Sort the clothes into Groups
How to Sort Clothes into Groups
Sort by kind of fabric
(generally materials such as cotton, linen, synthetic fibers)
Sort by color
Wash whites together
All whites should go with only whites
To keep white clothes bright, don't wash them with colored clothes
Do not wash lightly soiled clothes with those that are heavily soiled
(or very light colors if the item has been washed many times)
Wash dark colors together
blacks, dark blues, browns, greens, purples
Test colored clothes to see if the colors run
If they do, wash them separately or with other clothes of the same color
Inspect Every Item
Empty and brush out pockets and cuffsـ
Mend small rips and tearsـ
Remove pins and ornamentsـ
Close zippers and hook fastenersـ
Check for stains that may need special attentionـ
Before washing, rub heavily soiled areas such as shirtـ collars or cuffs with a wet bar of soap, liquid detergent or a paste with powdered detergent and water
This will loosen heavy soilmade
Blue Jeans should be inside out to retain their dark colorـ
If you wash your tennis shoes, don't put them in theـ dryer, they will never be the same. Let them dry in the sun
Don't leave your clothes unattended at the laundromatـ They may get stolen
Never wash and dry dark and light colored shirtsـ together
Removing Stains
To remove stains from permanent pressed clothing, pretreat the spots with soap or detergent.
Let it stand a few hours before washing.
Stains that can usually be removed by pretreating are: pretreating
Cosmetics
Ice Cream
Crayons
Grass
Milk
Light Scorch
If the clothes are still stained after they have been washed and rinsed, try using a bleach. Read the label on the bleach container to be sure it is safe to use on the stained clothes
If fresh blood, egg, catsup, or soft drinks stain washable clothes, soak the stained spot in cool water for half an hour or more. Then rub gently
If the stain doesn't come out, work soap or detergent into the cloth. Then rinse
Do the same for chocolate, soup, and gravy stains. Let the clothing dry. If a greasy stain is still there, sponge gently with a non-flammable, dry cleaning fluid, which can be purchased at drug or grocery stores . Follow directions on the label carefully
Coffee, tea, and fruit juice stains will usually come out after soaking and rubbing. However, if boiling water won't hurt the cloth, there's a faster and easier way to remove these stains .Hold the cloth over a sink or bucket and pour boiling water through the spot. Pouring the water from about two feet above the spot will force the stain out
BLEACH
Chlorine Bleach
Select the product that provides the best results
Liquid chlorine bleaches are usually less expensive than powdered forms. They kill germs, too. Some fabrics and finishes are damaged or discolored by chlorine bleaches, so read the labels on clothes and bleach containers before using chlorine bleach
Mix the bleach with lots of water before mixing with soapy wash water. Otherwise the bleach may make holes in the fabrics.
Rinse clothes well to remove the bleach, as it may weaken the clothes if it stays in them.
Do not use chlorine bleach on silk, wool, spandex stretch fabrics, blends of these fibers, or fabrics with certain dyes and finishes. Check clothes labels and hang-tags to determine if they can be safely bleached.
Never put bleach on anything that is not white.
Oxygen Bleach
Most oxygen bleaches are powders. They can be safely used on any clothes that need bleaching and are safe for all fabrics, fabric finishes, and colored fabrics.
How to Use Oxygen Bleach
Add oxygen bleach to the wash water.
Most oxygen bleaches work best in hot water.
Follow directions on the package.
Rinse the clothes well
Water Temperature
Washing by fabric type allows you to use different water temperatures
Hot water
Removes dirt from heavily soiled items.
Kills more germs than cold water.
Fades the dyes in some colored clothes.
Tends to cause wrinkling in some modern fabrics such as permanent press
Warm water
Usually gets lightly soiled clothes clean.
Does not kill germs unless a disinfectant is added.
Is safe for most colored clothes.
Cold water
Requires a cold water detergent to get clothes clean. If a cold water detergent is not available, dissolve detergent powder in hot water before adding it to the wash water
Requires more detergent than warm water to get clothes clean
Does not kill germs unless a disinfectant is added.
Recommended for washing some delicate fabrics.
Note: Water reaching the washing machine is cooler than in the water heater. For very hot water in the washer, it may be necessary to set the water heater temperature on high
Always rinse in cold water – there's no need for a hot or warm rinse on any fabric
An all-purpose, heavy-duty detergent does a good job of cleaning most clothes. For delicate fabrics that require hand washing, use a gentler detergent such as dishwashing detergent
ELIMINATING GERMS FROM CLOTH
Boiling clothes or hanging them in the sunshine were once common ways to get rid of germs. With modern fabrics, fabric finishes, and washing methods, other ways can be used to disinfect the family laundry
Liquid chlorine bleach that contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite will destroy most germs. Quaternary, pine oil, or phenolic disinfectants can be safely used on any washable fabrics. Pine oil disinfectants must contain at least 80% pine oil to destroy germs
It is always a good idea to use a disinfectant in the wash
when someone in the family has a bad cold, the flu, or some other infectious illness. Disinfecting the wash will help prevent other family members from getting the same illness
Use a disinfectant when washing at a laundromat
Illness from another family can be passed on if the washing machine is not disinfected before it is used
Wipe off the surface of the machine with a disinfectant, then add disinfectant to the wash cycle. Follow the directions on the disinfectant's label
