What Laundry Should be Washed in Hot Water and Why
- Published on Tuesday, 12 January 2016 20:29
- Charles
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Not long ago, the New York Times ran a fun story about why most people still clean their clothes in hot water. Even in socialist countries like Germany, fer Gootsake, for whatever reason, they use hot water. The trouble with this is that this habit most often comes down to superstition, along with a dash of stubbornness and maybe even a reluctance to throw out what Mom taught us for good measure. Admit it: old habits die hard, even when you extend that tired old saying to things like cleaning clothes, and even when it’s bad for our budget as well as the environment.
Why do we still cling to the old notion that cleaning clothes in hot water are best? The truth is that sometimes it is best. The trouble is determining when the rule applies and when it doesn’t. Here are some guidelines that will help you, whether you want to break the hot water laundry habit or not.
When to Use Hot Water
Forget what “choosey mothers” choose, or what those pesky treehuggers are screaming, there are times when hot water is the best thing for you to use in your wash. These times are when you are cleaning whites, clothes that are especially dirty–think your kid’s play clothes–and things like diapers that are riddled with germs, use hot water 130 degrees Fahrenheit. As a rule of thumb, hot water is best to remove germs and heavy soiling. Now for the caveat: As effective as hot water is for doing these heavy jobs, there are plenty of instances where using hot water can lead to a disaster. For example, hot water can fade, shrink, and otherwise damage some fabrics. It’s for these reasons that you should always read your clothing labels before deciding to use hot water.
Not to make things any more complicated than they need to be, having all of the wonderful fabrics that we have today naturally leads us to need different washing instructions to keep them looking their best. Fortunately, there are also other practical considerations. Among these are the fact that the lower the temperature of the water in your wash, the less detergent that you need to use for the same job.
Washing heavily soiled clothes in hot water can set stains. In these instances, you should prewash heavily stained clothes in cold water, the wash them in hot water to remove the stain. Rinse water is always cold, so don’t worry about the effect this will have on your clothes. Besides, using cold water for your rinse will reduce wrinkling.
If the hot water myth has still got you firmly in hand, there is another option: try The Laundry Center for your nyc laundry pickup and delivery. Not only will you be guaranteed the best results in your wash, but you will have them picked up and delivered free of charge, regardless of how they are washed.
Laundry Care Symbols Demystified: Wash Day Hieroglyphics Made Easy
- Published on Tuesday, 05 January 2016 02:44
- Charles
- 0 Comments
If the next time you do laundry you end up cursing yourself because you never took that class in hieroglyphics, don’t stress. First, those little symbols that you find all over the labels of your clothes aren’t ancient messages from the Egyptian pharaohs. Instead, they are encrypted messages from the makers of your clothes that tell you how to best treat your fabrics. Either way, if they might as well be Greek to you, fear not. This article will serve as your “pointee-talkee” for getting help from laundromat scholars.
Kicking the Bucket. One common symbol on clothes is a cross section of a bucket. This generally means that the item is washable, but with certain conditions regarding temperature, cycle, and other. When the bucket has one dot inside of it, wash it in cool or cold water. With two dots, use warm water. With three, use hot water. A bucket without a line under it means to wash normally. One line under the bucket means permanent press. Two lines under the bucket mean to wash with delicates. If the bucket has either an “X” through it or hand in it, do not wash the item.
Triangles. Triangles indicate the use of bleach. A clear triangle indicates bleach when needed. A triangle with diagonal lines through it means to use non-chlorine bleach as needed. A triangle that is black and has an X through it means not to bleach the item.
Squares with Circles. Symbols that show a circle inside of a square indicates tumble drying. When the circle is filled in, you can tumble dry with no heat. With one dot inside the circle, use low heat. With two dots in the circle, use medium heat. With three dots in the circle, use high heat. With no dots, use any heat. With a circle alone in the square, use the normal cycle. With one line, use the permanent press cycle. With two lines, use delicate or gentle cycle. If the symbol has an X through it, do not tumble dry the item.
Lone Square. Lone squares indicate the drying. A square with a lip on the top indicates to line dry the item. A square with three vertical lines in it indicates to drip dry. A square with a horizontal line in it indicates to flat dry the item. A square with two diagonal lines in it means to line dry in the shade. An X through an empty box means do not dry. A symbol that looks like a cloth being wrung with an X through it means to not wring the item.
Irons. An iron symbol is the ironing instructions. An iron with one dot means to iron on low temperatures. An iron with two dots in it means medium temperatures. And an iron with three dots means high temperatures. An iron that looks like it is jetting steam out the bottom with an X across it means to not use steam.
Circles. An open circle means to dry clean the item. A circle with an X through it means not to dry clean the item.
If all of this is still another language to you, contact the Laundry Center of NYC. They not only speak fluent laundry, but they pick up and deliver for free as well.
Laundry Tips for the College Freshman
- Published on Wednesday, 30 December 2015 02:15
- Charles
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Unless you are totally oblivious to what is going on around you, one of the first things you will notice about your college surroundings is that your mother is nowhere to be found. As a result, whether you have a lot of clothes or just a few, getting them clean is your responsibility and yours alone. As a result, if you plan to have any friends, you will need to learn how to wash your clothes. For this you will need to have certain supplies and master a few tasks. This article will serve as your primer to accomplish this monumental job.
1. Buy the tools. As is the case with any job, if you want to wash clothes, you need the tools, specifically detergent, laundry sheets, and a clothing bag or basket. Nobody ever wants to lug a big bottle of detergent to the laundry room, so buy smaller bottles, or better yet, those detergent pods. As for a basket or bag, opt for several so you can separate your laundry as you take them off.
2. Separate your laundry. Separate your laundry into colors, whites, and anything that needs to be done according to specific instructions.
3. Pick a time. As a college freshman, you will learn a lot of things. One of them is when the best times are to do your wash. If you live in a dorm, there will be times when the laundry room isn’t even approachable. Others there won’t be anyone in sight. Learn when the best times are to do your wash. You won’t regret the time you will save.
4. Collect quarters. Whether you use a commercial laundromat or a dorm wash room, chances are good that you will need quarters to use the washing machines and dryers. Don’t count on a change machine being available. Bring your own.
5. Choose your laundry settings carefully. If you’re not interested in having all of your laundry coming out the same shade of grey, you will need to not only separate them, but wash them differently.
6. Fold your clothes immediately. There’s a good reason why so many laundromats have large tables for folding laundry. If you don’t want to look like a wrinkled mess when you get dressed, fold your laundry immediately after they are done in the dryer. You might also want to invest in an iron and small ironing board for touch ups.
If all of this is Greek to you, or you want it to remain that way, you could always call the Laundry Center of NYC to pickup and clean your laundry. Not only will you not have to remember all this information in addition to your trig homework, but they pick up and deliver free too.
Can You Wash Laundry with Dish Soap
- Published on Tuesday, 22 December 2015 20:39
- Charles
- 0 Comments
Well, you’ve done it this time. Amidst all the things you have to do, you forget to buy laundry detergent. Goody. What do you do now? If you’re like most people, your thoughts will probably turn to some kind of alternative, such as, well, liquid dish soap. But we’re talking about your clothes here. Is that a really good idea? As it turns out, yes. Not only is liquid dish soap a perfectly good alternative to laundry detergent, but it really works quite well. Besides, with liquid dish soap, you won’t get dishpan hands, or so we’ve been told.
Getting Down to the Dirties
So, if you have a load to do and you’ve got nothing but dish soap, this is the low down on how to do it best. First, if you’re stuck with nothing but Dawn, you’re in luck. Not only is Dawn one of the cheapest dish soaps available–with the exception of the store brands–Dawn is phosphate-free and hypoallergenic, which means you’ll be going easier on the environment, and anyone in your family who has sensitive skin will thank you as well. If you’re stuck with another brand, you’re on your own and would be best advised to check with a local chemical engineer to make sure you’re safe. Fresh out of chemical engineers? Go buy some Dawn. Then again, as long as you’re out buying Dawn, wouldn’t you just go ahead and buy some detergent? Never mind.
Dawn in the Wash
With your Dawn firmly in hand, you’re ready to conquer the wash. If you are like most people, however, the first think you ask yourself before you drop in that first drop is, “Isn’t this going to bubble all over the place?” The answer is no, especially if you are careful with your measurements. The secret behind this is as follows:
1 teaspoon of Dawn for small loads
2 teaspoons of Dawn for medium loads
3 teaspoons (which equals one tablespoon) of Dawn for large loads
It’s good to remember that we’re not talking about clothing detergents here, so the chances are very good that the makers of Dawn (or any other dish soap) are not inflatable swimming pool concerned with how soft and mildew-smell free your dishes are. As a result, if you do use a dish soap on your clothes, it’s an especially good idea to include a single cup of white vinegar in your wash load to do the fabric softener’s job.
All that’s left to do is to wash your clothes as you normally would. Just next time, remember the laundry detergent when you go shopping. If all of this is too much to remember, there is an alternative. Pick up the phone and call The Laundry Center of NYC. Not only will your laundry be picked up wherever you are, but it will also be delivered, and it won’t smell like Dawn either, because they don’t forget to buy their detergents.
10 Reasons Your Laundry Room Should Have Vinegar
- Published on Tuesday, 15 December 2015 18:23
- Charles
- 0 Comments
When it comes time to wash your laundry, chances are good that the last thing you think of is using vinegar. Certainly not on your laundry, right? Won’t that make your laundry smell like, well, vinegar? The truth is, no. The good news is that vinegar has some qualities that make it the perfect ingredient in your wash. Here are 10 of them.
1. Vinegar adds fluff to your fabrics and towels. Do you like fluffy fabrics and towels? Sure you do. Everybody does. For doing that job there’s nothing better than vinegar. Just add it to the wash and everything will be as fluffy as new again.
2. Vinegar reduces odors in everything. Are you still having a problem with odors after you have washed everything? Try adding some vinegar to your wash. Regardless of how odiferous your laundry might be, with a little vinegar, odors will be gone.
3. Vinegar kills bacteria. Vinegar is a powerful fighter of bacteria in your laundry.
4. Vinegar can replace fabric softener. Vinegar can not only replace your fabric softener since it does the same thing, but it’s cheaper too.
5. Vinegar reduces static. Having a problem with static cling in your laundry? Add some vinegar to your wash and kiss static clean goodbye.
6. Vinegar provides longer-lasting clothes. Vinegar is much gentler on clothes than many detergents. As a result, you will get clothes that aren’t old and faded nearly as fast.
7. Vinegar doesn’t affect sensitive skin. If you are always on the lookout for products that won’t affect your sensitive skin, try vinegar on your clothes. No chemicals? No skin problems.
8. Vinegar reduces allergies. Vinegar doesn’t contain the chemicals and other possibly hazardous additives that commercial detergents have, so the chances are much better that you won’t suffer from the effects of scents.
9. Prevent and reduce color bleeding. A lot of people swear that vinegar is a natural color catcher, and it’s cheaper than commercial products too. As a result, if you are cautious about washing colors together for fear that they might bleed, try vinegar in the wash. Not only is it better than commercial products, but it’s cheaper too.
10. Vinegar keeps your washer cleaner too. Do you get concerned about what you are washing today being affected by what you washed yesterday? If you use vinegar in your wash, not only will your laundry be cleaner, but you won’t have to worry about the after-effects of yesterday’s wash.
Chances are good that by this point you are asking yourself one question: how much should I use? Good question. As a rule of thumb, use 1/2 cup for a full load, and 1/4 a cup for anything smaller. Totally confused now? Why not schedule an online laundry pickup with The Laundry Center in NYC? They’ll pick up and deliver al of your laundry right to your door. That was easy!
How to Stop Laundry Color Bleeding
- Published on Tuesday, 08 December 2015 18:18
- Charles
- 0 Comments
If you have ever had the pleasure of performing the old collage gag of throwing a red sock into another person’s load of sparkling white underwear while it was being washed in hot water, you know very well that colors can run. Unfortunately, now that you’re all grown up, as much fun as the red sock routine was in college, keeping your colors from bleeding today is no laughing matter. In fact, even separating whites from colors is no guarantee of success.
What Causes Color Bleeding?
Color bleeding happens when clothing manufacturers use cheap dyes and/or ineffective dying techniques on their products. Sometimes, dyes are just unstable and not set permanently in the fabric. In some cases also, manufacturers over dye their clothing in order to make them appear brighter and more vibrant when they are on the store shelves. The bad news in this is that the first time you wash them, surprise! Needless to say, they are less bright. Another problem is that colors such as reds and oranges are more susceptible to bleeding.
How to Stop Laundry Color Bleeding
Besides separating whites and colors, which involves considerably more time and effort, not to mention money for more water and detergent, there are certain things you can do to help avoid color bleeding. These include:
Heed the warnings. Clothing that is prone to color bleeding often carries labels such as “Wash Before Wear” or “Color May Wash Down,” or the ever encouraging, “Color Rubs Off.” These are clues that you need to pay more attention to how you wash these items. Even colors that are colorfast should not be thrown in casually with your favorite white dress shirt, so you might want to clean these separately until the color stabilizes.
Watch the fabrics. Choose clothing that is made with synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon tend to hold onto their colors better, and are less likely to bleed.
Change your technique. Many people believe that in order to get their clothes clean they must wash them in hot water, which does no good to prevent color bleeding. The good news is that today’s detergents make the old ideas of hot water obsolete. In fact, hot water opens fabrics that release dyes, so that can make matters worse.
The best solution, by far, is to allow a professional to handle the matter. Not only will your clothes receive the best treatment, but if you work with The Laundry Center of NYC, your dirties (and vibrantly colored) will be picked up, and cleaned (and still vibrantly colored), will be returned to you wherever you are and when you need them.
Does washing laundry in hot water kill germs?
- Published on Tuesday, 01 December 2015 19:42
- Charles
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Spill something on your new dress? Got grass stains from your children’s laundry that needs to come out? Detergent companies have preached the gospel of clean clothes for years, and to a great extent they have accomplished their mission, both of spreading the word as well as getting clothes cleaner. The trouble is that besides getting visual dirt and stains out of our laundry, the detergents we use don’t accomplish much more. Specifically, germs not only remain in our wash, but in some cases they are made worse.
The Laundry Cycle
What most people don’t stop to think about is that just the size of their laundry loads affects how effective their detergents are about killing germs. A family of four, for example, generates approximately five to six loads of laundry per week, assuming an average of 16 lbs of clothing per person. A recent study found that for even clean clothes there were considerable levels of bacteria remaining.
This is especially the case with underwear which, despite being clean, carried an average of 0.1 grams of fecal matter, as well as different types of bacteria. In fact, underwear, towels, and face clothes carried the largest carriers of pathogens, bacteria that causes disease. To make matters worse, these items can be washed with other linens, which only spreads the problem further.
Cross Contamination
If someone in your home is sick, separating his or her clothing from others can help fight the associated bacteria. Unfortunately, what most people don’t think of is the condition of the washing machine and dryer after those clothes are cleaned. In most cases, anything that has come into contact with these clothes will be infected with the bacteria.
Breaking the Cycle
The only way to significantly reduce the amount of bacteria in your wash is to use chlorine bleach, or if you can’t, use a detergent that has peroxide in its formula. If, for whatever reason, you can’t use either one, the best inflatable iceberg way to reduce the amount of germs in your wash is to hang your laundry out to dry in the sun. That’s right. Believe it or not, the sun is considered to be one of the toughest killers of germs available.
If you aren’t inclined to wash and sun dry your laundry to reduce the amount of germs in your wash is to use the Laundry Center in NYC for your wash. Not only will your laundry have the lowest levels of germs on it, but the Laundry Center also offers free pick up and delivery to your door.
Laundry Tips for Removing Sweat Stains
- Published on Tuesday, 24 November 2015 20:17
- Charles
- 0 Comments
Everybody sweats. That’s a fact of life. And try as we might, another fact of life is that sweat stains are often difficult to get out of our laundry, wherever they might appear. It also doesn’t matter whether you are wearing something that has a sweat stain or just looking at it, being around it can make you feel downright unheigenic. And if you really want to feel gross, allow us to tell you what’s in it.
The Dirty Truth
That stuff that is present in your clothes is the result of a chemical reaction of urea–the same broken-down protein as in your urine–along with salts, and the ingredients of your antiprespriants. And if that’s not unpleasant enough for you, try this: that nasty stain is so formidable that you have probably given up on ever getting it out of your clothing. In fact, you have probably thrown away clothes rather than face the prospect of cleaning them. Allow us to save you some money as well as time.
Getting Sweat Stains Out
Getting sweat stains out of your clothes isn’t as hard as is commonly thought. Below are a few of the most common and effective methods:
1. Detergents. Any liquid detergent that is formulated to get rid of high-protein stains is great at getting rid of sweat stains. These detergents commonly advertise themselves as being good on grass stains or as “oxygen cleaning power.” Why they choose to promote grass stains over sweat is beyond us. Regardless, apply the detergent undiluted to the stain and let it sit for about 30 minutes before washing as you usually would.
2. Lemon Juice. Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and water and apply to the stain. Apply some elbow grease, and the stain will be gone.
3. White vinegar. Combine two tablespoons of white–don’t even think about another type–with one cup of water and apply to the stains. Let them work for 30 minutes, then wash. Good-bye stains.
4. Salt. Mix one tablespoon of salt to one cup of water. Mix thoroughly and sponge into the stain until it is gone. Wash as usual.
5. Baking soda. Combine four tablespoons of baking soda with one-quarter cup of water. Sponge the mixture into the stain until it is gone. Wash as usual.
6. Ammonia. Mix equal amounts of ammonia and water. Pour the mixture onto the stain. There’s no need to let it sit. Just wash as usual.
7. Hydrogen peroxide. Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water. Apply the mixture to the stain. Let the mixture work for 30 minutes before washing as you normally would. Do Not use hydrogen peroxide on colors. Hydrogen peroxide will fade colors.
If you’re just not in the mood, or have more valuable things to do with your time, why not send your sweat stains (along with your clothes) to The Laundry Center of NYC? Not only will your clothes be picked up from wherever you are, but they will be delivered–sans sweat stains–to your door. What could be easier than that?
Can Laundry Detergent Kill Bed Bugs?
- Published on Tuesday, 17 November 2015 18:37
- Charles
- 0 Comments
You could be comatose in front of a television and still be aware of the huge problem of bed bugs. It’s no joke. Bed bugs are in literally everything. Fortunately, this nasty little parasite–not the same breed as those that prostelize at your door–is on the run thanks to a lot of good information that’s getting out about how to control them. If you are still trying to find out what to do, revive yourself long enough to gather these few more ideas.
Bed bugs are insects that feed exclusively on blood. If that fact alone doesn’t wake you up, consider this: bed bug bites can cause rashes, allergic symptoms, and psychological effects. The bites of bed bugs are also known to transmit pathogens, which is an umbrella term for a wide variety of diseases.
Now that we have gotten your attention, how do you get rid of bed bugs? First, any symptoms of bed bugs are usually followed up by actually finding them. Since bed bugs are attracted by places that are warm, your home or other dwelling is the natural place to find them. And since bed bugs are nocturnal, they can most commonly be found in beds (duh).
The first step you should take in your eradication program is to have your home professionally cleaned. This will reach all of the tiny places where bed bugs can hide that you probably couldn’t reach, or would if you could. This is fine and dandy, but if you aren’t crazy about having someone spray chemical on your linens, you can easily perform the next step yourself: wash all of your bed linens.
The next question usually is ‘Can laundry detergent kill bed bugs?’ Well, yes and no. The yes part is that nearly any laundry detergent will help to kill bed bugs. Now for the no part: Even laundry detergent won’t kill all bed bugs. The good news is that once your bed linens are finished in the wash, the next step will kill any bed bug that remains: drying. The only thing that is truly effective at killing bed bugs is heat. As a result, you should use hot water on any bed linens that have bed bugs. If your bed linens are colors and you can’t use hot water, wash them as you normally would, then put them in the dryer on “hot.”
What is the best laundry detergent for baby clothes?
- Published on Tuesday, 10 November 2015 19:34
- Charles
- 0 Comments
Just as is the case with so many other things, put a group of mothers in a room and ask them to tell you what the best detergent is for baby clothes, and chances are good that you will get as many different answers. This is only one more tidbit to add to the lore of having and taking care of babies, with each bit of advice sworn to as the best.
The truth is that not only have mothers weighed in on this subject, but so has science. Fortunately, there is a common ground that has been reach by both sides: no dyes or perfumes.
Dyes and perfumes might be great for laundry to look and smell their best, but the truth is that these ingredients are murder on your baby’s skin. In fact, dyes and perfumes are the number one reason babies have irritated skin. The good news in this is that although many detergents claim to be safe for your baby’s skin, there’s no secret formula. All it takes is a “free and clear” product, which means that the formula used contains no dyes or perfumes.
Even if you decide to try a free and clear product on your baby’s clothes, that doesn’t mean that you will need to spend loads of time reading and discerning all of the labels in the detergent section of your market. The truth is that nearly every brand of detergent features a free and clear version of their product.
Besides watching what you add to your baby’s wash, make sure that you don’t include fabric softener, which is most often loaded with perfumes. Fabric softeners are not only some of the most toxic chemical products in your home, but they also have the tendency to break down the fire retardant properties that are included in most baby clothes. Still want a fabric softener? Try using a 1/4 cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle. White vinegar is a natural fabric softener that won’t do anything except soften clothes.
If you would rather not fuss with anything, much less what detergent you use on your baby’s clothes, try using the Laundry Center New York City. Not only will they inflatable fun city be able to use the best products for whatever they wash for you, they have free pickup and delivery too. With the Laundry Center, there is no more need to send your baby to deliver or pickup your wash, and no need for you to do it either.