A Sort Of Helpful Post About Laundry.. From A Mom
Two words.. Laundry. Day.
Or maybe more like laundry day EVERY DAY.
Either way, most of us don't particularly like this little enemy of the home (there are a few out there that love it and they are likely the same people who bite into cheese sticks instead of pulling.. you weirdos!) I am not one of these people so I've had to find ways to make this a smoother experience for me and even learn BETTER ways to do it, afterall if you're going to do something you dislike.. why not at least do it LIKE A BOSS!
First Tip>> I literally do have A laundry DAY. Because I can't imagine the thought of doing a load every single day and putting it off and always having something I need that's not clean. So I've designated Sundays as my laundry day since we don't usually go anywhere or do much! I only have a husband and two small kids so this isn't too crazy of a task. I typically have anywhere from 2-5 loads that I do. The 4-5 days include like a load of towels or bedding usually. Maybe give it a try, I know it's not for everyone but this has really worked for me for a long time so I don't imagine changing it up any time soon!
Second Tip>> Does it matter what kind of detergent you use? Not really! Stop worrying about that thing your sister's friend shared on Facebook about the awful brand you shouldn't use.. like is the source even credible? Buy what you want and what your family can afford even if it's based purely off smell! Haha.. also I've read a few articles on powder vs liquid detergent and found that despite some of the myths you have maybe heard, both have just about equal pros & cons! It really comes down to personal preference! We use liquid Tide (the yellow one.. mostly because we love the smell, it reminds us of home). Also I have it in my head that my clothes come out softer?.. Yeah that's pretty much a myth but oh well, I ain't changing anytime soon! So do your research if you want but honestly.. just buy the dang soap!! Your life will not hang in the balance by choosing the "wrong" one!
Third Tip>> I always wash our clothes in cold water, mostly because it's cheaper and because hot water can break down the fibers of your clothes, wearing them out faster. Warm water also wears down the colors in your clothes and can cause shrinkage! There's just really no need to wash in anything but cold! It's a myth that your clothes get cleaner in warmer water. HOWEVER.. if you do use powder detergent, you may consider washing in warm water if you feel like your clothes are coming out with residue or weird lines on them (powders sometimes don't dissolve fully in cold water).
Fourth Tip>> Again, I always dry our clothes on the LOW heat cycle! (Oh and off topic but you should also dry your hair on the low heat setting too!) like why are we so obsessed with heat?! Even if it takes two cycles on the low setting to dry your clothes, it's still saving energy because simply tumbling your clothes in "cool air" is cheaper than heating them up. Besides.. running it again buys me more time of not having to do it so I mean.. win-win right?! So not only does running your washer and dryer on the low heat settings save you money on your energy bill, it really does extend the life, look, and feel of your clothes! Heat just wreaks havoc on textiles, so if you can avoid it- you should!
Fifth Tip>> Are you like me and ALWAYS forget a load in the washer until like the third time you've rewashed it and then it finally goes into the dryer?! No? Well then... bravo on being a responsible adult! A little trick I try to do in order to avoid this is anytime I have laundry going (whether washer or dryer or both) I leave the laundry room light on and/or the door open! So every time I walk by and go to turn it off, it will remind me I have laundry in!! Sometimes it helps! And sometimes I'm still an idiot and turn it all off and STILL forget! Haha some days...
Okay one last thing.. I DESPISE ironing. I mean thankfully the nicest place we ever go is like Target so... it's not like my husband is needing fresh pressed shirts all the time but occasionally there are those certain fabrics or an event we need to attend that requires a little more effort in our adulting choices! Solution? A HAND STEAMER!! My husband bought me one last summer (dropping a hint? Hmm maybe...) regardless, I've loved it! So convienent and easy to use! And works like a charm!! He just got one off Amazon for less than $40!
Well.. I can't believe I just wrote a blog post about laundry but that's mom life right?! I hope some of these tips help and that these aren all things that are like way outdated things HAHA. For all I know, someone will message me saying no one even does their own laundry anymore, you just mail it off somewhere.. but really, can we get on that?! Anyway! If you have any other tips you'd like to share with me, leave a comment or shoot me a message!
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