Tips to Improve Your Laundry Routine

1. READ CLOTHING CARE TAGS

Clothing care tags will provide you with valuable information as to how to properly launder your article of clothing. What exactly do all those laundry symbols mean? Read this guide to deciphering laundry symbols from Maytag.

2. SORT YOUR LAUNDRY BY COLOR AND FABRIC TYPE

Sort your laundry by color to help avoid color transfer. Also sort by fabric type since mixed material loads can easily unbalance your washer and damage delicate material. Before washing, turn your clothing inside out—especially knits to avoid pilling. Close zippers, fasten hooks and tie any loose strings. 

3. LOAD YOUR LAUNDRY PROPERLY

Load size matters. Overloading and underloading can both cause out of balance issues and compromise washability. Frequent overloading of a washer can damage components, resulting in unnecessary and costly repairs. It’s important to understand how your model works and to be sure you load your machine in a way that allows for optimal results. We always recommend reading your user manual with a new appliance. Most manuals can be found here.

When loading your machine, distribute clothing loosely and evenly, being sure not to overpack or underload the washtub. Load your clothes around the edges of a top load tub for even distribution.

4. CHOOSE THE CORRECT WATER TEMPERATURE

The proper water temperature for your load of laundry depends on several factors including color, fabric and how dirty your clothes are. Start by reading and understanding your clothing's care tags. If you are ever unsure about which temperature to use, cold water is often the safest bet. Stains can be tricky to remove, as they may need different temperatures and treatments depending on the type of stain. This stain-removal guide from the American Cleaning Institute is a great tool to help tackle any kind of stain.

COLD: Use cold water if you are washing delicate fabrics, lightly soiled garments, bright or dark-colored cottons, linens, casual or mixed loads.

WARM: Synthetic materials like nylon and poly-blends, non-iron fabrics, as well as lightly soiled clothing can all be washed with warm water.

HOT: White pre-shrunk cotton, towels, sheets, heavily soiled items and sturdy colorfast fabrics can be washed with hot water. 

5. CHOOSE THE BEST SETTING FOR YOUR LOAD

Like water temperature, the cycle setting you use for your load depends on what you’re washing and how heavily soiled it is. What is the difference between washer cycle settings? It's the preset water temperatures and spin speeds. Settings will utilize a combination of hot and cold water temperatures and high or low spin speeds.

The number and name of settings on your machine will vary. However, you will typically find Normal, Permanent Press and Delicates on most machines. Check your owner’s manual for more specific details about the cycles and settings available on your model, and for when to use them. 

NORMAL: This cycle can be used for most loads, including normally soiled color cotton, sheets and linens. Mixed garments can also be washed using this setting. It generally uses a mix of high spin speed and warm water.   

PERMANENT PRESS: This setting uses a combination of warm and cold water, gentle agitation, and a slower spin cycle. This cycle is great for fabrics like polyester, rayon, and nylon, as well as natural fibers like cotton and linen that are prone to wrinkling. 

DELICATES: For machine washable silks, lingerie, washable wools, delicate fabrics and lightly soiled business clothing like blouses and slacks can be washed using this cycle. It generally uses cold to warm water and slower spinning speeds.

6. USE THE RIGHT AMOUNT AND TYPE OF DETERGENT

Today's washers are high-efficiency machines, and require the use of high-efficiency (HE) detergent. Improper detergent type and overuse are some of the most common (and preventable!) issues we see with washers.

Though it can be tempting to add more detergent to heavily soiled loads, it can actually be counterproductive, since using too much detergent can cause over-sudsing that makes it difficult to remove stains. The excess detergent can remain on fabric, causing buildup.

Check out our blog on HE washing machines for more information!

7. USE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FABRIC SOFTENER

Using too much liquid softener or too many dryer sheets can leave residue on clothes and appliances, and may also lead to unnecessary and costly repairs. Check the packaging for dosing instructions that match your load size and softener type.

8. DON’T LET YOUR CLOTHES SIT IN THE WASHER OR DRYER

Once your cycle is done, move your clothes to the dryer promptly to help prevent unpleasant smells and wrinkles. Be sure to check if stains remain on any items and skip drying any that are still stained because heat can set stains into fabrics. Reference your garment labels for the appropriate level of heat you should be using. Remove all items that are labeled as air dry, and select your dryer setting based on the kind of load you’re drying.

9. MAINTAIN YOUR WASHER AND DRYER

Regular maintenance is crucial for both your washer and dryer to help ensure its performance and longevity. Reading your use and care guide is important and helpful in understanding your specific machine and proper care that may be needed.

As a general washing machine maintenance, we recommend using a cleaner such as an Affresh® washing machine cleaner and run a clean washer cycle or a normal cycle with hot water every 30-60 days. Additionally, inspect door seals, hoses, and connections regularly, and clean the exterior with mild soap.

For basic dryer maintenance, you should be cleaning the lint trap after each cycle, and deep cleaning it every six months to maintain proper airflow. Wipe down the drum with warm water and dish soap, and clean internal and external vents regularly to help prevent lint buildup that can increase dry times and cause damage to an appliance.

It's bad enough having to wash a load of laundry one time! Following these tips will help minimize those frustrating times that a load has to be rewashed!