In a big family, laundry is one of those chores that never seems to be finished. Just when a clean load comes out of the dryer, there is another pile of dirty clothes waiting to be washed. While doing a lot of laundry is part of the deal with a large family, you can stay ahead of the game with a few tips. Here are some essential laundry tips for large families!
Organize Relentlessly
The starting point for managing “endless” laundry is to be organized. You can’t afford to leave your laundry room in disarray, because that will only make the job more cumbersome. The way you organize your laundry room will depend on the size of the room and the needs of your family, but here are three tips to get started:
- Central collection. One of the biggest time wasters when doing laundry is tracking down everything that needs to be washed. Fortunately, this is a job that you can delegate to everyone in the household. Have every family member deposit their dirty clothes in one hamper in or near the laundry room, instead of letting items pile up in each bedroom. If you sort your laundry, have a couple of hampers available and label them so everything lands in the right spot.
- A shelf of essentials. No matter what else you store in your laundry room, you should have one shelf dedicated to nothing but what you need for this chore. Stake out an easy-to-reach shelf for things like detergent, stain remover, dryer sheets, etc. Other items stored in the laundry room can be placed in areas that are harder to get to, since they won’t be accessed as frequently.
- Hang up the ironing board. If you have an ironing board and iron, look for a storage device that will allow you to hang up these items, either on the wall or on the back of the door. This simple step can clear up floor space and make your laundry room much easier to use.
Have Multiple Detergents on Hand
With a large family, your laundry needs are going to vary. For instance, you might have business attire that you or your spouse need for work each day, while your kids will have casual school clothes and also possibly workout gear or uniforms that need to be washed.
Due to this variety, you’ll most likely need more than one detergent to wash all of these garments. Keep a bottle of standard detergent on hand for basic cotton items, and another for cleaning synthetic materials like those found in sports uniforms and activewear. WIN Activewear Detergent is a perfect choice for the latter, as it is designed specifically to clean and remove odor from garments made with synthetic materials.
Stay Ahead of the Game
The dream of doing laundry once per week is probably nothing but a fantasy with a large family. Rather than putting off laundry day and having it get out of control, try staying ahead by doing smaller loads regularly. Once you get into this routine, it will be just another part of your day and won’t seem like as much of a chore.
Care for Your Machines
As you go through load after load of laundry, it’s important to remember that your washer and dryer need to be cared for if they are going to keep providing you with reliable service.
For starters, consistently clean out the lint trap on your dryer, as this will help the machine work efficiently and can reduce the risk of a fire. For the washer (specifically a front-loader), clean the seals around the opening of the machine to clean away any developing mold or mildew. Also, run a cycle without any clothes once in a while by setting the machine to hot and adding a bit of vinegar to the bleach dispenser. (Read our blog post on How to Clean Your Washing Machine for more advice!)
Enlist Everybody’s Help
With a large family, there are plenty of helping hands available. The sooner you can get the kids to help out with their own laundry, the better. Consider taking turns doing loads of laundry or, if you have younger children who may not be ready to operate the machines, get them involved in sorting, folding, and putting away their own clothes.
Try WIN Activewear Detergent Today!
With a lot of laundry to do, you never want to be caught without the right detergent. For all of your activewear and other garments made from synthetic fibers, choose WIN Activewear Detergent. Order a bottle today!