Laundry 101 Fashion and Textiles

So, you have a huge pile of laundry, now what? You need to sort it!!! But how?

First: Check care labels  In fact, let’s do that now. Partner up and check each other’s labels. What did you find out? By doing this you can determine which pile to put your garment in.

 Buttons loose?  Seam ripped?  Stains?  Put these items aside and fix or pretreat before washing. Otherwise they may become permanently stained or damaged.  Tide stain stick is an amazing for stains! Second: See if any garments need special attention

Third: Secure all zippers and buttons and turn items inside out if required Zipping up and fastening buttons keep items from getting caught in zipper teeth or beaten up by hardware when comingling in the washer and dryer. Turning items like jeans inside out helps to preserve the color and finish which can be lost with frequent washing.

1. Lights or whites – typically a warm water wash/regular cycle. Sometimes bleach, regular dryer cycle. 2. Darks – usually a cold water wash regular cycle, but check labels. May use regular dryer cycle. 3. Delicate – usually cold wash on delicate or hand wash cycle. Delicate dryer cycle or hang to dry. 4. Dry cleaning – Usually put in a bag to be dropped off and done professionally. Fourth: Separate into 4 piles, wash and dry accordingly to your garment’s instructions

Washing Machines and Detergent:  There are so many types on the market. If you have a newer model machine you may need to purchase High Efficiency detergent. Look for this symbol when purchasing:  Using the wrong detergent may damage your machine over a long period of time. Dryers and Dryer sheets:  It is best to take your clothes out of the washer and put into the dryer as soon as you can to prevent mold and keep wrinkles from setting in.  Use the proper setting as indicated and add a dryer sheet to help prevent static.  Don’t forget to empty out your lint catcher after every load! This will prevent your dryer from catching on fire! Washing and Drying

 This is a good rule of thumb and will keep your garments looking better longer. Saving you $$$$!!! Then you don’t have to worry about that stray red sock turning your whole load of whites pink! A little time and effort saves a lot of aggravation! Basically: Keep like with like and follow care labels closely!

 Fold or hang your garments as soon as they are done in the dryer to keep them looking their best. This will also eliminate the need to iron most items.  Garments are usually symmetrical and fairly easy to fold. Many can be hung. Keeping all of your hangers facing in the same direction as well as buttons and zippered items keeps closets organized and makes taking clothing out much easier.  Watch my demonstration on how to fold a few basic items like T- shirts, shorts, pants, socks, and towels.  A little effort here will save you time when choosing what to wear and will keep your clothes in better shape longer! Out of the dryer and then what?

 Then you must iron to keep yourself and your garments looking their best!  Again, check your labels for fiber content and direction.  Then, make sure your iron has water in it, plug in and set to proper fabric setting. If the fiber of your garment is synthetic or a blend, you may want to test on the reverse side first in order to avoid leaving a shiny mark on the good side from improper heat.  If your garment is of a natural fiber a higher heat setting may be needed and steam may be desired. This setting is usually indicated with a little cloud on most irons.  There are many you tube videos on how to properly iron almost anything  Here is a collared shirt example we will be trying today: What if there are wrinkles?

Save $, your clothes and your sanity! Embrace your laundry today – you will be doing it the rest of your life!!!

Now for the fun part! First I will break you into 3 teams of 5 and then… 1.Take a few minutes and practice folding your pile of laundry per my demonstration. Each student must fold all of the items at least once. Let me come around and check you for technique and accuracy. 2.Next we will fold the entire pile as a team. The team that is done quickest and neatest will win a prize! 3.Finally, we will iron a button down shirt per demonstration. The first team mate will read the care label out loud and choose the proper iron setting. Once irons are heated I will say “go” and you will iron the following parts: #1 – Collar and Yoke #2 – Cuffs and sleeves #3 – Both front panels #4 – Entire back #5 – Plackets and any finishing needed Quickest and best job wins a prize! See rubric for lab grade Folding and Ironing Throw Down Lab