Laundry Myths Debunked !!!

Most of us just bundle our clothes into the washer, fill the detergent drawer and press the ‘on’ button without giving it much thought. (This is understandable — nobody wants to waste more mental energy than necessary on doing the laundry.) However, there are a lot of things that you could probably be doing better to make this tedious task easier and more effective.

Here are some common laundry myths covering everything from fabric softness to lint buildup. .

#1 The more expensive the detergent, the better the clean

This is not necessarily true and most detergents available in supermarkets today are capable of washing the majority of your laundry items. The motion of the water in the machine and how it disperses the detergent through the clothes is an equally important factor. There is a very good reason that washing machines move the clothing items around the tub as they are washed. It provides much needed friction, rubbing the clothes together to help break down the dirt particles embedded in the fabric and it also ensures each garment is exposed to the water at every possible angle.

#2 Fabric softener is the only way to keep clothes soft 

Fabric softeners are great for adding a fresh scent and soft finish to your laundry. However, fabric softener or not, maintaining the perfect amount of moisture in your towels and clothes is just as important when it comes to keeping your clothes soft.

Taking the items out before they are too dry will prevent the harder, course texture so common in towels and sheets that have been over-dried.

#3 I have sensitive skin so I need a sensitive detergent

The wash setting that you select has an effect, as does the type of detergent you use. If the temperature of the cycle is not high enough, certain elements of the detergent will not dissolve and remnants of the soap can remain on the items washed. This can be a big cause of irritation for those with sensitive skin.

#4 My washing machine washes all the time, why would I need to clean it?

Despite the fact you use your washing machine frequently, it’s still a good idea to wash your drum regularly – especially if you wash your clothes with cool water. This is because remnants of detergent can remain in the drum once the cycle has completed. These remnants are also likely to be a bigger problem if you use fabric softener on a regular basis. Some machines have a ‘Tub Clean’ cycle option, which if used regularly ensures the inner and outer tubs are kept as clean as possible.

#5 I am doing a heavy load, so I should use more detergent

This is not necessarily true. If you use too much detergent you may find that it doesn’t dissolve properly, leaving remnants of soap on clothing which can irritate sensitive skin. This will be most apparent in washing machines that have high efficiency because they use less water during the cycle.

You should also consider the capacity of your drum and whether you’re trying to fit too many items of clothing into your washing machine. A load that is appropriately sized for the drum will result in a much more effective clean. 

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Make Your Clothes Last Longer

 

Whether you’re a total fashionista or you avoid the mall at all costs, you probably spend a lot more than you think on clothing. Since longer-lasting clothing means more money in your pocket, be sure you do all you can to preserve your wardrobe. Of course, it may require changing a few habits.

Caring for your clothes may give a lifetime of 15 years or longer, in comparison with about three years if they may be worn on the whole and no longer maintained.

Listed here are some clothing care tips and ways to make your clothes final longer. 

1. Start with Quality

While we don’t recommend buying overly expensive brand-name garments, it’s always a good idea to purchase quality clothing. By spending more on quality pieces that never go out of style, you create a solid base wardrobe with longevity in mind. You can then add in cheaper, trendier pieces for a season or two without feeling guilty. Those quality investment pieces last longer thanks to thicker fabrics and better construction.

2. Practice Good Hygiene

It may sound simple, but practicing good hygiene – such as showering daily, wearing deodorant and using proper undergarments – can help keep your clothes cleaner and in better condition. Don’t forget that sweat also causes stains. By insisting that your family members treat their clothing with cleanliness and care, you should get some extra uses out of each piece.

It also pays to make sure you wear the right clothes for the right events. If you’re going out to a bar where people smoke, opt for your cheaper wardrobe items.

3. Iron With Care

Electric and Coal Iron can completely ruin your garments, leaving them with weaker fibers and shiny patches. When you iron, you’re using heat to loosen fabric fibers and press them flat. Unfortunately, there’s also a good chance you can end up burning or yellowing the fabric if you’re not doing it properly. Using too much heat on delicate fabrics can completely ruin them.

The best for your garments is to Steam Press them. It uses moisture and heat to release wrinkles while not causing any over heat marks on the fabric.

4. Store Everything Properly

If you are not going to put on an outfit for a full season, you then should store it with care.  It is important to also bear in mind how you are storing your clothes.   Inexpensive plastic or wire hangers will stretch out the shoulder of a garment while wooden hangers are best for men's suits or heavier objects. 

Even if you’re short on space, resist the urge to pack your closet full of clothes. Squishing a ton of items next to each other can result in wrinkling and fading as the fabrics are constantly mashed together

Excess moisture and heat can encourage mold growth – even on clothes. The mantra for your closet should be “cool and dry.” Never store clothes in a humid bathroom or moist basement closet.

5. Don't Use Dry Cleaning Too Much

Not only is dry cleaning expensive, but harsh chemical compounds like Starch and PERC, will damage the fabric. Most of us dry wash easy things too. It can be better to steam your garments with a steamer.

Attempt spot cleaning or hand-washing until a deep clean is absolutely necessary. 

6. Take Care When Washing

The easiest way to prevent clothes from fading or carrying out is to scrub them with cold water and use less detergent. Wash smooth garments on their own. Many consumers additionally swear with the aid of the garments-preserving power of Woo-lite merchandise. 

7. Dress After Your Hair and Makeup

Women’s clothing often takes more of a beating when compared to men’s. Why? Because women use cosmetics that can stain and fade garments. By doing your hair and makeup before you get dressed, you can avoid those pitfalls.

Unfortunately, not all clothing items are meant to last forever. They’re bound to wear out, fade, and change shape after repeated use. Still, by being a little more careful in the way you clean, handle, and store your clothes, you can get months and even years of extra wear out of each piece. When you multiply those results by the number of members in your family, it adds up to big savings.

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DRYING LAUNDRY INDOORS COULD BE DEADLY!

Drying your wet clothes indoors “can pose serious health risk”. Damp clothes help deadly spores breed, warn doctors:

 

Drying washing indoors can pose a serious health risk to people with weakened immune systems or severe asthma, doctors have warned.

• Drying washing indoors causes moisture levels to rise indoors by 30%
• This creates an ideal breeding ground for mould spores to grow
• Experts are particularly worried about Aspergillus fumigatus spores
• Rising numbers of patients have been treated after inhaling them
• Spores cause lung infections such as pulmonary aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is the name of a group of conditions caused by a fungal mould called aspergillus. It usually affects the windpipe, sinuses and lungs, but it can spread to anywhere in the body. Depending on a number of factors, the symptoms of aspergillosis can vary in severity from mild wheezing to coughing up blood.

As with today's scenario, the rapid increase in the population and congestion of space; lot of people have resorted to drying their laundry indoors. A recent study by Professor David Denning and his team at the National Aspergillosis Centre in Manchester has discovered that drying laundry indoors poses a serious health risk. 

Clothes draped on drying frames or warm radiators can raise moisture levels in the home by up to 30 per cent, creating ideal breeding conditions for mould spores. Experts are particularly concerned about Aspergillus Fumigatus spores, which can cause lung infections.

Professor Denning said: ‘One load of wet washing contains almost two liters of water, which is released into the room. Most of us are either immune to the fungus which grows in these humid conditions, or have a sufficiently healthy system to fight the infection.

But in asthma sufferers it can produce coughing and wheezing, and in people with weak or damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, AIDS patients and people who have an auto immune disease, the fungus can cause pulmonary aspergillosis – a condition which can cause irreparable, and sometime fatal, damage to the lungs and sinuses. 

Craig Mather, a father of three from Bolton, contracted tuberculosis in 1997. The disease left his lungs weak and aggravated the problems he had been left with after childhood asthma.

A previous study carried out by the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow found many homes had too much moisture. Up to one third of this moisture was attributed to drying laundry. The researchers have now called on house builders to build dedicated drying areas into new housing to address the serious health concerns and with the aim to curb it successfully. 

Doesn't this come to our wonder that our day to day practices of drying clothes indoors is causing so much harm to the family? But now NO MORE HARM as the smartest thing that you can do is outsourcing it to THE LAUNDRY BASKET.

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Common Mistakes Made While Washing Clothes

Are you using too much detergent? Overloading the washer? Overdoing the bleach? Here are some tips to help you through your laundry day.

Better enough, if you want to save yourself this hassle, just outsource your laundry to The Laundry Basket (www.thelaundrybasket.in) and get your laundry delivered within 24 hours; Fresh Off The Press!

 

1. Rubbing Stains Furiously

This can make the stain worse and possibly wear away the fabric. Instead, be gentle and methodical. Treat the stain as soon as you can; the less time that elapses, the more success you’ll have. And always use a white cloth so that colors can’t transfer. Dab, rather than rub, working from the outside in to keep the stain contained.

 

2. Using Too Much Detergent

It’s a myth that more the foam, more the cleaning. Excess foams can hold dust pulled from clothes and get caught in areas that won't rinse clean, like under a collar, leading to bacteria buildup. Overzealous detergent usage will also wear out your washing machine quicker. Washing machines use less water nowadays, plus washing detergents are more concentrated so you don’t have to use as much. Stick to the suggestion on the side of the bottle and don’t go over.

3. Washing Too Hot

Unless you’ve recently got back from The Sunburn Festival or just completed a Desert Safari you shouldn’t be washing your clothes on the highest program as this will quickly wear them out. As a general rule of thumb a 40° cycle will be suitable for 90% of your laundry needs i.e. day-to-day T-shirts, shirts, sweats, jeans, underwear etc.

4. Excessive Tumble-Drying

If drying space is at a premium in your house then understandably you’ll want to dry your damp clothes as quick as possible, but it also means that your clothes are at risk of shrinking. Make sure you’ve read the care label and you only tumble-dry the garment at the suggested temperature.

5. Forgetting To Empty Pockets

Whether it’s a pack of chewing gum or your recently upgraded iPhone, neither are items you’d want to accidentally leave in your jeans pocket when you’re gathering up the laundry. It goes without saying, but double-checking of all trouser pockets before throwing them in the washing machine will save you the trauma of a having to explain the damage to your insurance company.

6. Using Wire Hangers

Wire coat hangers are the work of the devil and are therefore guaranteed to destroy the shape of the shoulders on coats and tailoring over time. Avoid them at all costs. Invest in a set of good quality, wooden hangers for hanging coats and tailoring. For shirts, tees, polos and trousers, a set of decent plastic hangers will do the job perfectly.

 

8. Washing Shirts All Buttoned Up

This seems like a good idea, but it can stress buttons and buttonholes and lead to premature pop page. Take the time to unbutton before tossing clothes in the washer.

7. Washing Denim Too Soon/Often

Washing denim on a regular basis will cause your jeans to lose their natural indigo color. And in the case of poor quality jeans, you’ll notice they wear out a lot quicker if you keep machine washing them. Generally speaking if you’ve invested in a pair of quality, raw denim jeans it’s advisable that you wear your jeans as often as possible for at least 6 months before washing them. Spot clean any minor stains in the interim or hang them up outside to combat any odors.

HAPPY LAUNDERING !

Still finding it difficult or feeling lazy to do it by yourself? Don't worry The Laundry Basket is here.

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Do  you think Barack Obama does his own laundry? Why not?

Because he has other important things to do! So do you!

Life is busy enough as it is! Don't let laundry overwhelm you. Why be stuck at laundry when you can be out socializing or fetching time for what's really on your mind.

"SWAP LAUNDRY HOURS WITH HAPPY HOURS"  

Almost any odd job can be outsourced these days at a reasonable price. The cost of outsourcing tasks is worth it if they can save you some time and tedium and the same goes with the LAUNDRY - A NEVER  ENDING STORY!

Laundry is something that everyone dreads; whether you have your maid doing it for you or your washing machine, it still is a painful task.

"LAUNDRY IS NO FUN SO WE GET IT DONE "

Wiping laundry off your weekly to-do list can become the most liberating exercise; you should definitely try it once to believe it.

The Laundry Basket provides pick-up and drop-off services for your laundry and promises to deliver them within 24 hours. What's more is that all your garments shall be washed separately in a separate machine. Even if it is just 2 Kgs of garments, it shall be washed separately. This way, colour bleed from someone else's garments does not damage your clothes and more importantly hygiene is ensured. Also, since your garments are washed separately, all types of garments, including socks and undergarments, can be given, except of course any garments that bleed colour which have to be removed  

Investing in a laundry service shall make you richer because it will make you happier:)

So, #OutsourceYourLaundry and use the spare time to do something you always longed for; build your business or dance in the kitchen with your partner or maybe just roll down a hill with your kids .

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Ultimate Laundry Day Hacks!

#OutsourceYourLaundry

Buying clothes is an investment and to make sure your clothing looks its best can be such a chore especially if you are trying to tackle a stain. To help you say bye to the most stressful day of your week we bring out some super easy laundry hacks and tricks-

1. REVIVE OLD TOWELS - Freshen them up with vinegar, baking soda and hot water; they will be just as soft as when they were new.

 2. NO WRINKLES - Dilute a little fabric softener with water to make your own wrinkle spray. The ratio should be about 1 part fabric softener to 10 parts of water. The easiest  way is to just hang them right after the dryer cycle's over. That way your pants won't be wrinkled when you need them.

3. RESIZE THE SHRUNKEN CLOTHES - Just because it got shrunk doesn't mean it got ruined forever. Soak them in baby shampoo and water, even hair conditioners work, just soak your shrunken piece of clothing in lukewarm water with some hair conditioner for few minutes and gently stretch them back to normal size.

4. TACKLING GREASE STAINS - If laundry detergent fails to work, try dish soap. Even chalk works on grease stains and so does baby powder. Gently brush on some baby powder, sweep off the excess, then let it sit for a few minutes. Repeat until the stain is gone.

5. ABOLISH INK STAINS - Remove them easily by pre-treating with hairspray or hand sanitizer. If you don't happen to have a hair spray or hand sanitizer, use 2:1 ratio of milk to vinegar as pre-treatment. Wash as normal and all the stains should be lifted.

6. WHITE BREAD CAN BLOT OUT A LIPSTICK STAIN - Cut off the crust, wad up the soft centre into a ball, then blot. Anything that remains should come out in the washer.

7. VINEGAR IN THE LAUNDRY - A little vinegar goes a long way. Use it for your towels, your workout clothes and anything else that's a little sour-smelling. Whiten clothes with vinegar. Add it at the beginning of the wash so your clothes don't smell vinegar-y at the end.

8. DRYING SWEATERS - Dry sweaters faster by making a towel burrito, lay your sweaters out on a dry towel; then roll them up together like a yoga mat. Don't wring the towel, just press, gently.

Laundry is evolving; Few laundry hacks to make your life easier. Be more efficient and have more fun with these tricks.

HAPPY LAUNDERING !

Still finding it difficult  or feeling lazy to do it by yourself don't worry The Laundry Basket is here.

Schedule your pick up now at www.thelaundrybasket.in or Download Our App from The Play Store (Coming Soon To iOS).

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