Doing the laundry may not be one of those exhilarating chores that makes you feel glad to be alive (what are those anyway?), but it must be done. Here are some thoughts about how to do it well and without headaches, colorfast, bleach-free or otherwise.
Laundry Money that isn’t Laundered Money
A good washing machine can break down just as any appliance, but if you stash the cost of a load (let’s say 2 bucks) in a jar on top of the washer every time you do a load, you will find that you soon have enough money to buy a new one (or a new something else).
Washing The Washer
Every once in a while, fill the tub with water and add 2 cups of white vinegar. Let everything sit for an hour or so and then restart and let the machine go through its wash and rinse cycle. Then repeat, this time using 2 cups of bleach.
Temperature Controls
Use hot temperatures (130 ºF/54 ºC) for washing whites, colorfasts and heavily soiled clothes like diapers. For non colorfasts, permanent press, knit, woolens, silks and mildly soiled clothes, use the warm controls (100 ºF/37 ºC). Use the cold temperature (80 ºF/26 ºC).
Non Colorfast Garments
Try adding about ¼ cup of salt to your laundry detergent when you put your new clothes in the washer. This will help prevent the colors from running (or walking or moving anywhere at all or that matter). For the same effect, you can also use 1 teaspoon of ammonia for every gallon of water. To set the colors in new cotton garments, soak them in a solution of ½ cup distilled white vinegar, 1-tablespoon Epsom salts and 2 quarts water.
For White Beyond White
At the risk of being redundant, for that whiter than white look, soak white garments for about ½ hour in a solution of 1 gallon warm water, 2 tablespoons ammonia, 4 tablespoons dishwasher solution and 4 tablespoons ordinary dish soap. Launder as usual without telling garments anything about your mystery mixture. (Experts claim it works better if they don’t know.)
Do YOU have any laundry tips to share? Please do.
Related Reading:
“Washing Windows: A Carefree Diversion”