So you have never done the laundry yourself. Now that you have moved to your first apartment and started living alone, it’s about time you learn how to do it properly. You probably know the basics—pre-sorting, loading, water-to-soap, ratio, etc. But, you just couldn’t risk ending up having shrunk sweaters or your whites turning into pinks.
When you’re ready to tackle that pile of dirty laundry, you’ll find the following tips helpful to get you started. Of course, we can’t blame you when you just don’t have the time to do the laundry yourself, particularly when you could be spending your time on things that matter more: bonding with the family, self-care, or just taking a break from life’s hustle and bustle. In these cases, a Singapore laundry service might make more sense for you.
How Do You Prepare Your Clothes Before Washing?
Sort
First things first: sorting. Separate whites from the coloured, the delicates from the non-delicates. Do not toss silks and linens on the washing machine with denim, corduroys, and any other heavy fabrics. Wash delicates in a separate load, on a gentle, cold-water cycle. Easier option is to find a reliable kedai dobi to handle all your laundry needs.
Read the labels
Care labels are there for a reason—to give you instructions on how to wash and care for your clothes. Take the time to read them. More often than not, it will tell you whether your clothes are safe for the machine.
Zip them up
Before putting your clothes into the washing machine, remove metal pins and buckles, zip the zippers, and button up the buttons. Velcros are sometimes used in clothes and before they hit the washer, make sure to secure them as well to keep them from attaching to other clothing.
Empty pockets
Turn every pocket inside out to make sure they are empty before washing. This way, they will be cleaned too in the process. Many times coins, keys, and other small pieces of metal found in people’s pockets have been the cause of damage in washers and dryers. In some cases, they even break the panel for front-load machines.
Use mesh bags
Mesh laundry bags are great for lingeries and fine knitwear. It keeps your delicate clothes from getting damaged or snagged, particularly when you have a mixed laundry load. You can also use them for your socks and stockings so they don’t get separated.
Loose strings
Tie any loose strings in your clothes, if they cannot be fully removed. This will keep them from intertangling in the machine and ensure that your load is washed properly.
Fix rips and tears
The washing process can be rigorous that it can make those rips and tears in your clothes worse. Don’t just throw your clothes with damage in the washer, take the time to repair them.
Use the appropriate cleaning solutions
There’s a vast selection of detergents, fabric conditioners, bleach, and other cleaning solutions in the market. Besides your budget, preferences in brands, and sometimes, scent, make sure that the ones you use are safe for your clothes and the washer as well.
Liquid and powder detergents are both acceptable for general washing. But, you may want to use ultra-concentrated variants or pre-treating stubborn stains, and gentler soaps for delicates and baby clothes. You may also opt for eco-friendly products to reduce your environmental impact.
Laundry Care Tips
By this time, you already have all the information necessary to start on that laundry. You are now confident that you can ace that pile of dirty clothes and turn them into clean and fresh clothes ready for the next wearing. A self service laundry near me is rarely enjoyable.
Still, here are additional tips on how to have a successful load.
Treat stubborn stains immediately
When left to dry on the fabric, stains can become permanent, making them harder to remove, if not impossible. Treating them immediately will do the trick. Otherwise, the longer they sit on the fabric, the more likely they will stick. Do this by soaking your curtain immediately in soapy water. For extra precaution, you can also pre-treat the fabric by adding detergent directly to the spot before the actual washing.
Avoid using too much detergent
Less is more. The same is true with laundry. Too much detergent poured on the wash load can damage your clothes and your machine, too. They leave a residue that is both not good for the clothes and to the machine
Turn your denim inside out
New or old, make sure to turn your denim jeans inside out before placing them in the machine. This should help minimise the abrasion that can fade and wear your denim, particularly along the hems, and fly and waistband edges.
Should you use fabric conditioners?
Although this is optional, the use of fabric conditioners alongside your favourite detergents can make your clothes feel softer and more comfortable. It also reduces statics because fabric conditioners coat clothing fibres. This can also make ironing easier and add fragrance to your clothes at the same time. Again, there is a wide array of choices for fabric conditioners in the market.
Having these tips handy can prepare you for your laundry day. But, if this information is a little bit too much for you and you can’t delay doing your laundry any longer, go easy on yourself and leave it to a laundry professional instead.
Get Professional Laundry Cleaning Services
Laundry cleaning services in Singapore are not just here to simplify living for you, they are also geared towards providing premium quality services, so you know that your clothes are well taken care of. They are fully equipped with tools, facilities, information, and personnel to cater to your needs.
You get to enjoy convenience, time freedom, and nothing less than professional services. Clean Care is a laundry and dry cleaning services provider in Singapore that offers pick-up and delivery of your laundry. They have a team of laundry experts who understand and provide not just professional cleaning but also the utmost care for your clothes.
Get to know more about their laundry services by visiting their website today.