Help Me Do Laundry!!!

[GrandmaStabone]

Okay OOT, I really need some help here. I just bought a bunch of new clothes last weekend and now they need washed.

The reason I needed so many new clothes in the first place is because MINE NEVER FIT RIGHT!!!! I always buy them and they look/fit great, but after one or two washes they either:

1.) Shirts will shrink vertically, that is- they will actually get shorter in length, making them awkward and lame

2.) Most material will go from a soft, loose feel to a stiff and dry texture that is much less comfortable

3.) Develope wrinkles that NEVER GO AWAY!!!

4.) Sweaters shrink to the point where they are ruined, I have actually just stopped buying sweaters

Etc., etc., etc.....

Anyways, I am not a complete moran- I just have very little experience with laundry aside throwing a random load of it in the washer, washing it on the hottest setting and drying it on high heat, I understand that my problem lies in my methods.

Now, however I am interested in keeping these new clothes looking nice and dropping the "college bum" look. I couldn't find a "Help I am in college and don't know how to do laundry" page so I figured I would throw this out to OOT for some tips on how to maintain these new clothes.


Thanks,
GS

[tbach24]

The hot water and heat drying are what does you in

[Wake up CALL]

Send all your clothes to the cleaners. No shrinking, wrinkles, discoloration or fading.

[GrandmaStabone]

[ QUOTE ]
The hot water and heat drying are what does you in

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes I realize that, but I need specifics here!!! Raw applicable methods!!!

[touchfaith]

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Shirts will shrink vertically, that is- they will actually get shorter in length, making them awkward and lame

[/ QUOTE ]

Use cold water

[ QUOTE ]
2.) Most material will go from a soft, loose feel to a stiff and dry texture that is much less comfortable

[/ QUOTE ]

Use better detergent

[ QUOTE ]
3.) Develope wrinkles that NEVER GO AWAY!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Do not leave your clothes in the dryer

[ QUOTE ]
4.) Sweaters shrink to the point where they are ruined, I have actually just stopped buying sweaters

[/ QUOTE ]

Use cold water

[tbach24]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />
The hot water and heat drying are what does you in

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes I realize that, but I need specifics here!!! Raw applicable methods!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay. I think that warm water was the most successful for me last year when I did laundry. Don't go overboard with the detergent (or w/e it's called). I went with 2 fabric softeners when drying clothes. After you dry your clothes, make sure they aren't damp. I usually did another 10-15 minute cycle after the initial hourish long first drying cycle. I'm not too experienced though so you might want to wait for other OOTiots but those are my experiences.

[GrandmaStabone]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1.) Shirts will shrink vertically, that is- they will actually get shorter in length, making them awkward and lame

[/ QUOTE ]

Use cold water




[ QUOTE ]
2.) Most material will go from a soft, loose feel to a stiff and dry texture that is much less comfortable

[/ QUOTE ]

Use better detergent

[ QUOTE ]
3.) Develope wrinkles that NEVER GO AWAY!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Do not leave your clothes in the dryer

[ QUOTE ]
4.) Sweaters shrink to the point where they are ruined, I have actually just stopped buying sweaters

[/ QUOTE ]

Use cold water

[/ QUOTE ]



Will they get clean in cold water?

What about drying?

[DasLeben]

Also, don't use high heat in the dryer. That'll absolutely tear up your clothes and cause them to fade quickly. I use medium heat now, and it keeps my clothes in much better shape.

[touchfaith]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1.) Shirts will shrink vertically, that is- they will actually get shorter in length, making them awkward and lame

[/ QUOTE ]

Use cold water

Will they get clean in cold water?

What about drying?

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely. Detergent is much better then it use to be. Cold water will work fine.

Try using a medium dryer setting also.

Also also, props to the Gentle Cycle if your washer has one, especially on the sweaters.

[STLantny]

Im a laundry master:

Whites, 2 washes, one cold water, one hot water. First wash use just detergent, second wash use detergent and bleach. You will have the whites clothes ever.

Sweaters. Make sure the ARE NOT dry clean only (most of mine are dry clean only. Wash them in cold/warm water, and dont dry them, let them air dry.

Dark clothes, warm water + detergent, tumble dry, low heat.

Read the directions on your clothes, if you are unsure just get em dry cleaned, its easeier that way to begin with, plus its not all tha texpensive.

[chuddo]

like everyone said:

-cold water, good detergent, i dry everything on medium heat.

send really nice shirts and nice sweaters to the dry cleaner.

i also wash my towels and whatnot in hot water.

[GrandmaStabone]

So I will:

1.) Wash towels, underwear and socks in hot and dry on hot

2.) Wash everything else in cold on a gentle cycle if available, drying on a medium setting.

3.) Use 2 fabric softener sheets

So...

1.) What do I do with Jeans?

2.) what are some good detergents

[gorie]

for shirts that you're really concerned about shrinking, it's probably best to hang them and let them air dry after you wash.

[GrandmaStabone]

UPDATE:

Okay, I got everything in, and have only 2 remaining questions:

1.) The dryers in my apartment building have the following settings; normal, perm press, delicate and no heat. I am going to dry the towles, underewar, socks, etc. on "normal", but what setting would be best for the load of shirts (the load washed on cold)?

2.) I am still unsure of what setting to wash/dry jeans on.

[Voltron87]

i have a lot of the same problems. ive found the best way to avoid shrinkage is to dry them for 10-15 minutes at most and then air dry. though air drying stil leaves shirts kind of wrinkly and stiff. i hate it when that happens, it happens a lot to cotton shirts. cold water?

[smokingrobot]

dry your clothes that will shrink (sweaters) by laying them on top of the dryer while drying something else (like boxers and socks) inside the dryer.

also, you can hang dry stuff in your closet, although heavy items like sweaters will become oddly shaped.

oh and dont forget to clean off your dryer first.

[MrTrik]

I like that all temp cheer or all temp all.

Everything is washed on cold wash/cold rinse or warm wash/cold rinse.
I will use hot if I have a whole load of nothing but white and nothing I'm worried about shrinking or damaging.

Downy in the wash cycle if you have a washer with a dispenser seems to be better for me than sheets in the dryer. Not so much for static cling though.

Also, if you live in a house soft water can make a huge difference. It helps the detergent work better and also is easier on the clothes.

I only use high heat in the dryer on towels, blankets, sheets. Always medium otherwise except a load of sweaters. If you choose to dry them at all in the machine I'd go low heat on that.

Any collared button down shirt I own goes to the dry cleaner for laundering or dry cleaning depending on requirements on the label. This is due to the fact I'd rather pay someone to get my shirts pressed and crisp since I won't iron anything ever.

[touchfaith]

Oh yeah, I should probably mention now that all of my suggestions are in theory.

I actually just toss everything in together and wash on hot because...well...I don't care about clothing much.

/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[GrandmaStabone]

On the dryer, I have normal (which I assume is high heat), perm press and delicate. Between perm press and delicate, which would be medium heat and which would be low?


Also, I have a pile of jeans behind me right now just waiting for someone to tell me how to best wash/dry them...

[RollaJ]

delicate will be low heat

It aint easy to [censored] up jeans in the wash, when drying dry 1/2 way to avoid shrinkage

[MrTrik]

Jeans - cold wash/cold rinse. Low or medium heat. If you don't like your jeans wrinkled too much get them out of the dryer while still warm and fold or hang them. If wrinkles on jeans don't matter leave them in there as long as ya want, just make sure they are fully dried.

[ChipWrecked]

Dry sweaters flat on white towels. Lay them in the shape you want them to have - 'blocking'.

I like the doing this on the dryer idea... except the tops of public dryers might be kinda nasty.

[James Boston]

[ QUOTE ]
Between perm press and delicate, which would be medium heat and which would be low?

[/ QUOTE ]

Perm Press = medium
Delicate = low

[ QUOTE ]
Also, I have a pile of jeans behind me right now just waiting for someone to tell me how to best wash/dry them...

[/ QUOTE ]

Cold wash, cold rinse. You can dry them on full heat...just make sure you fold/hang them quickly or wrinkles will set in.