Tips for Laundry Queens and Princesses of Folding
By Whitney
by Whitney
I am not the most awesome housewife in the world. Awesome mom? Yes. I take my kids to the library regularly, feed them healthy meals with minimal packaged foods involved, arrange for age-appropriate organized activities. But do I scrub anything with a little baking soda on a toothbrush? No.
Since I left my office job two years ago to pursue a freelance career which consists of much more parenting than freelancing, I have established very few housekeeping routines. One of my grand victories over my natural laziness, however, is a laundry schedule. Mondays, I wash the kids clothes, Tuesdays are for adult laundry, and Wednesdays are for sheets and towels. Unless I forget of course.
Although home organization is not my strength, I am fascinated by those who make it their jobs. They have workflows, binders, baskets, and more. And blogs, of course. I could not possibly know about these folks if it weren’t for their blogs. I thank them for publishing!
Ok, back to my laundry. I have recently been made aware of a few tips – safety and otherwise – that I want to share.
- I usually assume I don’t need to check the dryer lint screen EVERY SINGLE Time. WRONG! Lint build up in the screen can prevent air from flowing out properly and that hot air can overheat the dryer, even catching on fire. Make it a habit and then you don’t have to worry.
- Leave your laundry drying for the shortest time possible to get the clothes dry. This will save you excess shrinking and save you money on your gas bill. The dryer is one of the most expensive appliances in your house to run and the longer you run it, the more it costs.
- Do not put anything with foam, rubber, plastic or other heat-sensitive fabrics, such as bathroom rugs or non-slip mats into your dryer. Dry them on a line or in an air-only dryer cycle where there is no heat.
- Occasionally wash your dryer lint screen with a brush and soapy water. This simple chore not only improves air flow and energy efficiency, but it also reduces the chance of a dryer fire.
- Have the dryer vent checked and cleaned periodically to make sure there is no lint blocking it.
Now, who can come give me a motivational speech about getting the clean clothes from the laundry baskets to the dresser drawers where they belong?
3 Responses to “Tips for Laundry Queens and Princesses of Folding”
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As laundry queen mother I only do laundry once a week (at least 3-4 loads). This ensures that I have full loads. I also use mesh laundry bags for each person for socks, bras,. I do not use dryer sheets as these cause blocking (eventually) of the filter, Be sure your laundry vent (if it is on the roof) is cleaned professionally at least yearly. You can tell if it is blocked because it takes too long for clothes to dry, Be sure you use a qualified technician ,has workers comp insurance, in case of an accident falling off your roof (it has happened) to prevent lawsuits. Have your family or significant other(s) help with folding and putting away the laundry. Start training the kids early with these chores.
Hey Whit, did you know that laundry lint is compostable?! How Berkeley can I be, right?
This is a nice blog i must say, usually i don’t post comments on others’ blogs but would like to say that this post really forced me to do so!