13 Not So Well-Known Laundry Hacks. 90% of Stains Will Disappear at First Attempt
According to some research, doing the washing is one of the most tedious household chores (third after washing-up and hoovering). You must admit that it is a bit boring thing to do. Like it or not, if you like to put on something clean in the morning, you'd better keep doing your laundry regularly.
7:37 PM EDT, July 20, 2020
Statistically, an average woman spends 17 minutes a day doing the washing. Isn't our life too short to waste it like this?
You will soon find out how to save you time and still have nice and fresh clothes.
#1 Use a mouthwash to clean the washing machine
There is one thing you need to know - washing machines need to be cleaned and disinfected. Of course there are dedicated cleaning agents you can buy, but there is a cheaper solution: a mouthwash. Pour half a glass into the fabric softener drawer and switch the machine on. You will quickly eliminate fungus, mold and bacteria that pose some threat to your laundry and the machine itself, too.
#2 Add a few aspirin pills when you wash white clothes
Yellow stains, usually in armpits, make some white clothes useless. As it happens, a few aspiring pills thrown into the washing drum will bleach the clothes. This is thanks to the salicylic acid the medication contains. From now on you can wear your favorite white shirts without worrying about the stains.
#3 To wash socks put them into a special bag
We all know the stories of mysterious disappearances of socks from the washing machine. To prevent that, get a few dedicated washing bags and put all socks inside. There is no chance that even a single one will get lost.
#4 Use a baby shampoo to fix shrunk clothes
No matter how unlikely that seems, but a baby shampoo or hair conditioner can bring your shrunk clothes to their original size. Add a bit of the cosmetic to a bowl of hot water and throw the clothes in there. Leave them for 10 - 15 minutes. Then dry the clothes using a towel and lay them horizontally. Wait until they get completely dry. Shampoos and conditioners straighten the fabrics and the clothes come back to the original size.
#5 Don't dry clothes for too long
It is really difficult to iron clothes that have been dried for too long. The material gets stiff and unpleasant. In extreme cases even a steam iron will not handle them. It is much easier to iron clothes that are at least a bit dump than those overdried.
#6 Never use a fabric softener while washing white clothes
Experienced housewives recommend that we shouldn't use fabric conditioners or softeners while washing white clothes. Such products do not allow the purest shade of white of your towels or clothes to show. If you want them to be snow white, you need to use a dedicated bleach instead of a conditioner or a detergent.
#7 Put a wad of aluminum foil into the washing machine
If you don't want your clothes to pill and be full of static charges, put a few wads of aluminum foil. They will absorb the static charge.
#8 Don't segregate your clothes looking at colors only
It is not colors that is the main criterion when it comes to segregating laundry. What matters is the structure of the fabric in the first place. The heavier clothes absorb much more water than the more delicate ones. That is why the washing powder or other detergents can damage clothes made of thinner fabric. Of course there is one rule you always have to observe: always wash white clothes separately.
#9 Use shaving foam to remove cosmetic stains
If you can't remove a lipstick or a fluid stain, apply some shaving foam and then just wash it.
#10 Wash dirty socks in cold water
Washing socks in hot water, you make dirt and sweat remain in the fabric. That is why no matter what most people think of it always wash them in cold water.
#11 Use dry towels to dry your laundry faster
If you hang dry clothes in between your wet laundry, this will make them dry much faster. Of course the towels will absorb some of the moist, but they will soon dry as quickly as the rest of laundry.
#12 Wash your baseball caps in a dishwasher
To make sure that your baseball caps won't get deformed, you'd better wash them in a dishwasher. Put them on the top tray and switch it on.
#13 Remove stubborn stains using a hairdryer
Some of the most stubborn stains, e.g. grass and soil, should be first heated with a hairdryer. Then apply a bit of a detergent and put them into the washing machine. Hot air from the hairdryer makes the detergent work more effectively and, as a result, remove the stains.