tired of ruining your favorite clothes? It could be time for you to start reading the labels. We do appreciate that that’s easier said than done when every clothes label has what looks like Egyptian Hieroglyphics on them, so here’s a handy guide for understanding the symbology.

2 – Know How to Pre-Treat Stains

Stains are the bane of our life! If it’s isn’t mud, blood or who knows what; it’s food, sweat or lipstick! There are however a few ‘tired and tested’, home-grown tricks that can help get them out! Let’s have at which substances can be used to clean which stains:

  • Coffee – Baking Soda
  • Make Up – Shaving Cream
  • Oil – White Chalk
  • Ink – Milk
  • Blood – Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Grease – Soda
  • Lipstick – Baby Wipes
  • Red Wine – White Wine
  • Sweat – Lemon Juice

  • Grass – Vinegar

3 – Wash Your Dark Clothes Inside-Out

If you would like to keep your darks dark and prevent them from fading then a great way to do this is to wash them inside out, on a low heat. It’s best to hang-dry dark clothes as the heat from a tumble dryer can be damaging.

4 – White’s and Towels: The Hotter the Better

When it comes to removing stains and bacteria from white clothes, you should always wash them in hot water. This includes linens, nylon and polyester clothing.

5 – Protect Your Delicate Underwear By…

Placing them in a mesh laundry bag. When you throw bras and knickers into a wash, they tend to get damaged due to the straps becoming tangles and the lighter materials becoming snagged on other, heavier clothing. You don’t have to wash them separately, merely wash them in a convenient laundry bag to keep them safe!

6 – Use a Dry Towel for Drying!

What gets wetter the more you get dry? That’s right! A towel, – and believe it or not, a dry towel mixed in with your wet washing will actually help to dry your clothes in the tumble-dryer even faster. There’s a little handy tip for you!

 

Don’ts:

 

1 – Mix Your Whites and Darks

It’s important that you never mix your white and delicate clothing with your dark clothes. This should be a given, though you’d be surprised by how many people (usually men) forget this simple laundry rule!

2 – Use a Regular Bar of Soap for Hand-washing

It’s all-too temping to use a regular bar of soap when hand-washing your clothes but you should avoid this at all costs. There are plenty of other purpose-designed products that are suitable for hand-washing clothes so be certain to use them.

3 – Fly Low

When you take off a pair of jeans or shorts, naturally the zipper will come down. Very few people remember or even know to zip them up before putting them in the wash. Zippers from jeans are notorious for snagging and damaging delicate clothing, so make sure that you remember that in the future.

4 – Use Bleach on Colored Clothing

Bleach (with chlorine in particular) is terrible for fading colored clothing, so avoid using it at all costs. If you have a stain that you would like to get out, revert to the ‘stains and remedies’ mentioned earlier in this post.

 

Not Convinced?

If you’ve read this post and you’re still dreading the thought of having to do your laundry, then perhaps we have an alternative solution for you. At SAVOIR VIVRE, we have a host of professional laundresses who would gladly oblige and assist you with all of your domestic laundry requirements. Simply get in touch with us today and we’ll gladly discuss how we can be of service to you.