Tips when washing clothes

When you're prepared to toss in a load, keep the items that shed, like towels or fuzzy sweaters, away from garments that attract lint, like corduroy pants or black slacks. And separate lightweight clothes, like sheets or T-shirts, from heavyweight stuff, like towels or denim. The reason? Washing and drying is tough on clothes; they rub against each other and the machine, losing a little color and potentially getting pulled out of shape. To help minimize color loss, turn jeans inside out before placing them in the washer, and leave them inside out until you remove them from the dryer, Forte says.

She also recommends using a detergent designed to preserve colors: "They really do work. Zip zippers and fasten flies to prevent snags, too. Some people swear by the cleaning staple; it may zap a mildewy smell and help your colors come out bolder and your whites whiter. And no, your clothes won't smell like vinegar!

Just toss in a capful of white vinegar after the detergent. Another smart cleaning trick: If a garment comes out of the wash with a stain still on it, don't toss it in the dryer.

Instead, air-dry and wash again. Hard water contains magnesium and calcium — harmless when ingested, but not so great for your laundry.

A whole-system filter, such as Morton System Saver Water Softener , removes minerals right at your water supply pipe. You can also make your own laundry products using one of several formulas.

One of the biggest laundry mistakes is using too much detergent. Overdosing detergent can create so many suds that they trap soil allowing it to redeposit on clothes. Try using one-half less than the recommended amount and see if you are pleased with the results. Your clothes will look better and you'll save money. If you have a front load washer that smells terrible , using less detergent may just solve your problem.

The key to successful stain removal is to act quickly. As soon as possible after stains occur, rinse or soak the garment in cold water, apply a stain remover, and get it into the washer. If the stain is still there, never put the garment in the dryer. Use a stain remover and rewash. Be sure to use the right stain removal technique for each type of stain. No one wants the surprise of pink underwear or a tie-dyed effect on a white shirt.

In other words, always sort your clothes correctly to prevent colors from bleeding onto unsuspecting fabrics. To find out if something is colorfast before you wash it, wet a cotton swab and rub it on an inside corner or seam and see if the dye transfers to the swab.

If it does, hand wash the item separately. If that random red sock falls into a white load of clothes, know how to remove the dye stains. Clothes are expensive and fading can cause them to look worn out very quickly. By turning dark-colored clothes inside out before washing you can avoid abrasion and wear to fabric surfaced that cause dull appearances.

Know how to keep black clothes black to protect your clothing investment. The reasons clothes shrink and stretch are varied from fiber content and type of weave to how you wash or clean them.

Some of the best ways to avoid shrinking or stretching in clothing are to use a cold water setting, avoid too much agitation, and a hot clothes dryer. When whites start going gray or yellow, it could be because you are using water temperatures that are too low.

You may be overloading your washer and piling in really dirty clothes that cause dirt to resettle on mildly soiled clothes making them dull. To make bras and delicate undergarments hold their shape and last longer, wash them by hand in a sink filled with cool water. If you want to use the washer, toss bras in a mesh lingerie bag and use the delicate cycle. Who has time to iron?

Pour detergent directly on the stain. Then gently rub the fabric together or use a soft-bristled toothbrush to help work the detergent into the fibers, then leave it on for a few minutes. Prepare a soaking solution with Tide detergent. Let these garments soak for about 30 minutes before washing. Soak the item in hot vinegar for minutes, but always test for colorfastness first. You can do this by applying a small amount of vinegar to an inconspicuous area of the garment.

After a few minutes, blot with a paper towel, and if no color comes off on the towel, your garment is colorfast, and you can continue to pre-treat. Correct detergent dosing is the next most important factor for laundry success. The right amount depends on how large your load is, how dirty the clothes are, the hardness of your water, as well as the type of detergent you're using.

And, you may still need to use a different amount if you are using an HE machine. The correct dosing is printed on every Tide detergent package, and you can use the cap for liquids and the scoop for powders to measure the correct dosage. Simply place the sufficient number of laundry pacs into the drum, then add clothes, and start the cycle.

Give your clothes enough room to tumble, without wasting water, by applying the palm trick to avoid overloading. Just place your hand into the drum, and if your hand fits between your clothes and the wall of the drum, then you have the perfect load size.

It's as easy as that. Before selecting your cycle, always check the care label first. Aside from your detergent, the speed of agitation and temperature of the water are what get your clothes their cleanest. Check the table below to see what speed and what temperature to wash clothes for the best results:.

Fabric Type: Best for whites, sheets, towels, underwear, socks and heavily soiled items. Purpose and Speed: Removes stains and dirt; cleans durable fabrics. Uses fast agitation in the wash cycle, and a fast spin cycle. Purpose and Speed: Gently cleans delicate items. Uses slow agitation in wash cycle, and a slow rinse cycle.

Fabric Type: Best for jeans, many non-cotton items, synthetic fibers such as rayons, knits, polyesters and acetates. Purpose and Speed: Cleans every-day clothes that wrinkle easily. Uses fast agitation in the wash cycle, and a slow spin cycle. Using the correct water temperature can mean the difference between clean, bright clothes and dingy or still-dirty results. Keep colors from running or bleeding and banish spots and odors by checking the water temperature table before you get started.

Fabric Type: Dark colors, bright colors that may run or fade, delicate fabrics, lightly soiled fabrics, anything that might shrink. Purpose: Cold water saves the most energy while also being the most gentle on clothing. Purpose: Good cleaning power for preserving colors without much fading or risk of shrinking. Fabric Type: Whites, cotton fabrics, socks, bed sheets, heavily soiled garments, baby clothes.

Some fabric types cannot be tumble dried, so you'll want to set those pieces aside to air dry.