Doing your laundry is an art form because you have to follow simple rules in order to end up with really clean shirts, undies, linens and others. The truth is a lot of people actually commit all sorts of laundry blunders each time — from using too much detergent thinking that it will really make clothes spotless to forgetting to zip sippers all the way to the top!
Continue reading to know which of the 10 bad laundry habits listed below you are guilty of doing time and again. Break them and you will surely enjoy doing your laundry even more.
Bad Laundry Habit #1: Incorrectly Filling the Washing Machine
If you are using today’s detergent that’s phosphate-free, forget the olden way of filling a washing machine. This is the right way to fill a washing machine: clothes, water and detergent.
Bad Laundry Habit #2: Not Placing Your Washing Machine on a Level Surface
Aside from the noise, not leveling your washing is bad for its important components due to all the vibrations. If you cannot find the right spot for your washing machine, simply pad the legs using thin sheets of plywood.
Bad Laundry Habit #3: Frantically Rubbing Stains
Doing this will not only spread the stain further but also damage the fabric. What you need to do instead is to do it gently and in the shortest time possible. At the first sign of a stain, spring into action right away to make the removal trouble-free. Remember to use a white piece of cloth in removing the stains to avoid transferring colors onto the stained fabric.
Bad Laundry Habit #4: Using Excessive Amounts of Detergent
Using lots of detergent will surely make everything clean and fresh-smelling, right? Wrong! All the suds will only drive dirt and grime removed from clothes to parts that are on the challenging side to clean, such as in the pockets or under the collar. This will ultimately lead to buildup of bacteria.
Bad Laundry Habit #5: Using Excessive Amounts of Bleach
Most stains can be removed even without the use of bleach. Although this chemical can do wonders to spots and blemishes, it can also make colors fade and damage fabrics especially when used excessively.
Bad Laundry Habit #6: Washing Tops without Unbuttoning Them
Prior to throwing garments with buttons on them, make it a habit to have them unbuttoned all the way first. Otherwise, all the spinning and wringing going on during the cycle will cause unnecessary stress on the buttons as well as buttonholes.
Bad Laundry Habit #7: Forgetting to Zip Up Zippers
Similarly, you should devote time to zipping up zippers all the way to the top before laundering items with them. If you fail to do this, it’s likely for those metal teeth to snag fabrics, most especially delicate or woven ones.
Bad Laundry Habit #8: Allowing the Dryer to Rest in Between Cycles
If you think that giving the dryer some time to rest before doing another cycle is energy-efficient, think again. Running dryer loads back-to-back is actually a smarter step because it allows you to take advantage of heat from the previous cycle, thus allowing for a more efficient use of energy.
Bad Laundry Habit #9: Forgetting to Regularly Clean the Dryer
Cleaning the lint filter is not enough. From time to time, you should also get rid of lint that tends to collect in the duct because it is in fact a fire hazard! One clear indicator that the duct is already packed with lint is if it takes longer than an hour to get a load dry. Detach the hose found at the dryer’s back and use a dryer vent brush to push out lint.
Bad Laundry Habit #10: Washing Items Suited for Dry-Cleaning Only
Many items with the dry-clean label may actually be hand washed, but not tossed in the washing machine. Immerse these items in soapy water for a couple of times, rinse immediately and roll them in a towel to remove moisture.
