The Ultimate Guide to Laundry Products

College is a major life transition that brings with it a host of new experiences and responsibilities. Although laundry is one of the more mundane changes, it’s a critical chore that college students need to get the hang of if they want clean, fresh-smelling clothes on a regular basis. When you first begin exploring the wonderful world of laundry, you might be wondering about the various laundry products needed to get the job done. Let’s review the various types of laundry tools and their purposes so you can master your laundry needs in college.

Detergents

Imagine washing your hands without any hand soap. Yuck! That’s essentially the equivalent of washing clothes without detergent. This is the key to keeping your clothes clean, smelling fresh, and looking great. The real challenge for most college students is finding the right kind of detergent. In general, there are three primary kinds of detergent: liquid, powder, and pods. Pods are more portable and convenient, but liquid and powder detergents are generally cheaper per wash. The trick is finding the right variety of detergents depending on your specific needs. Standard detergents work great with all clothes while others have a specific use such as removing stains from white clothes, treating delicate materials lightly, or tackling stubborn stains. Make sure to read the labels to make sure you have what you need.

Dryer Sheets

Don’t you hate when freshly-dried clothes stick to your skin like glue with that annoying static? Well, we’ve got a solution for you: dryer sheets! These laundry tools resemble small tissues and significantly minimize the static-cling of clothes. On top of that, dryer sheets make materials feel softer and more comfortable and leave behind a nice scent to give your clothes a long-lasting pleasant aroma. This way, your clothes are ready to be worn immediately after the drying process without any frustrating sticking. All you have to do is toss a dryer sheet or two in the dryer with a load of laundry. The more clothes you’re drying, the more dryer sheets you’ll need. However, usually one is more than enough.

Further Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Doing Laundry in College

Mesh Bags

One of the most underrated and underutilized laundry products is mesh bags. When you need to wash delicate materials but don’t have the time, patience, or money to pay for multiple loads, mesh bags allow you to mix all your laundry together while still protecting more sensitive items. For example, if you need to wash your underwear with everything else, tossing them in a mesh bag can eliminate the potential for snagging, pulling, and ripping. Mesh bags are incredibly affordable, easy to use, and super effective. You can use mesh bags in the washer and the dryer, although you might not want to dry some more sensitive materials such as wool, cashmere, or silk. You can find mesh bags at the vast majority of superstores, supermarkets, and drug stores.

Stain Sticks

Stain sticks are another helpful laundry tool to have in your arsenal for college. These pen-shaped devices are the most convenient way to remove smaller stains to avoid having to do a full load of laundry. Whether you spill some coffee in the morning (or late at night), drop a bit of ketchup at lunch, experience an ink spill, or fall victim to any other kind of stain, you can simply pull out the stain stick and apply it on the stain. These devices aren’t guaranteed to remove stubborn stains, but they can handle moderate blemishes pretty well. They’re a great tool to have at your disposal whenever you’re in a pinch.

Interested in learning more ways to prepare yourself for laundry at college? Head over to www.coinmeter.com for insider tips and tricks for mastering this weekly chore. We offer a host of helpful advice and actionable tips you can use to keep your clothes clean and pristine.

Essential Laundry Equipment for College

College is a massive transition in virtually all areas of your life even in the more mundane and everyday responsibilities. For many college students, undergraduate life is the first time they handle laundry all on their own. As you start making a list of all the items you’ll need to succeed in college, make some room for this essential laundry equipment. These handy, convenient, and low-cost items will make your routine visits to the campus laundry room or local laundromat that much quicker and seamless.

Laundry basket.

The corner of the dorm room might seem like the perfect place to throw your laundry for the first few weeks of college, but you’ll quickly be looking for an alternative solution. That’s where laundry baskets come into play. They come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and materials, but their basic function is identical: to keep your dirty clothes in one convenient place until laundry day comes around. The best laundry baskets for college students are compact, lightweight, and foldable in some way. This way, you can easily store it away when you’re not using it to maximize the limited amount of living space you’re dealing with in college.

Laundry bag.

While your laundry basket is perfect for stowing away dirty clothes, it’s probably not designed to take on the road. As a result, you’ll need a laundry bag to haul everything from your dorm to the laundry room. A large bag of any size will do just fine, just make sure it’s lightweight, comfortable, and spacious. You’ll have to fit days worth of clothing in there and might even have to carry it a decent way if you’re going to a local laundromat. If you can find a hybrid laundry basket-carrying bag that gets the job done, you’re killing two laundry birds with one stone.

Detergent.

Detergent is critical when it comes to keeping your clothes clean and smelling fresh. There are plenty of high-quality detergents that get the job done, but the variety gives you room to choose what fits your needs best. The best detergent will depend on a few factors including your budget, the strength of cleaning your clothes demand, your scent preferences, and any sensitivities or allergies you might have. Some laundromats sell detergent which is convenient in a pinch. However, bringing your own detergent is going to save you a lot of money in the long run while giving you the ability to find a product that works perfectly for you.

Clothes hangers.

One of the most painful laundromat experiences is pulling out your favorite shirt or pair of pants from the dryer only to see them completely ruined. Sensitive materials such as faux leather, silk, wool, and suede aren’t designed to get tumble dried at high temperatures. This is where clothes hangers are essential. Read the tags on your clothes to figure out which items need to get hung up to dry instead of thrown in the dryer. You might find enough space to air dry your clothes in the laundry facility, but you can always move them to your dorm room with hangers.

Mesh bags.

Mesh bags are an effective way to protect more sensitive materials from becoming damaged during the washing and drying cycles. Undergarments, wool fabric, and other sensitive items can get snagged on zippers which can cause irreparable tears and holes. Instead of having to pay extra by separating loads, you can simply invest in a handful of mesh bags that protect your more at-risk clothing. These bags are incredibly affordable, easy to use, and highly effective. No more spin cycles of death! You can rest assured your clothes will remain intact.

Interested in getting more actionable advice for improving your routine trip to the laundromat? Check out CoinMeter’s insider tips and tricks so you can keep your clothes in tip-top shape and smelling great no matter what life throws your way.