Laundry is not always fun. Especially when you have a mountain of it to do. But while we cannot do anything to make it more enjoyable for you, we can provide you with cleaning hacks that might make life a little easier for you while you are cleaning. Below is a mini-guide with different cleaning hacks for your clothes, quickfire laundry tips, and a section on what your washing machine programs mean. Just in case you didn't know.
Your Washing Machine Programs Explained
When you buy a new washing machine, it can be easy to become intimidated by the range of different programs and settings around the wheel. But believe it or not, the programs are much easier to understand than you might think. So here are just a couple of common washing machine programs explained.
Cotton vs Synthetics: Many believe these two washes are the same. In fact, there are a couple of important differences that we feel need to be pointed out. For one, a cotton program will typically wash at a hotter temperature, whereas a synthetic or an 'easy care' program will run at a slightly lower temperature (usually less than 40 degrees) and will not spin nearly as much. If you have a lot of clothes with delicate fabrics, keep an eye on a washing machine with a synthetic or an easy-care setting. Browse our range of washing machines here to find the right one for you.
A sports program is designed to wash at higher temperatures and will do its best to get rid of super-tough stains. This is the setting to use if you have a household with sporty individuals who love coming home from training or a match with dirty gear.
Quick washes are the go-to for many, not only because they are fast, but because they can help save energy too. However, beware because not all machines will let you quickly wash with a full load. In fact, some machines will only allow for a quick wash of up to 1.5-2 kg of clothes. Yet another thing to keep an eye on when doing laundry.
3 Cleaning Hacks
When it comes to getting rid of annoying stains even easier, it helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Here at DID, we are full of tricks and are more than happy to help you with a few handy tips. Below, we have compiled a list of three that we think will make cleaning your clothes an easier task than it has ever been before, washing machine or not.
Pre-soaking:If you are dealing with clothes with a lot of dirt, this is an absolute must (Sports players and construction workers we are looking at you). To 'pre-soak', simply fill a basin or bucket with warm water and add in your detergent. Soak the clothing items for 30 mins in this mixture and then wash them as normal afterwards. You can thank us later.
Pre-soaking is great because it gives your detergent even more time to do its thing, ensuring that stubborn stains can be easily removed.
Buy a colour catcher: This tip might seem obvious, but hindsight is always 20/20, and the last thing that anyone wants coming out of the washing machine is a pair of pink underwear and an 'I told you so' from a family member. If you just don't have the time or the capacity to separate your lights from your darks, then a colour catcher is the way to go because it will prevent colours from transferring. These magical little sheets help to absorb colour and will save you time, energy, and a lot of multi-coloured clothing.
Ice Cubes… Yes… Ice Cubes: You might think we are crazy, but hear us out, okay? This has actually been proven to work. If your clothes come out of the dryer super-wrinkly, then by adding in a couple of ice cubes and sticking the dryer back onto a quick-dry cycle, you can de-wrinkle your clothes. We know… crazy.
5 Added Laundry Tips for Good Measure
It would only be fair to add a number of helpful tips and tricks for you to use while you are here. There are so many different 'laundry hacks' that can be found online, but these 5 are, in our opinion, the most reputable and effective at doing their job.
The radiator is not the answer:This one might surprise you a little, but the radiator (as good as it might sometimes be) can actually do damage to your clothes. Whilst it might dry the clothes quickly, it can cause the colours on the fabric to fade and even promote mould growth due to the fabrics' dampness.
A fluffy towel can be your best friend: Yes. It's true. Adding a fluffy towel to a drying cycle for the first 15-20 minutes will absorb all the added water and moisture and help speed the drying time up. What we will say, though, is to remove it after those 15 minutes, otherwise, you are just adding to the drying time.
Mesh bags: These are an absolute lifesaver and a great way to keep all of your delicates in one place because we know… socks love randomly going missing in the washing machine. Having a mesh bag for socks and one for underwear will not only wash all of your undergarments together; it will keep them together. Which is just as important.
Essential Oils: If you are looking for a new way to make your clothes smell great, then essential oils are the answer. If you have a specific flavour of essential oil at your disposal, simply add a couple of drops to your detergent dispenser, and voila, your clothes will come out of the wash smelling of roses… lemon… or whatever flavour of oil you have added.
Keep your wash baskets clean: If you have a laundry basket, it is important to keep it clean. Giving your basket or hamper a clean every once in a while will make sure that no extra dirt or possible mould is getting onto your clothes, and let's be honest, a build-up of laundry residue is not a very enjoyable smell.
