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Laundry

How to Do Laundry: Fabrics, Stain Removal & More
Page 8
Does Sun Bleaching Really Work? We Tried It
Nothing compares to the smell of fresh laundry that’s been hanging outside to dry. Not only is it a fresh and efficient way to do laundry, it’s also oft-touted as a way to brighten whites without having to use special detergents or harsh chemicals. All you need is plenty of time and sunshine. First, wash your clothing as usual, adding up to ½ cup of lemon juice to the wash for an extra boost. (You can also add lemon juice to a spray bottle and spray directly on tough stains.
Ashley Poskin
May 3, 2019
People Who Basically Never Wash Their Jeans Are Actually The Best Kind of People
There are a few conversation topics that remain off limits today. Polite company (if they want to remain polite) might not touch politics. Coworkers often avoid talking about their salaries. And unless you’re very close friends, you probably don’t ever feel brave enough to reveal how truly filthy you actually are at home. Thankfully you don’t have to.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
This Common Mistake Might Be Costing You Money & Ruining Your Clothes
Oh yes, there is a wrong and a right way to wash laundry, and you're probably doing it wrong. No more lazy laundering, y'all.
Julie Sprankles
May 3, 2019
How Bad Is It To Sleep With Makeup On?
More nights than I care to admit, I work into the wee hours of the morning, slinging words so I can pay for important things like Netflix and magnetic eyelashes. When I finally drag my tired body toward the bedroom, I have just enough energy left to brush my teeth before crashing. But as I fall asleep to the symphonic range of my husband’s snoring, I often wonder just how bad it is for me to skip washing my face. Is the good skincare fairy going to come down and bop me on the head?
Julie Sprankles
May 3, 2019
How Often Should You Wash Your Bras?
People, let’s talk undergarments. We’re all on the same page when it comes to underwear—and that page most certainly says they should be washed after each use. But have you ever stopped for a minute to consider how often you should wash your bra? If your answer is no, well, you’re definitely not doing it enough. And if your answer is yes, you’re probably still not doing it enough.
Julie Sprankles
May 3, 2019
On Team “No Top Sheet”? Here Are 3 Things You Need to Know
Amidst vociferous feelings on both sides of the debate, many millennials are famously abandoning top sheets. But along with traditionalists and Xennials like me (I’d never do it), the bedding industry mostly hasn’t caught up with this probably-here-to-stay trend, because top sheets do serve an important purpose as part of a sheet set.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
7 Simple Closet Tricks That Let You Do Less Laundry (and Keep Your Bedroom Clean)
Not all laundry is created equal. Those leggings you wore to a super-sweaty hot yoga sesh? Toss those in the washer post haste. But things like a sweater you threw on for the late half of a chilly night? A dry-clean only blouse you wore to work on a half-day summer Friday? Literally any pair of jeans that’s not ripping at the seams (and even then…)? You can totally wear that again before you wash.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
You’re Definitely Not Washing Your Bath Towels Enough
On National Laundry Day (April 15, if you’re curious), GE conducted a poll about the public’s laundry habits. Pertaining to bath towels, “50% of those polled live by the philosophy that ‘I’m clean when I use it’ because they all admit to using their bath towel at least five times before throwing it in the washer. An additional 14 percent use their bath towels more than eight times before it hits the laundry basket.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
You Should Keep Toothpaste in Your Laundry Basket—Here’s Why
Laundry isn’t just about washing dirty clothes so you have clean ones to wear. It’s about cleaning and maintaining your wearables and textiles so that they always look their best, whether that means making jewelry sparkle, getting stains out of the lining of a purse, or keeping shoes looking their sharpest. And there’s a simple way to have all those things: A tube of non-gel toothpaste.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
The $10 Organizing Solution You Can Customize for Your Messiest Drawer
We may not know what tomorrow brings, but that doesn’t stop us from worrying about it. Because let’s face it: There’s a lot going on in the world and in life. We need to carve out as many happy-making moments as we can. One really good place to start? Your underwear drawer. As sexy as the things within it might be, the drawer itself is a pretty unsexy idea.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
7 Smart Laundry-Organizing Ideas to Steal from IKEA
What is it about laundry? For some reason, a well-designed and organized laundry area can inspire deep wells of envy. That’s certainly how I felt when I saw IKEA’s gallery of gorgeous laundry rooms—maybe it’s because my washer and dryer unhappily occupy a wall in my kitchen, a wall where style and organization is certainly less of a priority. Here are some of IKEA’s ingenious ideas you can steal for your own laundry space.
Carrie Murphy
May 3, 2019
Make Laundry Day Less of a Chore With These 5 Simple Tips
Welcome to Apartment Therapy’s Chore-Free Summer. Every weekday until July 20, we’re arming you with time-saving shortcuts and hacks that’ll help you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to homekeeping this summer. Because cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. Whether your nearest laundry machines are 10 blocks or 10 steps away, doing laundry is a drag.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
The $12 Etsy Secret for Always Putting the Sheets on Right the First Time
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who think changing sheets is NBD and the rest of us, a.k.a. those who wind up grabbing the wrong size from our linen closets on the regular. The truth is, changing your sheets can be a real chore if your sheets aren’t organized in the first place. But fret not my friends, there’s a product out there designed to make switching out your bed sheets a bit more of a breeze.
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
This Common Laundry Mistake Could Ruin Your Clothes One Day
Even if you know all about sorting lights and darks, how to wash and dry different fabric types, and you remember to use the mysterious but very useful permanent press setting, there’s still an easily overlooked laundry mistake that could ruin your clothes and, in rare instances, your washer. Here’s the quick task you need to add to your laundry routine: Make sure your zippers are zipped before you do laundry.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
3 Smart and Simple Methods for Decluttering Your Clothes Closet
I don’t know about you, but what’s inside my wardrobe is nothing like the magical land of Narnia. It’s mostly a mess of clothes that get rarely worn, but saved nonetheless. Because maybe one day I’ll get invited to a gala in the Maldives where that long, lime green bridesmaid dress can finally earn its keep on my hangers. I’m guessing that, while you might not have a floor-length green dress like mine, your closet is full of similar stories.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
One Smart Reason to Keep Your Empty Tissue Boxes
Empty tissue boxes: Can’t live with them, but can’t figure out anything to do with them once they’re empty (other than just tossing them). Luckily, we discovered an awesome reason to save your used tissue boxes from the recycling bin, and upcycle them into something more purposeful for your home. Use your empty tissue boxes to collect dryer lint, folks. Dryer lint! You know, that unsightly stuff you peel off the filter before you do a load of laundry?
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
Why You Should Keep Shaving Cream in Your Purse
Let’s face it: Finding effective ways to remove tough stains in a pinch is never easy. So we have to pause and celebrate each and every cleaning hack as soon as we discover it. And shockingly, we found a cheap (and widely available) tiny stain fighter that you probably already have in your bathroom. Shaving cream, folks, yes shaving cream! Believe it or not, in addition to minimizing razor burn and rashes, turns out shaving cream is also a powerful stain remover.
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
One Dirty Thing You Should Wash with Your Regular Laundry
We’ve all been there. After several loads of laundry, the measuring-cap-slash-lid on your detergent can get pretty grimy with gunky buildup. But thanks to a clever tip from Redditor bluechris11, we now know a solid way to quickly clean your gross detergent caps. Believe it or not, you can simply toss your dirty detergent cap in with your next load of laundry to give it a good wash.
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
You’re Probably Not Washing Your Throw Blanket Enough
If you’re anything like me, then you love cuddling up with plush throw blankets when you’re in bed (and on the sofa). But with all that close-knit nightly snuggling, it can be hard to figure out the right time to let go of your favorite throw and toss it in the wash. Luckily, we have laundry experts John Mahdessian, founder of Madame Paulette, and Kim Duk Won, owner of Manhattan’s Nordic Cleaners to call upon for help.
Caroline Biggs
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Laundry-Meets-Mudroom-Meets-Pantry No Longer Sucks
Like most laundry/mudrooms in existence, this one was overwhelmed. Serving as a catchall space, it held “swim gear, laundry, and other junk… tons of shoes, the vacuum cleaner, and extra pantry items (since we don’t have a pantry).” That’s enough to overwhelm any space, but one intrepid DIYer spent six weeks turning this one into a lovely, multi-purpose room. While a cheerful pup improves any room by 1200 percent, some other major upgrades are at play as well.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
This Hack Makes Laundry Days So Much Easier
Laundry is the most avoided chore in our home. We don’t have a good spot to keep dirty clothes, which leads to chasing down little piles on laundry day, then scrambling to find a place to put the clean batches as each load comes out. Some very organized people have figured this out though. With their DIY sorting systems, household worths of laundry are neatly sorted before, during, and after each cycle.
Cat Meschia
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Laundry Is Now the Exact Opposite of Basic and Boring
This laundry room was pretty nice—lovely daylight, pleasant neutrals, plenty of storage, and a few beautiful accessories. But after a dozen years of basically ignoring it, the room’s owners were more than ready for a makeover. Here’s the scoop on the issues with the laundry room: Our laundry room is central to our house, situated off of our living room and right next to our bedroom.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
9 Clever Ways to Upgrade Your Laundry Room for Cheap
Unless you are an alien who is fascinated by the fact that humans secrete unsavory odors and deposit them onto their clothing, you probably don’t enjoy doing laundry. If you need motivation to get through all those whites and darks, we’ve got nine very affordable ways to spruce up your laundry room and make it an inspiring place you actually want to be in. Laundry rooms rival doctors offices in terms of sterility.
Jessica Isaac
May 3, 2019
Get All Your Laundry Essentials On Amazon Today For 50% Off & Never Buy Them Again In 2019
Why is it that laundry detergent always seems to run out just when you need it the most? (Or is this just me?) Unlike other chores that require some elbow grease, laundry is one those tasks that is fairly mindless, which is maybe why it’s so easy to forget to stock up on detergent and stain remover.
Nicole Lund
May 3, 2019
This Pinterest-Favorite Laundry Trend Could Be Dangerous, Warns American Cleaning Institute
Move over, Tide Pod challenge, there’s a new laundry-related caution in town—but this time, it has to do with storage. Displaying laundry packets in jars may look pretty, but according to the American Cleaning Institute, decanting the pods can be dangerous with small children or elderly people in the home. In time for both spring cleaning and National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-24, 2019), the ACI launched its sixth annual Packets Up!
Ashley Abramson
May 3, 2019
A Little Bit of Cleaning Today Will Save You From Big Money Repairs and Ruined Laundry
With Spring Cleaning for Your Mood, we’re helping you get your housekeeping done no matter what state of mind you’re in. For 20 weekdays in April, we’ll focus on cleaning a new area of your space, with three different ways to get it done—so it’s easy to stay on track even when you’re busy, tired, or away from home. Sign up with your email now and enjoy a better space by the end of the month.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
How To Make a Moth-Repellent Sachet
Whether you’re just pulling out your sweaters or putting them away for the season, a moth repellent is key to making your winter wools last. Forget the stinky, toxic moth balls—and who really has the space for a cedar closet? What you need is good smelling, tiny alternative, and we’ve got just the thing!
Ashley Poskin
Feb 24, 2019
Why I’m Going to Start Folding My Laundry in Front of Guests
For most of us, it’s standard practice to clean before guests come over. We want them to feel welcome and comfortable in our house and we honor their presence by creating a general air of order and cleanliness. And on the other hand, we certainly don’t want to be judged for our dusty baseboards and the inside-out socks that seem to always be peppered throughout the house. But there’s more.
Shifrah Combiths
Dec 11, 2018
6 Things You Can Clean Right When You Get Home (Still in Your Work Clothes)
Look, we know when you get home after a long day of work the last thing you want to think about is cleaning, but like it or not, it’s a great time to get a little light housekeeping done. If you commit yourself to cleaning a small handful of things before you change out of your work clothes, you’ve got yourself some instant motivation and the opportunity to set yourself up for a calm (and clean) evening of chilling at home.
Caroline Biggs
Oct 30, 2018
This Old-School, Small-Space Bedroom Solution Will Streamline Your Morning, Every Morning
It might sound like something straight out of “Downton Abbey”or “The Crown,” but you need a clothes valet. No, it’s not a butler you can tell your deepest secrets to as he fastens your cufflinks. But it is going to make getting dressed—and by extension, your mornings—a bit more luxurious and a lot more smooth. A clothes valet is a tall piece of furniture, usually about the size of a full-length mirror, that holds your clothes for the next day.
Shifrah Combiths
Sep 9, 2018
Get Your Martha On For Less: Jet Is Having A Sale On Fancy Laundry Supplies
While few of us can boast a laundry room that looks like a zen retreat (unless you’re Mandy Moore), there is one way to make washing your clothes feel more luxurious: using fancy laundry supplies. Everything, from the design to the smell, to the lack of bright blue liquid spilling on your washing machine, makes it a lot better. But, of course, it can be hard to rationalize splurging on something that goes towards a household chore.
Marshall Bright
Jun 7, 2018
John Mayer Has a Laundry Collab – Yes You Read That Right
There is no better smell than laundry fresh out of the dryer. You will never want to get out of bed after putting fresh sheets on your mattress. That smell is to die for! Apparently, one celebrity loves laundry so much, they decided to branch out of their career path to create their own laundry collaboration. Did you know that John Mayer loves laundry? Yes, the man who sings the song “Your Body Is A Wonderland” has his own laundry detergent.
Ana Luisa Suarez
May 26, 2018
This Hamper Could Make You Look Forward to Laundry Day
We’re a month into 2018 and if you’re anything like me, you’re struggling to make your resolutions happen (or even just begin them). Luckily, a little organization can go a long way when you’re trying to get your sh*t together, so it pays to find products that make staying organized a whole lot easier. Case in point: this stylish laundry sorter on sale today at Amazon.
Caroline Biggs
Jan 29, 2018
Is it OK to Store Dirty Laundry in the Washing Machine? We Have the Answer
Adult life is full of difficult decisions. Like which vocation to choose as your profession. Or where to settle down. Or this classic conundrum: what you do when the pile of dirty clothes currently taking up residence in the corner of your room isn’t big enough to wash yet? For many of us, that means tossing the pile into the washing machine to lay in wait until enough clothes accrue to run a cycle — hamper be damned. I mean, it’s a perfectly logical step, right?
Julie Sprankles
Jan 15, 2018
The Secret to Cleaning Chocolate Stains Is a Little Bit Backwards
What’s the first thing you do when you spill food on your clothes? I usually go right for the dish soap and start blotting with a clean cloth, and for the most part that takes care of things (but I’ll grab and spritz on a stain remover if anything remains). But if you’re dealing with a chocolate stain, well…everything you know about stain removal? It’s a lie.
Brittney Morgan
Oct 26, 2017
We Tested Three Methods for Removing Coffee Stains and This One Won Out
Are you a frequent coffee drinker? Then you’ve probably also experienced the struggle of getting a coffee stain out of your favorite shirt—nothing like a big brown spot in the middle of an otherwise perfectly crisp white shirt to make you dread doing the laundry (not to mention, paranoid about coffee cup lids and too-full mugs). But while getting out coffee stains can be a struggle, there are products and cleaning solutions out there that can help.
Brittney Morgan
Sep 27, 2017
9 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Clean With a Clothes Steamer
On top of handling wrinkled clothes, this trusty tool can tackle lots more housekeeping tasks.
Caroline Biggs
Sep 19, 2017
Overwhelmed with a Messy Home? Try the Laundry Basket Method
You know my favorite thing about being a human? (Sarcasm alert.) It’s that thing how when your home is really messy, your brain finds it overwhelming and hard to process and almost paralyzing. So then your body can’t muster up the energy or willpower to actually clean it. And so the place just gets more messy and your brain is more overwhelmed and it’s harder every day to actually tackle the mess. Yeah, that’s super fun, right?
Taryn Williford
Aug 17, 2017
Machine Washable Rugs? They Exist, and Here’s What You Need to Know
Story time: When we first started talking about this at Apartment Therapy, my immediate reaction was, “Machine washable rugs exist?!?” so if you’re reading this thinking, “wait, really?” you’re not alone. (If you did know this already, you can probably still learn a thing or two, and those of us who didn’t know appreciate your patience with us.
Brittney Morgan
Jul 31, 2017
How the World Does Laundry
No matter where you live, laundry is probably a big part of your routine. In fact, according to a new study by Nielsen, globally 67 percent of people said they do laundry at least twice per week, and another 31 percent said they do laundry every day. But despite similarities in how often people around the world clean their clothes, there are some differences in how they do their laundry (if they even do it themselves at all).
Brittney Morgan
Jun 9, 2017
The Ultimate Fashion Lovers’ Fantasy: Rooms Dedicated Entirely to Clothes & Shoes
What would you do if you had an extra room in your apartment? Save it for a guest room? Transform it into a home office? Make yourself an at-home gym? For these fashion lovers, their extra room is used for storage — of the style variety! These homeowners and renters carved out a fashion-only room for specific reasons.
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 7, 2017
Never Use Drano, and Other Need-to-Know Tips for Handling Hairy Home Situations
You may love your long hair, but there’s one problem with those lengthy tresses—they shed and get all over the place, turning clean-up into a challenge and making your shower drain a battle zone. You could just adopt the motto “long hair, don’t care” but that won’t stop your stray strands from haunting your home, so it might be better to take some precautions and avoid those hairy home situations altogether.
Brittney Morgan
May 25, 2017
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Laundry Master (So You Never Shrink Another Anything)
So, you accidentally shrunk your favorite sweater. You’ve mourned its loss—and searched desperately for an identical replacement to no avail—and now it’s time to make sure you never make the same laundry mistakes again. In order to become a true laundry master, there are some major things to know—like what those weird symbols on your clothing labels mean, what settings to use, and why you should never ever overstuff your machines.
Brittney Morgan
Feb 2, 2017
Pack Less When You Travel: How To Do “Laundry” On the Go
The quickest way to overstuff your suitcase? Packing too many clothes. Just because you won’t have access to a washer and dryer or time to visit a laundromat while you’re traveling doesn’t mean you have to pack a new outfit for each day. Doing laundry on the go is actually pretty simple, so long as you pack smart and have the right supplies.
Brittney Morgan
Nov 26, 2016
Wardrobe Purgatory: Where to Store Your Worn (But Not Dirty) Clothes
My messiest spot is most definitely the closet. Because laundry is the bane of my existence, I try to get as many wears as I can out of things like jeans and sweaters (a.k.a. the entirety of my fall/winter wardrobe) before they have to be washed and put back away with the clean clothes on the shelves. The jeans and sweaters inevitably end up resting in piles on the furniture around the closet and bedroom. Unsightly, to be sure.
Taryn Williford
Oct 28, 2015
Divide & Conquer: The Big Bad Clothes Sorting Weekend
Welcome to the first full weekend of the Closet Cure! The next assignment won’t be sent out until Monday, so you’ve got three days to get lots of good curing in. If you haven’t gotten started yet, no worries – this is your chance to get on board and catch up with the group. Now that you’ve walked through the sorting process with your sweaters, it’s time to work your clothing assessment magic on some other key sections of your wardrobe.
Janel Laban
Sep 11, 2015
Tips for Sticking to Your Budget: Getting Clothes Shopping Under Control
Sometimes getting a bargain isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There are tons of tips out there for getting a deal on your clothes shopping — shop off season for coats and swimsuits, swing by the store on a Wednesday morning to scope out the new markdowns, use the department store’s extra percentage off coupon, etc.
Erin Roberts
Jun 20, 2014
Quick Cleaning Tip: Keep Baseboards Cleaner With Fabric Softner
Even though my house might not reflect it sometimes (hey, I’m human too), I actually greatly enjoy cleaning. That said, I loathe cleaning baseboards. Sure to do them right it involves buckets and cleaners, rags and… ugh. Just ugh.Forget all that drama and do this less than desirable task far less with the help of a fabric softener sheet.Remember when we talked about some tricks and tips on taking care of a home with pets?
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 15, 2012
How to Freeze Your Jeans & “Clean” Them
I recently bought my first pair of “serious” jeans. The reason I know this is because as I was standing at the register about to pay A LOT of money for them, a cool dude who was standing next to me at the register said, “Oh, you’re going to like those.” “Do you have a pair?” I asked him. “Nope,” he said, “But you’re going to like those.” I felt like a first time drug or Ferrari buyer, not a shopper for a new pair of pants.
Maxwell Ryan
Sep 16, 2011
Laundry Organization For Small Spaces
Laundry is a time consuming task that has a tendency to build up and become overwhelming. If you live in a small space, laundry procrastination can take over large areas of valuable space making your apartment feel cramped and chaotic. We all know the simple solution to this problem: do your laundry every week! But busy schedules always seem to get in the way of regular household chores.
Susan Mitchell Blavin
Nov 17, 2010
How To: Keep Unwashed Clothes Fresher
Yesterday’s post on lessening laundry conjured a few hints about keeping between-load clothes looking and feeling fresher. Courtesy of Granny, a French roommate and the corner liquor store…GET NAKED—remove clothes immediately upon returning home, slip into something more comfortable and allow it to become more pheromone-rich.VODKA—Old costumer’s trick: Turn clothes inside out, hang, and spritz with any plain vodka or a 50/50 vodka-water solution.
julie
Jul 30, 2008
7 Creative DIY Labels
7 Creative DIY Labels
Jul 27, 2018
Tidy Time-Lapse: Underwear & Sock Drawer
Tidy Time-Lapse: Underwear & Sock Drawer
May 30, 2018
Simple Hacks For Less Laundry
Simple Hacks For Less Laundry
May 11, 2018
How To Fold A Fitted Sheet in 10 Seconds
How To Fold A Fitted Sheet in 10 Seconds
Feb 24, 2017
How To Do Your Laundry Like An Adult
How To Do Your Laundry Like An Adult
Sep 6, 2016