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Your laundry is piling up. When you’re out of underwear and socks, it’s definitely time to do your washing! Your favorite clothes will repay you with longer life if you don’t just throw everything in the washing machine together. Clothes and their colors bleed, so they like being with their own kind: 1) whites 2) dark colors 3) light colors 4) bright colors. Wash heavily soiled clothes by themselves.
Now that you’ve sorted by color, it’s time to categorize by type. Remember that delicate fabrics, like laces, lingerie, washable silk and similar textures need to be gentle-washed separately — perhaps even by hand. Fabrics that produce lint, such as chenille or terry (towels, sweatshirts, flannel) should be kept separate from lint-attracting laundry like corduroy and velvet, or even dark socks. Lint hint: turn clothing inside out to lessen the chances of lint hitching an uninvited ride.
Take a moment to do a few simple things before you start the flow of water. For clothing that has zippers, close them first. All of those pockets can hide facial tissues, receipts, pens and even loose change: remove it all. Maybe you’ve spilled something on that favorite shirt, so "Out, darned spot!" New "oxy-type" cleaners and other treatments work wonders, but be sure to read, then follow directions carefully.
Take the temp: when you use hot water to do washing, you also use a large amount of energy, whether gas or electricity. Cold water is an excellent alternative, plus it’s less likely to set the stain. Use of cold water means the fabric and its finish are less likely to be affected, so you wear your favorite things longer.
Don’t overload your washer; clothes need room to move in order for the agitator to work properly, and for your clothes to get cleanest. The same applies to using your dryer; clothes are much more likely to wrinkle if the air can’t get over, under, around and through.
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