Between people working at home to combat the COVID-19 outbreak and the importance of physical distancing, hygiene has never been so important – and that can make laundry days even more of a burden than usual! At our cash for houses agency in Dallas, we’re good at more than just helping you sell your home quickly – we’re also great at sharing useful info that helps make your week, and your chores, a little easier.
Separate at the Source
One of the most basic rules of doing the laundry is washing light and dark materials separately – but sorting through piles of dirty laundry to separate lights and darks has to be one of the smelliest and unpleasant chores there is! Get rid of this part of the job entirely by putting two hampers out, one for light clothing and one for dark, so you can load them straight into the wash without sorting. You can give each member of your family their own hampers and keep those loads separate too, so you don’t have to sort whose stuff is whose after they’re dry either!
Get Your Household Involved
Laundry belongs to everyone and it can be a huge job for one person to take on, so it’s important that all members of the household take part. You can divide it up any way you like, whether you want your kids to sort their clothes out into different hampers and bring them downstairs on laundry day, or if you want each family member to take care of their own laundry on a different day of the week. It’s a very doable chore, even for young kids who can help with sorting and folding easy items, and it’s important to teach them to be self-sufficient – it’s not just about helping you out!
Create a Schedule
Find a schedule that works for you and your family. Some people like setting aside one day of the week for laundry and then powering through it all in one go, while others like to schedule different types of laundry (bed linens, towels, clothing, etc.) for different days of the week. Whatever you decide, do your best to stick to it. This makes it part of the day, not something that you try fit in with all your other tasks.
Check Care Labels Before You Buy
Clothing care guidelines change according to the type of material, the color and even the weave of the item, so it’s essential to check the care label of an item before you buy. Having special care items means even more sorting on laundry day, and it’s easy for something small to slip through and come out of the wash ruined. If you are unsure how a certain item should be washed, use a gentle or delicate setting on your machine, keep like colors together and keep the water temperature cool, as heat can cause fibers to shrink or expand out of shape and colors to run.
Clean Your Machines – Or Upgrade Them
Washers and driers become less efficient over time, either because they are getting clogged by fibers and soap scum or because they’re simply old. Start by cleaning out your washer by adding running it on the hottest cycle after adding a quart of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda to the barrel. After the cycle is finished, clean out the soap dispenser tray and rim of the machine with a damp cloth. For driers, simply clear out the mint trap every few weeks.
If your appliances are very old, they are likely to use more electricity and not do as good a job as their modern counterparts. Think about upgrading to high Energy Star rated appliances in the right sizes for your needs. This means you can do more washing in fewer loads while using less energy.
Get Gadgets
There are some fantastic gadgets out there that make doing the laundry so much easier! Items like:
- The laundry lasso – It keeps the drum door open on side loaders to prevent mildew, without letting the door get in the way of passersby.
- Retractable hanging hooks – Open them up for space to hang clothes while they are drying or waiting for ironing, then close them away neatly when not in use.
- Ironing mat – No space for an ironing board? You can attach this mat to the surface of your appliances for easy, safe ironing.
- Over-the-door ironing board – Similarly, you can use this device which slots onto the back of your laundry room door, sitting flush when not in use, and folding down for a convenient ironing board on laundry day.
- Sock clips – If you’re tired of searching for missing socks, these are a great option. Simply clip the socks together in pairs when they go into the wash and detach once dry to fold the pair back together.
Looking for the Easiest Way to Sell Your Home Quickly? Speak to Our Cash for Houses Agency in Dallas
Want to sell your home quickly but don’t want the stress and health risk of an open house during the coronavirus outbreak? Our cash for houses agency in Dallas can help!
Unlike traditional real estate agencies, we buy your home directly from you – no real estate agent fees, no open houses, no waiting for the perfect buyer to come along. We also buy homes as is, so you don’t have to spend a cent on remodeling or repairing your property. It’s the cheapest way to sell a house.
Contact us whenever you are ready to sell your home quickly and we will make you a cash offer. With us, you’ll sell your home in just 24 hours!