Seperate your clothes into lights and darks. If you don't, you could run the risk of turning your white clothes pink.
Step2
Put either the lights or darks in first. Depending on how much laundry you have to wash, turn the dial on your washing machine to either light load, medium load, or heavy load. If you're not sure, choose medium. It will save you water.
Step3
Unless you're washing a specific type of fabric, turn the water on cold temperature. It will save a little extra money on the heating bill and cold water generally doesn't hurt your clothes.
Step4
Add the detergent. On most bottles, there will be three lines indicating how much detergent you need to put in. Put as much in according to how much laundry you have i.e. Put it to the top line if you're doing a large load.
Step5
Add the fabric softener. Once again, fill it to the appropriate line. Pour it into the hole in the center of the washer. Fill the rest of the tube up with water until it reaches the top.
Step6
Let the laundry wash. It usually takes about 30 minutes.
Step7
Take laundry out and place in dryer. Add a dryer sheet to rid of static.
Tips & Warnings
Be absolutely SURE not to wash anything that can shrink easily. If you have something, read the tag.
on 6/15/2007
I’ve heard Fabric Softener can make your dryer duct slightly sticky and cause more lint to stick to it. In general you have to clean out your dryer duct with a brush every few years. However, using fabric softener supposedly speeds up the clogging process. I guess I really shouldn’t be posting something I’ve just heard, however a lint filled dryer duct CAN often lead to a fire. Also fabric softener is not an essential ingredient anyway. You should be able to wash most things without it.
on 6/15/2007
For all new to the idea, remember to check all your pockets! Even if you usually empty all your pockets when you get home you don’t want that lost 20 dollar bill or important note going threw the spin cycle!
on 6/15/2007
Some people put their clothes in a washing machine before they add the soap. I was taught relatively recently that soap (powdered or liquid) dissolves better and has less tendency to stay in your clothes if you put it in first, turn on the water, and then add the clothes. To do this you want to have everything pre-sorted and ready to go. You don’t want the washer filing up with nothing but soap and water before you can put anything in it! However, I have found this theory to be true and the strategy works quite well.
on 6/15/2007
If you’re going to run a white load (socks, shirts, etc…) then it is a good idea to use hot water. With whites there are no colors to “bleed” on anything. The hot water helps the soap dissolve and sterilizes things better.
do your laundry
Novice 
Comments
troutknight said
on 8/16/2007 i'm going on my LDS mission soon and this article helped me a ton. Thanks!!
Groundhog said
on 6/15/2007 I’ve heard Fabric Softener can make your dryer duct slightly sticky and cause more lint to stick to it. In general you have to clean out your dryer duct with a brush every few years. However, using fabric softener supposedly speeds up the clogging process. I guess I really shouldn’t be posting something I’ve just heard, however a lint filled dryer duct CAN often lead to a fire. Also fabric softener is not an essential ingredient anyway. You should be able to wash most things without it.
Groundhog said
on 6/15/2007 For all new to the idea, remember to check all your pockets! Even if you usually empty all your pockets when you get home you don’t want that lost 20 dollar bill or important note going threw the spin cycle!
Groundhog said
on 6/15/2007 Some people put their clothes in a washing machine before they add the soap. I was taught relatively recently that soap (powdered or liquid) dissolves better and has less tendency to stay in your clothes if you put it in first, turn on the water, and then add the clothes. To do this you want to have everything pre-sorted and ready to go. You don’t want the washer filing up with nothing but soap and water before you can put anything in it! However, I have found this theory to be true and the strategy works quite well.
Groundhog said
on 6/15/2007 If you’re going to run a white load (socks, shirts, etc…) then it is a good idea to use hot water. With whites there are no colors to “bleed” on anything. The hot water helps the soap dissolve and sterilizes things better.