The Ultimate Guide to Doing Laundry in College

You learn a lot when you’re in college, and the majority of that learning takes place outside of the classroom. You learn how to make new friends, how to deal with difficult breakups, how to navigate disagreements, how to budget, how to cook, and…how to do laundry.

Before moving out, you might’ve done a few loads of laundry on your own, but – let’s face it – you really have no idea what you’re doing. And that’s okay! Everyone starts somewhere. Here’s a little cheat sheet to get you ahead of the game so you can look like a seasoned pro in the laundry room.

The Basics

Read the washing labels.
What if we told you there were clear-cut instructions for washing every piece of clothing you own? Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not! Every t-shirt, sweater, pair of shorts, pair of jeans, and, yes, even underwear has a washing label that outlines exactly how to properly clean that particular article of clothing. Understanding how to read washing labels can save you from permanently staining or shrinking your clothes.

Suggested Reading: Follow These 4 Steps for Unshrinking Your Clothes

Separate clothes by color or type.
One of the commandments of college laundry is to wash clothes according to their color or type. For example, all your jeans and jean-material clothes should get washed together and all your white clothes should be put in the same load. This matching and organizing help to prevent colors from bleeding and textures from losing their distinct feel. Ignore this one at your own risk.

Washing

Don’t overload the washing machine.
As a college student, you have a lot of responsibilities on your plate with a limited amount of time during the week. Naturally, when laundry day rolls around, you might feel tempted to stuff as many clothes in the washing machine as possible. You might be able to fit in every piece of laundry you have, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all turn out clean…which is the whole point after all. It’s advisable to leave about 25% of space in a laundry load for the clothes to toss and turn since that’s how they actually get clean.

Choose the right detergent.
While using a less-than-ideal detergent won’t harm your clothing, it can certainly keep them from looking, feeling, and smelling their freshest. Whether you want to get out stubborn stains, refreshen white clothing, or keep your favorite sweater looking vibrant, there’s a specific laundry to help you reach those goals. You’ll want to find the best detergent based on what you want to accomplish for the most successful laundry experience possible.

Set a fitting temperature.
There are a seemingly endless number of washing settings, especially on commercial equipment at the local laundromat or campus laundry room. A lot of these options are pretty straightforward, but the most important setting is the temperature. Washing something too cold might not get it clean enough while washing too hot can shrink sensitive clothing. Nearly all clothing has this info on its washing labels so check those diligently before choosing the best temperature.

Drying

Take out anything that can’t be dried.

There are several items that do perfectly fine in the washing machine that can get destroyed in the dryer. Cashmere, silk, rayon, and wool are just a few examples. Consult your clothing’s washing labels before tossing them in the washer and opt for air-drying or sun-drying for clothes that can’t handle the heat of the dryer.

Clear out the filter every time.
All kinds of debris, dust, and lint get picked up and filtered by dryers so your clothes come out looking fresh and clean. However, these filters can end up limiting the drying impact of a machine when they become too clogged with debris and air can’t escape. Before (and after) using the dryer, clean out the filter for an optimized drying experience.

Interested in learning more about how to master laundry days? Check out the Coin Meter site for more insider tips and tricks for making the most of this weekly chore.

Can You Get White Clothes White Again? Yes! Here’s How

White clothes are notoriously difficult to keep…well, white. Whether it was a dress shirt, t-shirt, blouse, sweater, or even a pair of white jeans, we’ve all had the unpleasant experience of watching a favorite piece of clothing slowly (or quickly) fade away from its original color.

Unlike other colors that can hide some discoloration, white clothing wears stains, blemishes, and other imperfections like a neon sign. They’re bright, in your face, and hard to ignore. Unfortunately, there’s a popular misconception that discolored white clothes are a lost cause. We’re here to set the record straight. You can get white clothes white again! Here’s how.

Harness the power of the sun.
The washing cycle isn’t the only opportunity you have to restore white clothes to their original shine. Instead of tossing whites into the dryer, put them through a natural drying process by unlocking the power of the sun. When you hang clothing up outside to dry, they benefit from the bleaching effects of the sun without the harmful side effects of liquid bleach. This is a powerful stain-removing method when used in tandem with other strategies mentioned here.

Use the biting effect of citrus.
Lemons have the ability to zap away stains with their citrus-rich juice. There are a few ways to take advantage of this natural feature. You can simply cut a lemon in half and rub it on the stain to pretreat it before the wash cycle. However, you can also boil your clothes along with lemons. Simply bring a large pot to a boil with the citrusy fruit inside and let your whites soak for around an hour. It’s unconventional, but it’s effective!

Break out the aspirin.
It turns out aspirin isn’t just good for relieving standard headaches. This common medicine can also alleviate headaches of the laundry variety. Aspirin can help break down stains on white clothes to increase the likelihood they’ll get removed entirely during a wash cycle. Dissolve a handful of aspirin in a bowl or small pot and soak the stained clothing. After an hour or so, it should be ready to wash.

How to avoid discolored white clothes.
The aforementioned steps should help you restore white clothes to their former glory. Of course, it’s not possible in all cases. There are some stains that are simply too stubborn to get all the way out. That’s why it’s better to keep white clothes from becoming discolored in the first place. Good news: It’s possible too! Follow these tips to protect your favorite white clothes from getting stained to the point of being unwearable:

Separate whites and colors.
One of the most common laundry mistakes is mixing whites and colors. Dyes have a tendency to run, especially during hot washing cycles. If white clothes are in the same load as other colors, they could come out of the laundry with a hint of pink, blue, red, or whatever color bled during the cycle. Washing whites alone prevents this potential issue and keep whites pristine.

Don’t overload the washing machine.
We’ve all been guilty of stuffing a laundry machine to the brim to save a dime or a few minutes of time. This “hack” can backfire since clothes don’t have the room necessary for a thorough clean. It’s advisable to never fill a machine with more than 75%.

Pay attention to detergent instructions.
Detergents come with clear dosage instructions which have a direct impact on how clean (or dirty) your clothes look after a cycle. You don’t want to use too much or too little, so pay attention to the recommended amount, especially as it pertains to white clothes.

Suggested Reading: How to Choose the Best Detergents

Interested in learning more handy laundry tips and tricks to keep your clothes looking great and smelling fresh? Check out the Coin Meter site for more helpful and effective laundry advice. You’ll never look at this weekly chore the same again!