If you’re going away to college or moving into your own place for the first time, the world of laundry care may be fairly new to you. Luckily, it’s not a particularly complicated process, once you get the hang of it. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind as you strike out on your own and start taking care of your own laundry.

Laundry Care for Beginners

Separate Light and Dark Garments

Dye from clothing fibers can bleed a bit when submerged in water. To prevent a bright red shirt from turning all of your white socks pink, wash light and dark clothing separately, and consider washing newly-purchased, deeply-dyed items once or twice by themselves.

Check All Labels

Clothing and linens almost always come with a care tag that states how they should be laundered. Some require washing in cold water, while others are better served by being washed in hot water. Some items shouldn’t be put in the dryer, and some even need to be dry cleaned. Check all tags before just throwing everything in together to keep your clothing and linens in good condition.

Load the Machine

In both front-loading and top-loading washers and dryers, it’s important not to overload them, or it could damage the appliance or wash and dry your garments unevenly. Fill top-loading machines until they’re about three-quarters full. In front loaders, make sure you can see at least a few rows of drainage holes at the back. Your laundromat will have various sizes of washer and dryers to accommodate your laundry loads, so if your load looks too big for one machine, try the next size up or split it between two machines.

Choose Your Cycles

Most machines also have a few settings to choose from. For washers, you can choose the level of heat, size of the load, and level of agitation. Keep in mind any of the instructions from the tags, then use the lowest settings possible. Most clothing can be washed in cool or cold water with low agitation, while towels or garments that are especially dirty might require a more thorough cleaning with warm or hot water. For dryers, you’ll also choose between temperature and tumble settings according to the items’ labels. 

If you’re in need of a laundromat where you can start your new laundry care journey, look no further than Wash & Spin Coin Laundry in Atlanta, GA. The full-service laundry facility has plenty of laundry machines, and they offer soap and supplies for purchase, free Wi-Fi, vending machines, and even computers for your use. The company even offers professional wash and fold services for those who are pressed for time or aren’t ready to take the leap into the world of laundry care just yet. To learn more about the company’s services, visit their website or call (404) 756-1666.