If there’s one never-ending chore at home, it’s the laundry. I mean, who are these people anyway, and why are they always wearing clothes? The nerve! Seriously though, whether you live alone or have a house full of family, laundry can pile up fast. It’s never done! To help you be more successful in everyone’s favorite household duty, here are 12 laundry hacks from the pros.
1. Stain Remover Spray — Every Day!
Keep a bottle of your favorite stain remover or pre-treatment product wherever you get undressed for the day. If you see any stains, you can use the stuff right then to help any spills come out in the wash.
2. Don’t Dry a Stain
If a stain doesn’t totally come out in the washing machine, DO NOT put that item in the dryer. The heat will only set the stain. Try another round of pre-treatment and washing before putting any stained item in the dryer.
3. Zipper Clue
When you put a pair of pants in the hamper, first check the pockets for any loose items, then zip the zipper. Why? Because when you put those pants in the washer, you’ll know you’re good to go. If they aren’t zipped, you still need to check.
4. Spin Again
If you want to cut down on your drying time, run your loads through a second spin cycle. If your washer doesn’t have an option to spin twice, just manually set it to spin again when the cycle is done. Your clothes will dry a lot faster this way.
5. DIY Pre-Treater
Make your own stain pre-treatment with 1 part white vinegar, 1 part liquid laundry detergent (whatever you use), 1 part water, and 1 part ammonia. Mix it all together in a squirt bottle and use it to spray and scrub any stains you’re concerned about before washing.
6. Old-Fashioned Stain Stick
Fels Naphtha soap bars have been around forever. Found on the laundry isle of Walmart and some supermarkets, it’s a fantastic stain remover. Just wet the stain, and rub it with the soap. You can let it sit a few hours or overnight if needed, then wash. This stuff works amazingly well on ring around the collar!
7. The Old Boiling Water Trick
If you’re at home when a spill occurs, take the item off and pour some boiling water over it while it’s still fresh. A lot of people swear by this trick for making stains disappear.
8. Fold Straight Outta the Dryer
Nothing wrinkles up a perfectly good load of laundry like letting it sit in the dryer for too long, or pulling it out and dumping it in a laundry basket. As soon as your dryer is done, pull everything out and fold it. Even if you do put it in a basket for now, at least you won’t have wrinkles.
9. Absorb Oil Stains
If you spill something oily on your favorite shirt, use some corn starch, flour, or baby powder to absorb the greasiness. Let it sit for a day and add more powder later if necessary. It’ll make the stain come out much easier.
10. Keep Socks Together
Hate searching for that matching sock? Who doesn’t! There’s an easy solution for this…just pin them together before washing! You can also put all your socks in a lingerie bag.
11. Use Less Detergent
If you’re into saving money, you can usually get away with using about half of the laundry detergent called for. Unless you’ve got a heavily soiled load, try it.
12. No-Iron Way to Dry
For your dress or professional clothes, put them in the dryer on the hot setting for just a minute or two, then hang them to dry the rest of the way. You won’t get wrinkles!
I didn’t know about the trick with boiling water. That’s interesting. I think to try it next time.