"Doing the laundry" has come a long way from the Downton Abbey days of washboards and clotheslines. Modern appliances and new soap technology have made the whole business much faster and easier. But hold up! It's very easy to fall into the trap of relying on machines to do everything for us. Not yet.
Based on a very informal office poll, there's a pretty high chance that you’ve picked up some bad habits during your laundry routine. Sure, the clothes seem clean enough, but these common mistakes can ultimately damage your clothes—or your pricey appliances.
These are the Most Common Laundry Mistakes you need to stop making right now:
1. Laundry Purgatory. They now have clever machines that can wash and dry, you can’t wash one load while drying another. Apart from the space-saving bonus, I really don't get the point of them.
Assuming you have two machines, one to wash clothes and another to dry them, please remember to transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer as soon as the cycle is done. If you let your laundry hang out in a damp washer long enough, it will develop mould, mildew, or other unwanted smells. Yuk.
Likewise, unless you want your laundry to have more wrinkles than Mother Teresa, you need to remove it from the dryer and fold it while it's still warm. Use your iPhone to time it if you have to, but don’t leave it sitting there. If you do get busy and forget about clothes in the dryer, take that opportunity to infuse it with a delicious scent. Dab a few drops of laundry fragrance oil onto some wool dryer balls and give it another 10 minutes or so on low or no heat. Your laundry will emerge beautifully fragranced, with less wrinkles, and static free.
2. Doing the mindless "Laundry Dump" Sure, you removed your favourite t-shirt after your last trip to Franklin BBQ, but you failed to notice the sizable stain at the bottom and just chucked it into the basket where it sat for two weeks. Nope! Any laundry detergent will struggle to remove that stain in the regular wash cycle without a bit of pre-treat. It doesn't have to be a big song and dance; just add a little dollop of Stain Solution and use a soft Laundry Brush to shift it. And don’t forget to check your pockets! I’ve lost plenty of good lipsticks that way.
3. Honey, I shrunk the cashmere! We’ve all done it. I know all to well the heartbreak of pulling a favourite jumper out of the machine looking like a doll's sweater. Maybe hand wash those separately until you know how much spin they can handle.
4. Building a Bacteria Farm.
After I check the washer for spare socks or anything clinging to the drum, I use an old dish towel to wipe the inside of the glass and all around the machine, and then I leave the washing machine door slightly ajar so it can dry out. Never shut your washing machine door until it is completely dry! If you do, you’re building a small bacteria farm in there…and nobody likes those. You should also give your machine a good cleaning every few months, but we use it so often that I tend to do it once a year. Check out our guide to washing your machine, and then take the time to do it. Your appliances will look better but work better (and last longer) if you care for them.
6. Using too much soap. I know this seems counterintuitive from a company selling soap, but honestly, you’re probably using too much soap. We tend to equate “more” with “better.” But when it comes to Laundry Soap (even a good one), less is really more.
A surefire way to stop over-soaping is to use Laundry Sheets instead of liquid soap. Use half a sheet for smaller loads, or a whole sheet for big ones. Either way, it will 100% dissolve without leaving a residue on your clothes or in the machine.
IIn fact, using too much soap is so common that we created this charming ceramic measuring cup. It has measuring lines to measure the right amount of detergent, but it’s also handy for dosing medicine and ingredients (or just the right amount of gin for a double martini).
Mastering the art of professional-style laundry at home requires a little knowledge and the right tools. Investing in beautiful products that smell amazing will knock some of that dreariness out of the most mundane domestic tasks.
Xx mlk
