Welcome to college life! You’re officially an adult and get to make your own rules—living life how you’ve always wanted. But, there’s another part of being an adult that you weren’t prepared for...doing your own laundry. Maybe someone at home does all the laundry and if you even try you’ll get yelled at for doing it wrong. Maybe you’re not used to the Coe washers. There’s even the chance that you’re one of the lucky ones the Laundry Fairy visits each week, magically making clean clothes appear, pressed and folded on your bed. No matter your background, this is your life for the next four years. No need to panic, I’ve gathered a list of all the things you need to make Laundry Day stress free.
Laundry Supplies:
1. Laundry Hamper/Basket
2. Detergent (Liquid or Pods)
3. Dryer Sheets/ Fabric Softener
4. Pre-treater/ Stain Removal
5. A place to air dry clothes (hangers in your closet, command hooks, laundry rack)
6. A DampRid* (dries clothes and dehumidifies the air)
7. Steamer* (Can be used to get rid of wrinkles)
(items* are not required to do your laundry, but may prove useful)
Before the Wash:
1. Check your pockets and empty them
2. Zip your zippers
3. Button your buttons
4. Separate clothes with stains from clothes without stains
5. Pretreat stains with your liquid detergent
6. Separate delicate clothing (loose threads, knitted-wear, dress clothes)
7. Check your labels (which clothes say they can’t be machine-washed? You, probably, should not put them in the washing machine)
a. The labels will often tell you whether something should be washed in hot or cold water, as well as what MUST BE washed in the gentle cycle.
stay with you forever.
The Washing Machine:
1. Check the washer before tossing clothes inside
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a. someone may have forgotten a sock, or their favorite shirt
2. Pods and Liquid Detergent
2. Pods and Liquid Detergent
a. Pods: Place the pod(s) in the machine before tossing your clothes in
i. Why? Because the machines have a habit of pushing whatever’s on top to the side of the window. This makes your pod stick to the side, and your clothes end up wet, but still dirty.
b. Liquid: Open the detergent drawer in the top corner of the machine
i. Pour in the detergent to the fill line (appropriate for the amount of clothes)
ii. Close the drawer all the way
3. You may now toss in your clothes
4. Make sure you close the machine all the way, but NO SLAMMING
a. Why not? Because that impact affects the mechanism that keep the door in place, and locked. It if gets loose or broken the machine won’t work.
5. Choose the setting for the specific laundry load.
a. Stained Clothing: Regular or Delicate Setting, hot water
b. Heavy Duty Setting: If the load of laundry fills the entire machine
c. Delicates Setting: Dress clothes, graphic T’s, knitted wear, your favorite hoodie, etc...
d. Perm Press Setting: For all other clothing items (jeans, t-shirts, etc...)
e. Normal Eco Setting: To save on energy, but not necessarily time.
f. Timed Washing: When you want your clothes in the washer for the shortest amount of time
6. Click start and WAIT!
(please, do not leave that room before checking to see if the red dot is glowing)
a. Wait for that red dot and the clicking noise that follows.
b. I’ve heard many stories of Kohawks finding dry clothes in the washing machines.
c. The machine may be broken, and you’ll come back to find you have to start all over.
d. If no other machines are available, someone will probably move your clothing to the laundry table (if they’re in a good mood).
7. Set a timer before you leave
a. You do not want to come back in an hour to find your nice clean clothes on the floor.
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The Dryer:
1. Separate the clothes that MUST be air-dried (jeans, clothes that will shrink, etc...)
a. Don’t forget to bring the basket back with you for this step.
2. Check for any random socks (or other items) before tossing in your clothes
a. Someone may have forgotten his or her lucky sock.
3. Check for lint
a. Buildup of lint can affect how long it takes clothes to dry and is even a fire hazard. It also sticks to clothes and may ruin your favorite hoodie.
b. Grab a tissue (or an old sock you lost the match to) and clean out the lint trap.
If There are No Free Dryers:
4. Check to see if any machines have stopped or which have the lowest wait times.
5. If a machine’s time is up, wait five minutes for the owner (they may be running from practice or rehearsal).
6. If the owner has not returned within five minutes and there are no other dryers available:
a. Check to see if their laundry is dry or wet
i. If it is, please start the dryer for them (It’s the kind thing to do)
ii. If not, move onto the next step
b. Wait another five minutes (Laundry courtesy)
7. If the owner has not returned after those 10 minutes:
a. Neatly place their dry clothes in a neat pile on the laundry table.
i. If they only have blankets or towels, you can fold it for them
ii. It'll make you feel good on the inside :0)
b. If there is no laundry table (and you need to get laundry done).
i. Move their clothes to an empty washing machine
1. Make sure you have ALL their clothes in the same place
ii. Move your clothes to your laundry hamper, then move their clothes into the washer (Leave the door open, so others know they are dry).
Congrats! Now you know how to properly do laundry at Coe. Being able to do laundry is a life skill everyone should know how to do. This list is far from complete, but some personal modification will make your clothes clean and fresh. If you found any of these tips helpful, please feel free to follow the Learning Commons on Facebook and Instagram. If you have any questions, come to the Stewart Memorial Library and leave a note in our brand-new Suggestion Box - with the words “SUGGESTION BOX” on the front- or leave a comment down below.
Further Questions:
What is the difference between liquid detergent, pods, and powder detergent?
This article, by Mary Marlowe Leverette, spells out all the differences and even recommends which detergent is best for your usage.
Are there any ways to DIY my laundry supplies?
There are many Do-It-Yourself stain remover pins on Pinterest, I personally haven’t tried any of them out, but Katie Wells has! In her blog she has many recipes for spot treatments, as well as a graphic matching the solution to the stain.
Why do you suggest waiting for people when they should just show up on time?
I plan on writing a short article in the future explaining my idea of “laundry courtesy”, but the simple answer is that no one wants to find their clean clothes on the dirty floor, or discover their favorite jersey, or even undergarments, are missing. This includes the person who’s late to grab their laundry, and you.
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