Doing Laundry
Sorting Clothes | Doing the wash | Drying Ouside | Folding
Sorting Clothes
Sorting clothes can seem like a mystery, but it really isn`t that hard.
You just have to remember that clothes fall into some basic categories:
heavy duty (towels, jeans, sweats), medium weight (chinos, flannels), lightweight
(T-shirts, underwear, socks and shirts) and delicate weight (nylon windsuits,
blouses, bras, and anything marked gentle or delicate).
You also have to separate by color. Reds and purples and golds and oranges
stay together. Blues and greens can usually be washed together. Lights like
tans and pinks can go together and whites, of course are washed together.
When a label on a shirt says “wash separately,” it means with
colors that are like it.
If you get a brightly colored item that you are in doubt about, you should
be careful to wash it only with colors that are almost exactly like it.
New clothes, especially, can bleed colors onto others. Also, use only cold
water if you are worried about fading. Another tip is to never leave wet
clothes in the washer because you are only inviting colors to run or fade
onto other clothes.
See the laundry guide for the types of loads you will most likely be doing. You should always check labels in clothes. They will tell you what kind of laundry procedure to use. Many labels will read “machine wash and dry.” These clothes should present no problems. Labels that say “dry clean only” mean it. Take these items to the cleaners.
Doing the Wash
After clothes are separated, refer to the chart on the previous page for
machine settings and how much soap to use. One of the main things to remember
about doing the wash it to not overload the machine. You don`t want to stuff
the clothes in until you can`t get any more in. They won`t get clean and
they will just be all wrinkled. Instead, separate one large pile of clothes
into two loads.
You always put the soap into the washer first,then the clothes. And lay
the clothes in loosely, distributing them around the agitator evenly. Then
set the machine to the correct settings and start the cycle. If you have
a liquid fabric softener dispenser, you can add it now. Many times, these
dispensers will require you to add water also. If you don`t have one, you
will have to try to remember to add the softener directly into the rinse
water (waiting until there is a lot of water in the washer: never pour the
softener onto the clothes). Or, you can use a dryer sheet. I usually cut
these in half. You don`t need a whole one for each load.
When the wash cycle is complete, it`s time to dry. If you are using a dryer,
don`t just shove all the clothes in. You should shake them out and put them
in carefully (except for socks and underwear: shove them in all you want).
By shaking clothes out, you will have fewer wrinkles and clothes will dry
faster. Some clothes even get twisted in the wash, so you will want to turn
them right side out or untwist them before you dry them.
It is important to set the dryer to the right time and temperature for
your load. Many dryers have settings that correspond to the types of loads
you wash, so pick the setting that matches. Almost never use a really hot
setting (as is available in laundromats). You will shrink things if you
do. Towels and socks and underwear can be dried hot, but they will dry just
as well in warm.
When the dryer buzzes that means the cycle is finished and that you need
to fold the clothes. Unless you like ironing, take the clothes out and fold
or hang them immediately. This way they will have almost no wrinkles. The
cool down part of the drying cycle is what gets the wrinkles out. Don’t
make the mistake of taking clothes out too soon or if they are still hot.
If the clothes are not dry, restart the dryer for ten or fifteen more minutes.
Drying Outside
In laundry terms, nothing smells better than clothes hung outside to dry
in the sun. You get fresh air and exercise and save money when you hang
clothes outside. Towels, jeans, socks and underwear are too much trouble
to hang out and I usually do them in the dryer. However, some people who
have trouble with jeans shrinking always hang them out (or in the house
in winter). T-shirts, sheets, shirts, blouses and all delicates are what
I usually hang outside.
A couple of things to remember are to shake the clothes out first and hang
them up the way you want them to be when you fold them. If you hang them
up twisted and wrinkly, they will dry twisted and wrinkly. All shirts should
be hung from the bottom hem. For T-shirts, fold the bottom hem over the
line about two inches and pin (l like the spring clothespins best; they
seem less hard on the clothes). Dress shirts and blouses should be hung
by the hems at the side seams; fold the hem over the line about an inch
and pin. The sleeves should face the direction the breeze is blowing so
they will billow out like a wind sock.
Socks dry best when hung by the toes. Heavier socks should be hung separately;
lighter socks can be hung in pairs.Sheets should be folded in half and hung
neatly so they won`t be wrinkled. Flat sheets should be hung by the fold
so the top hem isn’t creased by folding it over the line. Fitted sheets
should also be hung by the fold; let the pockets act like wind socks and
catch the breeze. Don’t let them nestle together or they won’t
dry. Sheets can be put right back on the bed, and you won`t even have to
fold them.
When you take clothes down from the line, fold them immediately instead
of later. I stay outside and fold them right off the line. Again, you will
avoid the need to iron most items if you do this.
Folding
When I was growing up, towels had to be folded in thirds then in half and
in half again so they would look pretty on the shelf inside a closet that
no one but us ever saw. Since then, my philosophy of clothes folding has
changed. I think that you should definitely fold clothes, but exactly how
is not that important. What is important is that you fold them immediately
after the drying cycle ends or when they are dry outside. The reason for
this is to avoid wrinkling , thus avoiding ironing. Also, an important part
of folding is shaking: shake out the wrinkles, the folds and the twists
that occur in the drying process.
For example, this is how I fold jeans. I hold them by the waist and shake
hard, evening up the side seams as I do. Then I fold them in half at the
waist with the butt side out. I may shake them again to get the legs to
line up. I pull the crotch seam out so it lies flat and smooth the legs
together. Then I fold them in half (hem meets waist) or thirds (hem meets
crotch and waist meets hem). My son insists that you not hide the label
on the waist, making it easier to identify individual pairs.
T-shirts can be tricky, but are easier to fold if you hold each by the shoulder
seams and shake to even out the side seams. Then I fold in half (front to
outside), matching each side seam and underarm seam. Smooth out the wrinkles,
fold the sleeves inward then fold the bottom half upward. The design or
pocket should show so the shirt can be identified.
Polo shirts, sweatshirts, etc. can be folded using the same method as
above. Hang nicer shirts on a hanger after shaking out.
Nice pants should also be hung up unless they need ironing. Fold pants by
starting with the hems and leg creases, matching the seams and creases.
While hanging upside down, fold pants in half lengthwise, straighten out
waist, then hang on hanger made for pants (one that has a thick edge; thin
hangers will make creases).
Socks should be paired and either folded in half or paired by folding the
top edge of one sock over both socks about two to three inches. This last
method helps keep them together in your drawer. Underwear should be folded,
but anyway you care to do it is fine.
Towels and washcloths are easy to fold. If you want them to be fancy, shake
out, fold top edge in thirds, fold so top and bottom hems meet, shake again,
then fold in half: store so the smooth edge faces out. Hand towels are folded
the same way. Wash clothes can be folded in thirds also, but they seem harder
to store this way. I usually fold them in half, then in half again, but
I always make sure I fold each the same so they look nicer.
Towels that are to be hung up for display should be folded in thirds so the edges that can easily fray are concealed.
Sheets are pretty tricky to fold. If you own only one set and you put them
back on the bed after you wash them (once a week, remember), then you can
avoid folding. If not, here is how.
Fitted sheets: after you shake the sheet, fold it in half, tucking the
bottom edge corners into the top corners so both face out (like they are
cupped into each other). Shake the sheet and smooth out the wrinkles each
time you make a new fold. Then fold it in half again so that all four corners
are molded into one. Now it is best to lay the sheet on a flat surface and
fold the edge with the corner over toward the center about 10-12 inches,
or about one third. Then fold the other edge to meet the fold. Now fold
the remaining piece into thirds. You should end up with a rectangular pillow-like
package.
The top sheet is easier. The top and bottom hems should meet and the side
seams should match in your first fold. Next fold in half so side seams meet,
leaving you with your sheet folded in fourths. Shake out before you fold
this piece in half, then in half again. You should have a piece that is
narrow. Fold this piece either in thirds or in fourths to try to match the
size of the fitted sheet.
Pillow
cases are folded in half lengthwise, then in half again, then in thirds,
leaving the hem edge exposed.