You want to wear your favorite sweater, but it smells musty—and it has a stain from last week’s spaghetti dinner. Worst of all, there’s no one around to help you wash it! The idea of doing your own laundry might cause your head to spin. But learning to do laundry is an important step to becoming independent and making sure that you, your clothing, and your sheets and towels smell fresh and look clean. Whether you’re headed to the laundry room or the laundromat, here’s what you need to know:
- Stains? Apply a spray-on stain remover or a small amount of dish soap or laundry detergent as soon as possible. Then rinse the stain with cold water.
- Sort clothes by color (darks and lights) to prevent dye transfer.
- You can wash most items in cold water. It’s better for the environment.
- Place sweaty or damp clothes in a well-ventilated hamper, or hang them up to dry before you wash them. That keeps mildew from growing.
- Never overstuff the machine—your clothes won’t get clean.
- Use a delicate cycle for lacy or easily torn fabrics.
- Regularly clean the vent. Lint buildup can make the dryer less effective and is a fire risk.
- Low heat works for most fabrics. It also helps prevent shrinking and makes your clothing last longer.
- To avoid wrinkles, fold or hang your clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer.