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- How to Clean a Sink or Bath
- How to Wash Dishes in a Shared Kitchen
- How to Make Your Bed
- How To Sort your Clothes Ready For Washing
- How to Wash Your Clothes
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How To Wash Your Clothes
Lovely Launderettes
Halls of residence and private accommodation will probably have a launderette which is a shared space with coin operated washing machines and dryers. If you feel intimidated about using a washing machine especially an unfamiliar one, don't worry. You are not alone.
A good tip is to visit the launderette sometime when it isn't busy and just have a look around. Identify the washing machines and the tumble dryers. They look similar but the washing machines fill with water and wash your clothes while the dryers just tumble dry your clean,wet clothes. Don't laugh. It's quite normal at the beginning of the year to find bewildered students watching their dirty,detergent covered clothes slowly tumble drying and wondering where the water will come from!
Washing machines have a control panel something like this:
Halls of residence and private accommodation will probably have a launderette which is a shared space with coin operated washing machines and dryers. If you feel intimidated about using a washing machine especially an unfamiliar one, don't worry. You are not alone.
A good tip is to visit the launderette sometime when it isn't busy and just have a look around. Identify the washing machines and the tumble dryers. They look similar but the washing machines fill with water and wash your clothes while the dryers just tumble dry your clean,wet clothes. Don't laugh. It's quite normal at the beginning of the year to find bewildered students watching their dirty,detergent covered clothes slowly tumble drying and wondering where the water will come from!
Washing machines have a control panel something like this:
Tumble dryers are less complicated - just a coin slot and perhaps a choice of drying heat. They start automatically when you shut the door and stop when you open it so you can get things out during the cycle.
You need to note the price of both the washing machine and the tumble dryer and the coins you will need. It's very annoying to drag all your washing to the launderette, load a machine and then find you haven't got the right change! If the tumble dryers take 50p coins, bring several. If they take 20p bring loads. Sadly, even 50p worth of drying time won't get many clothes dry.
Just a couple more things about launderettes. The washing machines take about 40 minutes to wash your clothes. That's much faster than a domestic washing machine.You may find that stains don't come out as well as at home because of this fast washing time.If that's the case you may find this page useful:
How To Remove Stains From Clothes
The other thing to remember is that if you put too many clothes in the machine, the water and detergent can't circulate properly and again your clothes won't get a proper wash. So it's best to only 3/4 fill the drum. The same is true of tumble dryers but they are usually bigger than the washing machine drum so it shouldn't be a problem.
Before you take your dirty washing to the launderette you need to do a bit more planning.
This is what you need:
1 A laundry basket
(a large carrier bag will do but you can buy a cheap folding one from Primark or Poundland. See the pictures on the page How To Sort Your Clothes
2 Washing powder or liquid
(see Detergent Dilemmas )
You can sometimes buy detergent from a machine in the launderette, but it is much cheaper to bring your own.
3 Coins for the launderette
This is what you do:
1 Sort your washing.
Read the page How To Sort Your Clothes Ready For Washing.
If your 2 piles of clothes are quite small and together they fill your laundry basket, you can wash them together. This isn't ideal as eventually you will notice your white things looking a bit grubby, but it does save money and energy. If either pile is already big enough to fill your basket, choose the biggest or most important pile to wash now.
You need to note the price of both the washing machine and the tumble dryer and the coins you will need. It's very annoying to drag all your washing to the launderette, load a machine and then find you haven't got the right change! If the tumble dryers take 50p coins, bring several. If they take 20p bring loads. Sadly, even 50p worth of drying time won't get many clothes dry.
Just a couple more things about launderettes. The washing machines take about 40 minutes to wash your clothes. That's much faster than a domestic washing machine.You may find that stains don't come out as well as at home because of this fast washing time.If that's the case you may find this page useful:
How To Remove Stains From Clothes
The other thing to remember is that if you put too many clothes in the machine, the water and detergent can't circulate properly and again your clothes won't get a proper wash. So it's best to only 3/4 fill the drum. The same is true of tumble dryers but they are usually bigger than the washing machine drum so it shouldn't be a problem.
Before you take your dirty washing to the launderette you need to do a bit more planning.
This is what you need:
1 A laundry basket
(a large carrier bag will do but you can buy a cheap folding one from Primark or Poundland. See the pictures on the page How To Sort Your Clothes
2 Washing powder or liquid
(see Detergent Dilemmas )
You can sometimes buy detergent from a machine in the launderette, but it is much cheaper to bring your own.
3 Coins for the launderette
This is what you do:
1 Sort your washing.
Read the page How To Sort Your Clothes Ready For Washing.
If your 2 piles of clothes are quite small and together they fill your laundry basket, you can wash them together. This isn't ideal as eventually you will notice your white things looking a bit grubby, but it does save money and energy. If either pile is already big enough to fill your basket, choose the biggest or most important pile to wash now.
2 Take your dirty laundry, detergent and correct change to the launderette.
3 Select a machine (make sure it's a washer and not a dryer!)
4 Load in your washing.
Just pile it in, making sure the drum isn't so full the clothes can't move around (3/4 full is about right). If you are using liquid tablets/sachets they need to go in the drum with your washing.
5 Add powder/liquid/conditioner in the dispenser as directed.
Check the amount first by looking at the detergent box/bottle. Use the maximum amount as launderette machines are generally bigger than normal.
6 Feed in the coins as directed
And it should start!
If you are still uncertain, ask someone else. Everybody has had to learn to use a launderette and no one will think you are stupid. When the machine stops (usually after about 40 minutes)
7 Remove your wet washing when the machine stops.
There is sometimes a time delay of a couple of minutes before the door will open.
8 Pile it either back into your laundry basket or a basket provided.
9 Load it into a tumble dryer.
Don't forget you may have a few things that can't be put into the dryer!
You probably have a choice of drying heats so select the WARM (LOW) one if you have a mixture of clothes.You won't know how long things will take to dry so just put in the minimum amount of money for now. A lot of people will tumble dry their clothes for the maximum time (an hour or so) and go away while they are drying. This is OK but some items (ie sheets, shirts) will be bone dry and creased by then.
It's a good idea to keep testing for dryness and removing items that might need ironing (shirts, t shirts) while they are still very slightly damp. Things like socks, pants and jeans need to be really dry though. As you remove things, fold them and put them back into your laundry basket to take home.
You will find that unlike a washing machine, you can open the dryer door whenever you want and check/remove items. When you close the door, the dryer starts again.
Now, back to your room.
10 Hang up your damp clothes.
If you remembered to take shirts and t shirts out of the dryer while they are still a bit damp, give them a good shake and put them on individual hangers to dry. You may need to be inventive to find space in your room. Hopefully, they will quickly dry and you will find they are almost crease free.
If you have wet clothes that couldn't be tumble dried, roll them in a large, clean towel and then hang them up or leave them flat on a clean surface. See tips in the video clip about hand washing clothes.
11 Put away your dry clothes.
Get into the habit of folding, hanging and putting away clothes.
Phew! Job done! Have a well deserved break. It really will get easier the more times you do it.