I know - you do laundry two, three times a week. But sometimes we don’t even realize that we could be making little changes to our technique that might extend the life of our items, or make the process smoother.

Step 1: Sorting

Everyone is a different kind of sorter. Do you still try to cram it all in one washload?  Or are you a lights/darks person? Sorting really is the first key to obtaining the best results. How shall I sort thee?A) First, group clothes by colors:

White items, light colors, dark colors and delicates.

B) Then by texture

It's great if you can keep the lightweight and the heavy items separate, especially when you get ready to dry them. 

C) Third, separate lint producers (like towels) from lint attracters (like corduroy).  They can start transferring little fuzzies in the wash and look kind of dull by the time you pull them from the dryer.

LOOK OUTS:

• Sorting is the time to consider pretreating or presoaking any problem spots


• Close zippers and snaps on all clothing


• Unroll cuffs on sleeves and pants


• Turn those polo shirts and workout clothes inside out to reduce pilling


• Empty pockets of all items, especially tissues, lipstick, candy and lost money

 

It's true. Over the years, I've developed a reputation for being an expert in all things stains and laundry care here at Clorox. (Check out my bio - I’ve been doing this awhile!) My phone seems to be constantly ringing with random laundry questions. One morning, it was a ballet company frantic to remove lipstick stains from a costume the night before a big show. Other times, it's calls from an anxious hostess looking to remove last year's wine stains from her cloth napkins. When they spill it, I get a call.

Hearing how confused people often are, I thought it would be a good idea to hit the keyboard and start blogging. Every once in awhile, the answer to your stain drama might be to just get out the scissors. But I am here to help where I can. Let me help you raise your laundry IQ.

I can offer you some important background and insights into the laundry world. Whether you are a cagy veteran like me or a college student faced with a mountain of dirty clothes and not many clues on how to proceed, this could be a real adventure!

Please share your personal tips and solutions! Make your mom proud, and take this as an opportunity to not only ask questions, but also pass down some of the wisdom you’ve learned over the years.