The average person spends nearly 4 hours a week doing laundry. That’s 208 hours a year! If you live to be 70, that’s 14,560 hours of your lifetime spent washing, drying, and folding! So it’s important to make sure you’re doing it efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, many people run into these all-too-common laundry problems that can make laundry a real pain. In this blog post, we’ll explore the 5 most common laundry problems and how to avoid them.
1. Washing Machine Leaving Stains on Clothes
If you use a home-style washer and your laundry comes out stained, it’s time to give your washer a good cleaning. Believe it or not, washers can build up with soap scum. Or if you wash a lot of greasy laundry, grease can build up on the drainage holes and cause round dark stains on your clean laundry.
The resolution is to use a good quality washing machine cleaner on a quarterly or bi-annual basis.
Another common problem is a light blue or greasy stain on your freshly washed clothes. The cause? Using too much fabric softener for your load size, or dumping it directly into your laundry instead of using the dispenser.
A fix for this is to always use the proper amount of softener, add it to the dispenser cup, and if your cup is not full of softener, add enough water to fill the dispenser. This allows the softener to dispense more evenly, preventing stained laundry.
2. Clothes Coming Out of the Dryer Wrinkled
Oftentimes, clothes come out of the dryer wrinkled. The number one cause of this is overloading or underloading the dryer. Overloading prevents the clothes from moving freely and forms them into a tight ball. The result? Wrinkled laundry.
To solve this, fill your dryer only half full. You should be able to see the top half of the dryer drum after your dryer is loaded. This allows ample room for your wet laundry to expand while it dries.
Underloading can cause the same problem, so if you have a very small load of dish towels, for example. Toss in an already clean and dry bath towel to add some bulk. Again, this helps to circulate the clothes and fluff them up as they rotate in the dryer.
3. Colors Bleeding in the Wash
If you’ve ever had your clothes come out of the wash with colors that have bled, you know it can be a frustrating experience. This is one of the most disappointing laundry problems, and one we all want to avoid.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help prevent this from happening.
- First, sort your laundry carefully, separating dark colors from light ones.
- Second, use cold water instead of hot when washing colored clothing.
- Third, add a color catcher to your laundry load. This product helps to prevent colors from bleeding by absorbing any loose dye particles.
- Fourth, be sure to follow the care instructions on your clothing labels. By taking these simple steps, you can help keep your clothes looking their best.
4. White Clothes Turning Yellow
One of the most common laundry problems for a home laundry is yellowed whites.
Although there can be other causes, usually, the culprit is clear-water iron or hard water. Well water can be very hard on your laundry, and most softeners don’t remove iron from the water. Be sure to install a purification system that addresses the iron in your water.
If you don’t have the funds for an expensive purification system, then using a product called Iron Out can help your whites stay white. However, use this product with caution on colored laundry. I’ve had success using a small amount of this pre-mixed into the water on some of my own laundry. Nevertheless, use with caution and follow the label instructions.
5. Bleach Spots on Laundry
If you’ve ever bleached your laundry using the bleach dispenser. Or if you’ve ever used the laundromat and the person before you had used bleach. Then you know how frustrating it is to have your laundry come out with bleach spots.
To prevent this at the laundromat, always run a rinse cycle in your washer before you add your laundry. Sure, it may be an added expense, but remember that laundromats are not responsible if your $300 load of shirts gets ruined. We think that extra dollar is well worth it.
When you are at home, simply wash your darks first and then work your way up to end your wash day with the bleach. That way, you aren’t risking the introduction of bleach into your colored laundry.
Let A Laundry Service Do It For You
Laundry is a necessary part of life, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. By avoiding these 5 common laundry problems, you can make your laundry routine more efficient and less stressful.
Of course, the best way to take the hassle out of laundry altogether is to use a professional laundry service. At Laundry Cities, we offer complete wash and fold services that will save you time and energy. Drop off your laundry 7 days a week from 7 am – 11 pm at a Laundry City near you. No appointment needed.