Getting Cleaner Clothes At The Laundromat
Washing clothing at a laundromat can be quite different from washing clothing at home. However, it is definitely possible to get your clothing just as clean at a laundromat. You may just have to implement a few of the tips below.
Wipe the washer out first
Someone who used the washing machine before you may have used bleach. Usually, all of the bleach will get rinsed out in the normal washing cycle, but occasionally, some of it will get left behind. Unless you just watched someone take their dark-colored, non-bleached clothing out of the washer you're about to use, it is a good idea to wipe the washer out before adding your own clothes. This will prevent those annoying, faded bleach spots from appearing on your clothing.
Don't overload the washer
Since you're paying for every load, it can be tempting to cram as much as you can into a washing machine. But overloading the washer will prevent all of your clothing from coming out as clean as it could. Place your clothing in the washing machine loosely, and leave some space at the top or front. Some washing machines have fill lines. In this case, do not load the machine past the fill line. Your clothing will come out cleaner when it has had space to tumble around in the washer, and when the ratio of soap to clothing is correct.
Don't use hot water unless you mean it
The hot water at laundromats can be much hotter than your hot water at home. So, most items that you wash on hot at home should probably be washed on warm at the laundromat. This will help reduce shrinking, and it can also help prevent stains from becoming "set in" by the heat.
Check your labels before drying things
At home, you might just toss all your clothing into the dryer. But the dyers at the laundromat are sometimes hotter and harsher on clothing than those at home. So, you really do not want to put something in the dryer that is meant to be hang-dried. Check your labels before putting clothes in the laundromat dryer, and if the label says "hang dry" or "line dry," take that item home to dry it naturally.
With the tips above, you can get better results when washing clothing at a laundromat. It might take a few trips to learn the machines, but before long, you'll feel like a pro.
Contact a local laundromat, such as Bluewater Wash Laundromat, to learn more.