This post is sponsored by Lysol. All thoughts are my own.
If you’re like me, laundry is the chore that never ends, right? In today’s post, I’m partnering with Lysol to share some helpful laundry tips to make this chore a little easier to manage!
Tip 1: Bedding- How often should you wash it?
It’s no secret that your bedding builds bacteria daily whether you’re awake or asleep. Anytime you’re in your bed, it’s collecting all sorts of things like dead skin cells, sweat, drool, and more. While your bed is a comfortable space, you may be getting too comfortable with how frequently you wash your sheets. Experts recommend washing them at least every 2 weeks and, if you sweat during the night, every week is best. I can remember actually having to wash mine every couple days during the postpartum period. Those 2 week night sweats were terrible! Sleeping on clean bedding is important, so be sure your bedding hits your laundry list regularly so you aren’t snuggling into bacteria at the end of a long day.
I also like to be sure to avoid wearing socks to bed. You walk around all day in your socks in places that can be filled with bacteria- especially if you have young boys! So I make a point to take my socks off before bed to send all of that bacteria straight into the laundry hamper where they belong. Do you wear socks to bed?
Tip #2: Bath Towels: How often should you wash them?
Many people typically reuse their bath towels a few times. You’re completely clean when you get out of the bath or shower, so it’s totally fine right? Even though it would seem that way, they can also build up bacteria every day. Experts actually recommend washing your towels and air-drying them after 3 uses remove that bacteria so they are fresh and clean.
Don’t forget about the decorative drying towels hanging on the wall in your bathrooms! They also build up bacteria and need to be washed frequently, especially when they’re being handled by multiple hands!
Tip #3: Let your kids help out with the laundry!
Laundry chores are a great way to introduce your kids to responsibility at a young age. Toddlers love to help and there are a variety of ways you can incorporate your kids into your family’s laundry routine.
For little ones, here are a few ways they can help with simple tasks:
- putting clothes into the washing machine
- transferring items from the washer to the dryer (having a front-load or a step stool might make this easier)
- assisting with folding hand towels and face towels;
- matching up socks
- putting clean clothes into their dresser (if they can reach)
- hanging up clothes on hangers
- gathering dirty clothes around their room or bathroom and placing them into the hamper (I find even my older kids have trouble with this)
Allowing your kids to help with laundry not only gives them a personal sense of responsibility but it allows them to take more pride in their clothes. When they are part of the process of cleaning up, they appreciate more of what goes into making a clean space.
Tip #4: Use the NEW Lysol Antibacterial Detergent to Remove Odor-Causing Bacteria:
Lysol just launched their NEW Antibacterial Detergent and it’s a game changer! Most laundry detergents on the market aren’t formulated to remove odor-causing bacteria, but Lysol Antibacterial Detergent is. Most people assume that when you wash and dry your clothing, it comes out clean…..but that isn’t always the case. Odor-causing bacteria can still remain on your clothing after a wash with other detergents. It also works really well to remove visible stains like hazelnut spread, dirt, grass, and more! Now my kids can enjoy their play time while I know I’m putting away clean clothes after the laundry is done.
Lysol Antibacterial Detergent is currently available in select stores: You can find it in Target and Walmart stores in the Tampa area and Denver metro markets. You can also learn more about Lysol Antibacterial Detergent at Lysol.com/Detergent
Lysol is a brand I’ve used and trusted for years for various cleaning products, so I’m really excited about this new laundry detergent and it works great! I’ve really been loving it so far! It’s available in two scents crisp linen (which I’ve been using) and lavender. If you prefer a non-scented detergent, they do also have a free & clear option available!
Tip #5: Manage Your Laundry with a Schedule:
I highly recommend doing 1-2 loads of laundry each day to avoid a huge laundry pile up. 1-2 loads are much easier to manage than 12 all at once! I’ve been there and had to dig myself out the giant, couch-covering monster of clothing! If you’re limited on time, try doing one load in the morning and the second in the evening to further space it out.
Create a designated day for things like bedding so you never forget to wash or go too long in between washes. Things like couch cushions, rugs, and other household items can also be added to the list.
Your specific circumstances will also require different schedules. For example, my boys wear uniforms to school so I need to have 8 clean regular uniforms and 2 clean PE uniforms every week. This is easy to add to the daily schedule so they can wear them over and over. There is nothing worse than having to wake up at 5am on a school day because you forgot to wash the uniforms the night before! Having a schedule definitely helps me stay on track! If you have a newborn, you may also find a need for more frequent, daily loads especially if your baby has wardrobe “malfunctions,” soaks through their bedding, or uses cloth diapers. If you have a large family, or a family member with “work clothes” this also takes priority on the schedule.
Regardless of how many and how often you decide is the best fit for your family, creating a schedule so it flows smoothly and stays manageable for you will definitely make the process easier.
Tip #6: Incorporating Decluttering into your Laundry Routine:
Kids grow SO fast! You get them new clothing and before you know it, everything is too small. It seems to surprise me every time. My boys just recently went up a size in jeans after I got them a bunch of new ones only a few months ago. My daughter also grows fast and, because she gets attached to her outfits, she will try to force herself into everything that is too small for as long as possible.
We like to donate all of our outgrown children’s clothing to family and friends, so I always make sure that it’s washed first. But for awhile, my daughter would get those items out of the folded laundry pile and re-wear them, forcing me to rewash them over and over.
I incorporated a solution for this problem by placing a small bin on the shelf in their closet. When an outgrown item is washed, I immediately place it into the bin for donation. Once the bin is full, it’s time to donate! This makes it SO much easier for the kids to get dressed knowing the items in their closet actually fit (and it saves me from rewashing the outgrown items over and over and over). I love to keep their shared closet organized and love being able to declutter as I go so everything stays manageable.
Tip #7: Wash Like Items Together:
Do you sort your items by color? I received a tip from another mom awhile back about grouping them instead by texture and it really helped! I wash towels only with other towels. I wash jeans only with other jeans. Delicate items are paired only with other similar items. This seems to help protect the clothing from unnecessary wear from rough textures.
Tip #8: Laundry Doesn’t have to be Boring!
You’re going to be doing laundry regularly, so why not make it fun? I am not the type of person to sit and watch a TV show. It’s not that I don’t like it, but I just have such limited “free” time that I’d rather get more done so I can try to get more sleep. However, I love having something on in the background while I’m doing something else to make the best use of that time. Folding my laundry with my favorite TV show on is a great way to take a little time for myself while still getting things done for the household. You can also listen to audio books, call a loved one, or find another way to occupy this time. Perhaps you want to involve your kids to help out and use this time to connect and talk about their day.
Tip #9: Make Your Clothing Convenient for YOU
You likely keep your clothing in a closet, your underwear in a drawer, and your towels in a linen closet. It makes sense. It’s practical to hang your clothes up. It’s practical to have towels stored in the bathroom where they are needed. But what unconventional ways can you put items away that may make life easier?
One “hack” I’ve done for my kids is keeping their daily items in places you may not expect. For example, they each have a drawer in their bathroom where I keep their underwear and socks. No one else uses their bathroom and they’re in there every morning getting ready for school or getting ready for bed after a bath or shower. These daily items are easily accessible and conveniently located FOR THEM in a way that promotes their independence and allows them to get ready without relying on me to pull those items for them.
Next, I found getting ready for school in the morning was a bit hectic so I simplified the “looking for what to wear” step by keeping only their school uniforms hung up in the laundry room, which is right off the kitchen. It’s actually IN the kitchen if we’re being technical because we’re in an apartment. They have the most organized closet you’ve ever seen, but the boys’ area is up so high that even I have to stand on my tip-toes to reach the hangers! This means they aren’t able to get things themselves. Having their school clothes in their own space makes it so easy to find in the morning after breakfast! (They aren’t pictured here for privacy reasons.)
These little hacks may not work for everyone, but they work for us! How can YOU find unconventional ways to make your life just a little bit easier by changing a few things around?
Tip #10: Keep Your Laundry Room Clean and Safe:
Remember to take time to check in on your laundry appliances. Washers and dryers need to be serviced and cleaned regularly. Add your servicing and cleaning schedule to your calendar for an easy reminder so you don’t wait too long in between.
Always remove lint from the dryer before starting a new load. Be sure to observe safety guidelines for operating your machines.
If your children are old enough, teach them how to correctly and safely operate the machines even if you don’t require them to do so regularly. This will prepare them for any future situations where you may not be available. You can also print out step-by-step instructions and store in your laundry room for easy access. This is not only helpful for your older children, but for any guests who may visit who are unfamiliar with your machines.
Most importantly, keep all laundry detergent and like items stored in a safe place away from small children.
Watch my Laundry Tips Reel:
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Hope you found some helpful ideas here!
Doing laundry is certainly a chore, but I hope you found a few tips here to make your laundry routine a little easier and more fun! If you have some fun laundry hacks or tips, I’d love for you to share below. I’m always excited to learn new ways to do the same things!
Learn More About Lysol Antibacterial Detergent:
VISIT LYSOL.COM/DETERGENT FOR MORE INFO!
What are some of YOUR favorite laundry tips?
What do you think?