Long gone are the days when clothes were washed by hand and then hung on the line to dry. Materials have gotten more delicate, chemical cleaners have gotten more extreme, and washing is, for the most part, done mechanically. If you want your clothes to last, however, special care and attention are needed. With that in mind, the following will explore a few handy tools that you can use to help keep your clothes clean and cared for.
Equipment To Clean Your Washer And Dryer
Most people don’t clean their washing and drying machine enough, and this can cause a fair few problems when it comes to clothes washing. First, filth left in the machines can be transferred to clothes you’re trying to clean (pet hair is a particular culprit here). To mitigate this, you’ll want to be cleaning your lint trap regularly but you should also search for useful equipment that can help you clean out particular machines. Moreover, if your washer stalled or had wet clothes sitting in it for a while, you might want to do a vinegar wash with no clothes in the machine to clean it out. Likewise, wipe down all areas that get damp as mold and mildew can grow in areas where water sits.
Pet Hair Removing Tool
If you’ve got pets, you know how the fur seems to get everywhere, even though you brush your animals and buy them the expensive food that’s good for their skin—it’s just part of having a furry ball of love in your home. Fortunately, there are objects that can be thrown into the washing machine with your load of clothes that catch and hold pet hair so that you can keep it off your clothes. You simply empty the trap whenever you’re done using it.
Dish Soap
This might seem like an odd thing to repurpose, but give it a moment. We all know that washing machines aren’t miracle workers; stains can remain long after they’ve been washed. While most soaps and soap types can actually stain materials (that’s important to emphasize, most soap stains), liquid dish soap is particularly fantastic at lifting stains from materials as a spot treatment. Blood is especially effected by dish soap. Simply drip a bit of soap onto the stain and move it around so that the foamy bubbles reveal themselves. Let it sit so the dish soap can lift the stain out of the fabric and then wash.
Dyer Balls
Dryer balls make the drying process so much easier. These wool balls can be found all over the place, including dollar stores. They’re about the size of a tennis ball and can be thrown into the dryer load with your wet clothes. Dryer balls reduce static and speed up drying time which can make laundry time more efficient and can end up saving you a fair bit of money on your utility bills seeing as dryers are pretty costly to run.
Skip The Dryer Sheets
One of the benefits of using the dryer balls mentioned above is that they allow you to skip using dryer sheets. This is important because dryer sheets are utterly horrible for your health (they coat your clothes in carcinogens which are then absorbed through your skin). They also contribute to air pollution in your home as when activated by heat, the chemicals packed within the sheets are released. Please spread the word and stop using dryer sheets; it’s important for your health and wellbeing.
Skip The Fabric Softener
Fabric softener, just like dryer sheets, is a product that needs to die. It’s filled with carcinogens and skin-irritating chemicals and also wears out your clothes faster. In particular, those with asthma are extremely sensitive to the ingredients in fabric softener and may have trouble breathing comfortably when wearing clothes that come in contact with it. If you’re worried about detergent residue remaining after a wash or want your clothes to feel a little fluffier, consider tossing a little bit of vinegar into the washing machine. Vinegar also softens materials and lifts residue without causing harm to your health or your clothes.
The above list should have pointed out four items you can be used to improve the cleanliness of your clothes and the washing experience, as well as two tools you should likely stop using. If you find skipping fabric softener and dryer sheets has resulted in you feeling far less congested (which is linked to higher focus, creativity, energy levels, and increased mood), consider seeking out detergents that are fragrance-free as fragrances can also contribute to the chemical overload that many of us are experiencing. Be careful about labels, though; scent-free doesn’t necessarily mean fragrance-free; it might mean that additional fragrance has been added to cover up the scent that is already present.
