Learning how to do your laundry is a rite of passage for many college students. But how should you get started? Check out the following guide for tips on doing laundry, so you can wash and fold like a pro. 

How to Wash & Fold Laundry Well

1. Separate Lights From Darks

It may be tempting to wash everything together, but separating your lights and darks will preserve the life of your clothes. Washing lights, darks, and bright colors together results in items bleeding and mixing dyes, staining light-colored clothing. To ensure all of your clothes look like-new, wash bright colors, whites, and darks in separate loads.

2. Gauge Load Size

If you stuff a washer too full, none of the clothes in the load will get fully clean. Don’t pack items in—gently add dirty laundry in layers. To gauge how much laundry goes into one load, fill your regular washer in layers with dry dirty clothes, then empty the same clothes back into your laundry basket. Take note of how much one load of laundry fills the basket—that will tell you how many loads of laundry you must do. 

3. Use Cold Water

Most detergents work fine with cold water, and it uses less energy to wash clothes in unheated water. It’s also better for the life of your clothes—hot water can stretch or shrink different fabrics depending on the fiber, and it encourages dyes to bleed. Most, if not all, hand washing should also be done in cold water for the same reasons. 

4. Clean the Lint Trap

Ensuring the lint trap is clean before operating a dryer ensures your clothes come out lint-free. It’s also a fire-hazard to run a dryer with a full lint trap—lint is extremely flammable. In addition to checking the lint trap before using any dryer, check for stray items — drying a red sock with your whites is a surefire way to turn everything pink.

5. Empty the Dryer ASAP

Emptying the dryer shortly after the machine stops ensures the laundry stays fresh and the machine is available for the next person to use. Additionally, you’ll prevent wrinkles by folding or hanging and putting away your clothes while they’re still warm. Letting them sit in a heap will set in wrinkles.

Wash & Spin Coin Laundry of Atlanta, GA, has the high-quality machines, products, and professional wash and fold services you need to take care of your wardrobe, and is the home of Big Bertha! They understand that no one likes to wait, so their facility features nearly 100 washers and dryers, free Wi-Fi, snacks, computer services, televisions, a kids’ corner, and a U-Haul® rental service. This laundromat strives to make your errands as smooth and pleasant as possible. Learn more about their location online, or call (404) 756-1666 to discuss your needs.