When it comes to laundry, it can be tempting to cram all your dirty clothes into one cycle and call it good. Although, there is certain care that comes with specific clothes and you should know how to accommodate for all. The process of learning about what proper care can be overwhelming. To simplify, reference the list below for all thing laundry (there’s even some steps you should skip!): 

Choosing Temperature: 

• Cold: most energy efficient while being the most gentle and effective for garments. Use on light and dark colors, delicates, lightly soiled and garments prone to shrinkage such as wools and cottons.  

• Warm: provides clean laundry without fading and reduces wrinkles. Use on synthetic, perm press garments like jeans or towels and any garments that wrinkle easily.    
• Hot: removes tough stains and kills bacteria. Use on whites, socks, children's clothing and heavily soiled pieces.  

Choosing a Washing Cycle: 

• Normal Cycle: whites, sheets, towels, undergarments, and heavily soiled garments. 

• Delicate: Wools, silks, and fragile garments like lace or loose knits. 
• Permanent-press: Denim fabrics, non-cotton synthetics (rayon, polyester), and knits should be washed on a permanent-press cycle to reduce color fading and wrinkles. 

Drying: 

Skip the dryer! Save the environment and your wallet with this decrease in energy usage. Natural air-drying is great for the life of your clothing. Just be sure to remove your garments promptly from the washer to avoid odors.  

Bleaching: 

Try to skip the bleach! This can be potentially damaging to the fibers of your garments. Instead, place your whites in the sun to dry for a natural bleaching effect. Do not use this method for colored clothes as it will cause fading. If you must bleach, use non-chlorine bleach sparingly as its non-chemical nature will not damage the garment if used gently. It is advised to read care labels carefully to understand how to bleach your piece. 

Ironing: 

Try to skip the iron! Ironing can be damaging to the fibers of your garments as well. Remove your garment from the wash immediately to ensure less wrinkles. Leaving your clothing in the washer will cause wrinkling over time. If you need to de-wrinkle an item, bring it into the bathroom when you are showering. The steam from the shower softens the fibers allowing them to relax resulting in the garment appearing less wrinkled.