I know there may be various ways people do laundry, so this is just a basic way of doing them without any complications.

*Make sure to check tags on clothing.  Some will say dry clean only, dry on low heat, wash in cold water only, etc.  Make sure you follow the directions or you will ruin your clothes.

1.  Sort your laundry into three piles; lights, darks, and reds/really darks (the red dye in the clothes sometimes gets off onto other clothes).  Sometimes, you may be able to just get away with two piles; lights and darks.  I usually put grays in the whites because I dont have very many, but use your own judgment.

2.  Treat stains if necessary.  Make sure you read directions before using!  I've heard so many bleach related incidents where people put too much bleach in thier clothes. I personally avoid bleach altogether and just use the bleach pen or a stain remover pen.

3.  Follow directions on the washer before you put any in.  Most washers in schools require that you pay, so make sure you have the right amount of money in quarters or however.  Even some new ones take cards, but that depends on your school.  So make sure you check it out before you do any laundry at all.

4.  Put a capful of laundry detergent into washer.  I recommend liquid detergent just because the powder will stain your clothes if you have to close the lid before you turn on the washer (the powder sticks to clothes and could fade the clothes).

5.  Put clothes into washer.  Make sure you do not stuff your clothes into washer or overfill.  Some washers have a thing in the middle that sticks up- use it as a guide to not go over the top of it.  If it doesn't have one, use your best guess.  Just make sure there's plenty of room for the clothes to move around in the water.

6.  Follow directions on the washer to turn it on.  For a normal load of laundry, just set it to "Normal" and medium heat.  Sometimes you will have to play around with the settings to make sure you get your clothes washed the way you want.

7.  Wait until it's done...

8.  Open the dryer up and take clothes out of washer and into dryer.  Throw in a fabric softener sheet (or two or three, but not the whole box) with them.

9.  Close door and follow directions on the dryer.  Just make sure the settings have medium heat.  Also, you might have to add more quarters into the machine to make sure your clothes are dry.

10.  Wait some more... go ahead and put another load in the washer if you have some.

11.  Fold your clothes and put away.  

Hope this helps in a way.

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Bravo for starting this topic. I can't even start to tell you how many people get to college and have no idea how to do laundry. My first roommate didn't even know how to make his bed. His mom had to show him on move-in day. Yikes!

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Yeah, I know what you mean there.  My last bf was a sophomore this past year and I had to show him how to put a sheet on his bed.  It was sooo cute! But at the same time I felt bad for him.

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It astounds me the number of people that are having their parents do their laundry that far. As soon as I turned 8 or 9 my dad showed me how to work the washing machine. I've been doing my own laundry ever since. I can't imagine my mum still doing it for me.

My best friend was very much like that though. She didn't do her own laundry or even clean her room until she finally moved out and had her own child a year ago. It was insane.

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Holly.
Mama to Hunter Kai
Still missing you, LML. (1941-2007). ♥
"Nothing is worth more than this day."

I also do my laundry every three to four weeks. Here's a record I'm not too proud of: In the year I've been here, my sheets have never been washed. I know I should, but every time I want to, I have no money to put on my laundry card (which is the only way students can operate the washers and dryers).

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I value the lives of slugs over the lives of children - and I pour salt on slugs.

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In the year I've been here, my sheets have never been washed.

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That is amazingly...gross (for lack of better words).

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Are you kidding me?!?

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4.  Put a capful of laundry detergent into washer.  I recommend liquid detergent just because the powder will stain your clothes if you have to close the lid before you turn on the washer (the powder sticks to clothes and could fade the clothes).

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Capfuls of liquid detergent are totally unnecessary. At the most, only 1/4ths full should be good. More, and you get things like soap remaining on your clothes. As for powder detergent, also 1/4 or 1/5 full in the cu should be good, lest you want to wate money on another rinse cycle to get the soap out of your clothes.

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y'all nukhuhs that be aight wit dat bullshiiit, just hit us up mang

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Quote: from dreamweaver at 9:07 pm on Aug. 16, 2006

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4.  Put a capful of laundry detergent into washer.  I recommend liquid detergent just because the powder will stain your clothes if you have to close the lid before you turn on the washer (the powder sticks to clothes and could fade the clothes).

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Capfuls of liquid detergent are totally unnecessary. At the most, only 1/4ths full should be good. More, and you get things like soap remaining on your clothes. As for powder detergent, also 1/4 or 1/5 full in the cu should be good, lest you want to wate money on another rinse cycle to get the soap out of your clothes.

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Good point.  Just make sure you read the label on the container to make sure.  Personally, I've always put at the most a capful for a full load and I haven't had any problems with it at all.

Post edited at 9:59 pm on Nov. 22, 2006 by dreamweaver

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