Teaching Laundry Skills to College Bound Students

Laundry for some is quite a chore while for others, like me, I find it therapeutic. Now, you might suggest that I come over and do yours. I wouldn’t mind, but I have my hands full over here with four children who never show up to dinner empty-handed. No they aren’t bringing over a nice gift for their mother; they are bringing over their dirty laundry. 

College students are not the only ones complaining; some housekeepers also find it challenging. At one of my recent household trainings, getting all the laundry completed on time before the end of a workday seems to be a big issue. It isn’t always a lack of competence; you just need a good system in place. 

So here are some of the tips for all of you and especially those venturing out far away from their nests.

• Begin your laundry first thing in the morning. Choose the same day per week to wash sheets and towels. Then strip the bed and collect all dirty laundry from a hamper. Doing sheets first is helpful so that you can put the bed together soon after in the event you don’t have a second set of sheets.

• Separate piles according to color, type of item and bulk.  Separate those things that need to be hand-washed from those that go to the cleaners.  Utilize laundry bags to help with the separation and garment bags for washing smaller items like socks so you don’t lose them in the washer.

• While you have a wash going, begin to hand wash your delicate items.  These include bras, and other mostly female undergarments. Have available the right gentle hand-washing detergent like Woolite. Be sure to view labels and understand what temperature of water should be used on each garment.

• Keep a close eye on the time so that the minute the washer stops you are ready to move the washed items into the dryer. Check each item to be sure that it can go in the dryer. Many things are better preserved when hung up to dry. Turn t-shirts with emblems on them and jeans inside out to prevent fading. Shake everything before putting it into the dryer (this helps prevent wrinkles). Empty out the lint tray.

• Dry towels and sheets separately.  This way, the towels can dry longer without damaging sheets. Remember anything that is thrown in the dryer repeatedly and for a lengthy period of time will eventually wear down the fabric and fade.

• When the dryer stops, step right in to begin folding. Have a good flat surface available for laying out the washed items or use padded hangers for those items that can be hung-dry. The sooner you fold the items while still warm, the easier it is and less wrinkled they will look. Folding is an art and it requires that you fold each item exactly the same way so that everything appears neat in the drawer or cabinet. Find the way to fold things to save space.

• Set aside those things that must be ironed by hanging them up or folding them neatly. When you start to iron, be sure to put distilled water into an iron so you can use the steam function to iron out wrinkles. You may need to use a press cloth in between certain delicate fabrics. If you are busy cleaning in between laundry, leave the ironing for the end of the day just as you are placing the dirty rags to wash in a separate wash.   

• Once all your washing, drying, folding and ironing is completed, put things back into their respective cabinets, drawers and closets neatly. There is nothing more appealing to anyone’s eye than opening up a storage area and seeing everything perfectly in its place. It makes finding things easier.

Finally, pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Knowing how to do laundry properly is an art and a valuable skill and certainly one that every college student needs to master.

For more tips, visit martaperrone.com.