PHOTO Corbis
SORT THE COLOURS
Have two laundry baskets beside your washer – one for light-coloured clothes, the other for dark colours. Separating your wash lessens the risk of darker colours bleeding into the lighter ones. And if accidents do happen, just run the same load through a second wash, this time with colour-safe bleach and a regular detergent.
SEPARATE TOWELS FROM CLOTHES
The thicker towelling material can be slightly abrasive on your work clothes, especially delicate pieces.
FADE THEM NOT
Turn clothes inside out before washing to protect the colours and reduce pilling.
NET THE SOCKS
Stop wasting time hunting for lost socks. Place a small laundry net in the laundry basket and get the family to throw their dirty socks into it.
PRE-TREAT STAINS
Treat a stain by rubbing it with tap water (not hot water, which sets the stain) and detergent before putting the item in the washing machine. Samsung’s Activ Dualwash range of top-loading washers (from $899, from major electrical stores) has a small built-in basin for you to presoak soiled items. A push of a button activates the water jet, and the basin has ridges if the stains need some good old scrubbin’.
This story was first published in Simply Her October 2015.
