College is a huge life adjustment for most students, no matter who you are or where you’ve come from. As well as learning to live with new people and keep your studies on track, you’re also forced to wave goodbye to the laundry fairy—better known as mom or dad.
In this blog post, we’ve compiled 4 of our best tips in our college students’ guide to laundry, which is a must-have cheat-sheet designed to mentor you through your new-found independence.
The College Students’ Guide to Laundry
1. Preparation Is Key
The most important thing to remember when it comes to the college students’ guide to laundry is that preparation is key to success. Just like your exams or assignments, planning ahead is a surefire way to avoid any disasters and keep your laundry pile at bay.
Here are some quick-fire tips to get you started:
Decide on the best day of the week for you to do your laundry and stick to it. Most students will probably opt for the weekend, so you can avoid the laundromat rush by choosing a weekday evening or early morning.
Always separate your clothes before washing to avoid any color-running or unexpected shrinkage, check out our dedicated blog on this if you’re unsure where to start.
Read the care labels on your clothes when washing new items – by doing this, you’ll know exactly what temperature to choose for each of your garments in future. No idea what they mean? Not to worry, we’ve got a blog on this too.
2. How to Wash Clothes
If you’ve never done laundry before (or without parental guidance), it’s time to get familiar with the basics. Once you’ve read the care labels and separated your clothes into lights, whites and darks, you’re already halfway there!
There are two key factors to look out for on your college washing machine: temperature and setting. It’s important not to wash certain clothes on a heat that’s too high for the fabric to handle, and different settings are designed for different purposes.
To start washing your clothes:
Fill the drum with your individual piles of laundry
Add your detergent (you can buy this from the store or make your own at home to save on cash)
Select the relevant setting and temperature based on your care labels
Shut the door and turn on the machine
3. How to Dry Clothes
Once your clothes are nice and clean, it’s time to think about how you’re going to dry them. Every college dorm is different: some have dryers available and some offer drying racks instead. If you’ve got both options, the choice is yours – just make sure to check the care labels again to avoid any shrinkage!
To start drying your clothes:
In a dryer – add the clothes along with your dryer sheets or dryer balls, then set the timer and start the machine.
On a rack – hang the clothes and space them apart as much as possible. Try and place them somewhere with good ventilation and plenty of heat to speed up the drying time and avoid a damp smell from lingering. Outside is even better if the weather permits! Some dorms do offer clothes lines, so this is also a great option for super fresh-smelling laundry.
4. Learn the College Life Rules
Once you’ve mastered the washing and drying stages, you’ll be a pro in no time at all. But before you get started on your first load, here are some final pieces of wisdom—the 3 rules of college laundry.
Try to avoid leaving your laundry unattended – take a book or some study materials while you wait for them to finish, or you might find someone has already ended the load to make room for their own!
Don’t place clean clothes on top of the machine – most people pile their dirty laundry on top of the machine while separating, so avoid this area at all costs if you want to cut out any risk of contamination.
Don’t forget to empty your pockets – keycards, money or tech are all luxuries when it comes to college life, so you’ll want to keep these safe from the wrath of the washing machine.
Attending college in Denver and need the help of a laundry service? Instead of searching ‘laundromat near me’ during times of desperation, pay us a visit at WaveMAX instead. Our helpful assistants will guide you through the laundry process, or they can even tackle your load for you. Visit the website now to find out more!
