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By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor
Has a parent, spouse or someone else determined that it's time you did your own laundry? You'll soon discover it's a snap to get your clothes clean. Just sort and separate colors from whites and don't wash anything at hot temperatures if it might shrink. Everything else you need to know is below.... Read full How To Article
lalspaugh
published this on
May 11, 2009
I live in the country with my three boys (ages 11, 9 and 5) and my husband, our chocolate Lab, 7 bunnies, two turtles and 11 chickens. There is nothing more my boys like to do than play outside. I have daily loads of laundry that are covered in ground in mud, grass, ketchup, dirt, crayon, pen, blood ... and plenty of unknowns! I'm...
About two years ago we bought a high capacity washer and dryer--which cut my loads of laundry in about half. I am still washing as many clothes(probably more now that the boys are getting bigger!)--just not doing as many loads so I save time and energy. It does make a big difference in the time I need to put in to get the job done.
Because my three boys are so rowdy I often have to deal with stains. Grass, mud and food being the three biggies. While I don't often have the time or the opportunity, I do like to get the stained clothing in cold water as fast as I can to improve my chances of getting the stain out. I have gotten out red wine, grape juice and blood this way many times. Placing the garment under running cold water as quickly as possible is all that some stains need. I also try not to scrub at first--that tends to spread the stain around instead of diminish it!
I have used many stain fighting products and have found a few that work well--Oxi-Clean is my favorite. If the running cold water doesn't get the stain out then I use a stain fighter and let the clothing soak. The stains come out better if they never dry--so when you spray your stained clothes be careful not to let the stain fighter dry on the clothes, either. I always check my newly washed loads for the stains that I pre-treated before I throw them in the dryer as well--if the stain isn't gone I throw it right back into the washing machine for another go around (after I've pre-treated it again).
I've also used a few of the on-the-go stain fighting products and they do work well--but you need to be careful what fabrics you use them on. I have ruined a few of my favorite shirts by trying to use the on-the-go spot removers immediately and didn't realize that they weren't conducive to the fabric I was using them on.
I don't mind doing the laundry--but I'm not a big fan of putting it away! Once it's folded I fill up a laundry basket for each boy and send them on their way to put it all away (I do help my 5 year old out!) so I don't have to. This summer my 11 year old is going to learn how to do his own laundry--which will cost me a little more work in the beginning but will pay off in the end.
I'm off to fold another load!
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