As managers of the household, moms are often torn between family time and home responsibilities. We all want what’s best for our families, which is why we are doing everything we can to keep our homes clean and safe.
It can, however, come with compromises. Managing the home sometimes takes away not just our time but energy that could be spent with our loved ones.
Laundry, for example, can take us the whole day — or even days — to accomplish. To help you do this task better, here are four common laundry mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.
1. Washing too big or too small loads of laundry
Whether you’re doing laundry by hand or with the help of a washing machine, the number of clothes you’re washing matters.
If the load is too big, there won’t be enough room in the tub of your washing machine for clothes to move around during a cycle. Washing a big load by hand will tire you out and may result in some garments not being adequately scrubbed.
Too small loads of laundry, on the other hand, mean you’re not maximizing the use of your washing machine (and wasting a precious resource: water). When done by hand, there is a tendency to use more water or detergent than usual since you’ll be doing multiple washes.
WHAT TO DO: If you have a washing machine, check the manufacturer’s full-load capacity recommendation. This will tell you the weight of laundry your machine could efficiently accommodate. Take into consideration water and detergent requirements as well.
If you’re handwashing your family’s clothes, make a schedule. This helps you be more efficient during laundry day. Make sure to pre-sort (or ask your family to help you sort) items before washing. Don’t just sort by color, however. Consider the fabric and how “dirty” the items are.
The key here is having an efficient system in place come laundry day.
2. Using too much detergent
Using a considerable amount of powder detergent or over-soaping with a laundry bar doesn’t automatically mean clothes are washed and cleaned thoroughly. Excessive use of laundry soap may, in fact, result in more problems.
Soap may not be washed off thoroughly, gathering in hard-to-wash areas like armholes or under the collars. This may lead to bacteria buildup or skin irritation due to exposure to harsh chemicals.
You may need to double up on effort when rinsing clothes, and probably increase your use of water. You’ll be spending more money to buy more laundry soap because you’re running out more often than usual.
WHAT TO DO: Check your detergent’s label for usage specifications. Most, if not all, include the recommended amount of detergent to be used per amount of clothing.
You’ll also need to be observant when doing the laundry. Look at and smell your freshly laundered clothes to find out if you’re overusing laundry soap. Check the hard-to-wash areas previously mentioned and see if there’s soap buildup. Then adjust accordingly.
3. Forgetting to clean the lint trap or filter
Often, people neglect to do regular maintenance checks on some of their heavy-duty home appliances, including the washing machine. We may not realize it, but we also need to clean it every so often.
In particular, empty out the lint trap — or the mechanism that catches lint, dirt, and other tiny loose bits from clothing — before using the washing machine. This helps ensure none of the dirt or bacteria from the trapped lint is spreading into other garments.
WHAT TO DO: Check your washing machine’s instructional guide to remove the appliance’s lint filter. The attachment will depend on what kind of machine you have at home.
Once you’ve successfully removed the mechanism, carefully remove the lint with tissue paper or a brush. Be careful when your lint filter is made of fabric netting as this is delicate and may rip when mishandled. Wash the lint filter in warm water and detergent, or as advised by the manual’s instructions.
4. Skipping the fabcon
Some may think that using a fabric conditioner is a step in the laundry process that you can do without. But in reality, a fabric conditioner can do a lot to help moms save time and effort when doing this task.
WHAT TO DO: Consider using a fabric conditioner such as Downy Expert 1 Banlaw. It has anti-foam particles that help remove suds (“bula”) after just one rinse when done after clothes are washed using detergent. There’s no need to do the usual three-rinse method to get rid of soap suds.
Downy Expert 1 Banlaw also helps make garments feel soft. This makes it easier to iron the clothes — or even skip it altogether. Downy Expert 1 Banlaw also has a fresh scent your family may like!
Moms, family time is precious. This, we realize more and more as the days go by. With these practical tips, you can have more time at home to spend with your family.
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ASC REFERENCE CODE: P124P061820DS