How to Separate Laundry
Clothing is a very important part of our lives, not just because it keeps us warm, but it’s a part of our self-expression and we can present ourselves in different ways to different people and in different settings all according to what clothes we’re wearing. So ensuring our clothes last as long as possible, keep clean and don’t change in size or colour is integral to maintaining our image, and can all be affected by how we do our laundry.
Sorting your clothes ready for the wash may seem like an unnecessary step that makes a boring chore more boring, especially if you’ve just moved out of home and are a beginner when it comes to clothes washing. But while many young people have moved away from ironing their clothes to no particular consequence, we should still separate our laundry for the sake of our clothing.
We’ll take a look at how to separate your clothing, but first: why do you need to?
Why Do You Need to Separate Laundry?
Separating your laundry is most important to keep your clothes looking their best for longer, but it can also ensure that your clothing items don’t get damaged, and everything gets sufficiently cleaned.
Separating your laundry into colours ensures that the dye doesn’t leak from colourful or darker clothing into your other clothing, dyeing lighter items or causing patches or stains. Some washing powder is designed especially for white clothing and contains a small amount of bleach to keep the white a crisper, brighter white, so by separating your clothing into colours, you’re ensuring that your white clothes stay white, and others aren’t affected by the contents of the laundry powder or liquid detergent.
But you should also separate your clothing into delicate and non-delicate items to ensure that no physical damage is done to the clothing. Lace can be very delicate and get ripped when washed with other items such as jeans, if the zip or button snags the lace and tears. For this reason, lacy garments should usually be washed in laundry bags to keep them safe, or washed separately to prevent them from sustaining damage.
Delicate items like wool should also be washed separately to ensure they’re washed at the appropriate temperature. Wool should be washed at a cooler degree than most other materials, as higher temperatures can cause wool clothing to shrink. Some items, especially dirtier clothes, should be washed at higher temperatures to ensure the grime is removed and the items are sufficiently clean.
How Do You Separate Laundry?
So, before putting your clothes in the washing machine, you should sort them into:
- Three colour groups: colours, whites and darks
- Delicates
- Temperature of the wash needed
- Dirtiness level
Most people simply sort their laundry into colour groups and ensure that delicate items are separated and washed as per their care instructions, but making sure the clothes are washed at the right temperature is also important. Many washing machines have an eco-friendly setting, which is approximately 30 or 40 degrees Celsius to save energy. But experts suggest that white clothing should be washed at a higher temperature than other clothing to keep the white looking fresh and bright.
Moreover, dirtier clothes will need to be washed at a higher temperature, so you should separate these from your other clothing if you wash the majority of your clothes at 40°.
But you should also separate your very dirty clothes from your cleaner clothes, even if you wash them at the same temperature. When you have something that needs a thorough wash like your dog-walking trousers that are caked in mud, or particularly sweaty sportswear, washing it with cleaner items can transfer the grime onto your cleaner clothes. Separating heavily soiled clothing will allow you to wash it at a higher temperature and maintain a higher level of cleanliness for all of your clothes.
Can You Pay Someone Else to Do Your Washing?
So now you know you’ve got your work cut out separating your laundry into several different piles, you’re probably wondering how you can give the never-ending job of laundry to someone else. Well, fortunately, online laundry services exist!
Online laundry services have popped up all over the country to make it easier for people to get their washing done. Whether your washing machine is broken and you need a load of laundry in an emergency, you’re away from home and don’t have any nearby washing services, or you’re simply fed up with the never-ending load of laundry, online laundry services can get your washing done for you with no hassle.
You can, of course, also arrange for a housekeeper, but when you can get your laundry done for a better price at the tap of a button, why pay the extra to have someone else do your washing?
How Laundry Apps Work
To use a laundry app, simply download the app from the app store, sign up and look through your options. You can schedule your laundry for collection at a time and place that suits you and get your laundry back, clean, fresh and folded, right to your door within 24 to 36 hours.
When you schedule your collection, a van will come to your location to pick up your laundry and take it away to the app’s laundry service location where it will be washed according to your service selection or the item’s requirements.
Most laundry apps allow you to select:
- A laundry load of clothes
- Multiple loads to be washed over a specified time period
- A single special item such as a suit
- Several special items such as blankets and bedding
The pick-up and delivery of the items will be free, you just pay for the items or load you select.
Is a Laundry App Better than a Laundrette?
Laundry apps are much more convenient than heading to a laundrette, both in terms of your time and effort invested. When you use a laundrette, you have to head down there yourself with your load of laundry, either paying for a taxi, lugging the washing yourself, or driving down and paying for parking. You then have to wait for your washing to finish before transferring your clothing to a tumble dryer and waiting again before being able to fold your clothes and lug them back to your accommodation again.
Using a laundrette can, therefore, be a huge waste of your time. When you have a laundry app, all you need is an internet connection, and within a couple of taps, you’ve scheduled your laundry to be collected and dropped off, without needing to expend any more time or effort.
Why Use a Laundry App?
Laundry services aren’t just for emergencies when your washing machine breaks down, nor are they only for regular, weekly use. You can use a laundry app as and when you need your clothes or bedding washed professionally and with little effort.
If you’re on holiday, on a business trip or in student accommodation, you won’t always have washing facilities nearby, so downloading a laundry app can make getting your washing done a lot easier and save you valuable time.
What’s more, laundry services are run by professionals who know how to best clean your clothes. So if you have delicate or specialist items that are stained, require specialist care or simply need a thorough wash, an online laundry service will be able to help. They’re quick, easy to use, reliable and can be a cost-effective option when staying in expensive cities like London.
Don’t waste your time, get a laundry app like Love2Laundry!
Love2Laundry – Leave Your Laundry to Us!
A specialist online laundry service, Love2Laundry is available all over the UK to help you get your washing done, however big or small your load is. Download our app in the Apple App Store, or Google Play Store today!
