How to do your laundry

Laundry doesn’t have to be as intimidating as this photo looks. (Bryn Karcha photo)

Helpful hints for fresher threads, sans mom’s shiny high-efficiency front-end loader.

• Separate lights, brights and darks.
• Unball your socks.
• Empty the lint trap every time.
• The hieroglyphics on tags are called Common Care Symbols. See Google.
• Get a drying rack for delicates.
• Over-washing wears clothes out. Sniff check.
• Time your load. Wait too long and your stuff will end up in a soggy pile atop the machine.
• Fold knits, hanging will stretch them.
• Wash new towels by themselves.
• Heat sets stains. Check that coffee spot before throwing it in the dryer.
• Buy baby/organic laundry products for sensitive skin.
• Dryer sheets shield clothes from public dryer lint.
• Don’t overfill small machines.
• Always wash your pillow case.

And remember, for low maintenance laundry, buy low maintenance clothes. When tempted to cheat, remember Spiderman 2, when Peter Parker turns his underwear pink by washing them with his Spidey suit. Don’t be that guy.