Home Ec, Laundry 101

Back in the days when our washer and drier were in the same part of the house (and that part was a heated part of the house), I wrote out this primer for The Progeny. I went over the steps first and we did laundry together for several years. Then I gradually handed over all responsibility for the laundry to them.

Currently this doesn't work so well for our house, but when the new house is finished and the washer and drier are no longer divorced, but have reconciled with one another and once more work alongside one another in a happy partnership, we'll go over this again. I found it when I was looking for that laundry soap recipe and thought somebody with a washer and drier on speaking terms might find it useful. Or amusing. Or something.

On days we can’t use the clothesline:
Start:
Gather a load of clothes and put in the washer. Blow your mother kisses as you go by. Set the timer for 1 hour.
Go get a bag for trash. Do not forget to smile cheerily at you mother as you breeze by.
While this first load is washing, totally clear off the surfaces of the washer and dryer.
Check to make sure the lint trap in the drier is clean.
Throw out any empty bottles and boxes.
Put away any bottles, boxes, and anything else that doesn’t go on top of the washer/dryer
Wipe down the top of the washer and dryer.
The only thing you should see on the washer is the laundry soap and maybe a box of borax. That’s it. NOTHING else. Not a barrette, pony tail holder or safety pin. Not so much as a piece of paper or speck of lint. Is it CLEAR? Doesn't it feel good! Hooray!!!
Wipe off front of appliances, using window cleaner or vinegar and water.

Take a bottle of dish soap or pre-treating solution with you and go sort the rest of your laundry. YOu may stop to kiss your mother as you pass through.

Check the pockets of everything. Shake out clothes that are wadded up to make sure there are no crayons or other debris that we do not want inside the washer. Rocks are a big no-no! We shall have to sell one of you the next time a repairman comes out and finds rocks in the machine.

As you sort, check for any stains that should be treated- rub a bit of dish soap or pre-treatment solution on these
Check also for mildew- set these aside for later

Sort your clothes thus: Put reds in one pile; whites in another. Make a pile for denim jumpers, skirts, and blue jeans. Make a pile of lighter weight clothes. Have a pile for towels if you have some in your room (but why do you have the towels in your room?).

Make a pile for delicates- this includes stockings, tights, knee-highs, silk, etc. (Later you will wash these by hand OR put them in a mesh bag and wash them on the gentle cycle, then hang them up to dry over the shower curtain).

Take the sheets and pillowcases off the bed and put them in a pile.

Hang your bedspread outside on the line to air at least once a month. Wash it two to four times a year (or more often as needed)

Get two laundry baskets. Put the next load of dirty clothes in one of them. Leave the other empty for now. Put both baskets in the laundry room.

Kiss Your mother, and if you have time before the timer beeps return to bookwork.
**************************************
When the washing machine is done:
Go to your room and refill a laundry basket with a load of dirty clothes. Get together several coat hangers. Carry coathangers and basket to the laundry room.
Put the wet load in the dryer. Start the dryer.
Put laundry soap in the washer, start the cycle (using proper load size and correct water temperature)
Add dirty clothes to the washer now. Set timer for 40 minutes.
You may go do schoolwork while you wait for the dryer to finish.
Do not forget to kiss your mother.
************************************
When the clothes are dry:
If the washer is also done- then first take the wet clothes out of the washing machine and put them in the empty laundry basket.
Put soap in the washer and start the cycle. Empty the lint trap to the drier. Wipe the drier surface clean of all dust from the lint. Add the dirty clothes to the washing machine, setting a timer for 40 minutes.

If the Washer is NOT done yet, begin here:

If you haven’t already, empty the lint trap of the dryer, putting the lint in the bag of trash that should be in the laundry room and wipe lint dust off the dryer.

NOW- pull clothes out of the dryer one piece at a time while they are still HOT. Neatly fold or carefully hang up each item before you take out the next one. As you fold, use your hand to smooth over the folded item. Your hand plus the heat in the clothes make a great iron! IF the item needs to go on a hanger, briskly give it a good, snappy shake to send those wrinkles flying! Even sheets will be nicer and smoother, though you should fold them down to quarters before smoothing (or just go put them back on your mattress after all the other clothes are folded. YOu will kiss your mother as you pass through, right?).

As you fold, if you notice a stain on something, set it aside for more aggressive stain treatment. If something is torn or missing a button, set it in a pile to be mended. If you come across something that is outgrown or that you simply do not want anymore, fold it neatly and put it with the give aways or pass it on to your smaller sister. (If YOU made it, do NOT give it away- Mother wants to keep it!!!). Don’t spend too much time on this- if you notice, then set the garment aside, but don’t take time to go over every inch of every garment.
Fold the clothes quickly- finish up while they are still nice and warm!

Set the folded clothes on top of the drier (see why you needed to clean the drier top?), keeping your neatly folded clothes in neatly sorted categories. Match socks as you find them, setting the rest to one side. You will find more matches as you wash more socks.
When the drier is empty, put the clean, wet clothes into the drier.
You can put the clean, dried and neatly folded things away now, or wait until you have a larger stack.

Go refill one of the empty laundry baskets with the next load of dirty clothes and put it next to the washer (You did remember to kiss your mother as you passed through, right?).

You may do schoolwork while you wait for the timer to beep.

Keep an eye on things- do NOT let the clothes sit in the dryer. As soon as the clothes are dry, begin again at the highlighted portion beginning ‘when the clothes are dry…

You are done with the laundry when all your laundry is clean, dry, folded, and put tidily away where it belongs, ALL THE SOCKS ARE MATCHED, and your mother has been kissed repeatedly.