Laundry Tips From 'The Clothing Doctor'

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By:Ross Martinez

The average American household does one load of laundry per day -; that's a lot of time in the laundry room. Many people take pride in the appearance of their families' wardrobe, but all that time in the laundry room might be a waste.

Here are some tips on when to spend time and when to save it while doing laundry:

Spend Time: Hand Washing

If you have to hand wash a garment, it is because it's delicate and needs special care. Let all the water drain out of the basin before moving a fragile or loosely knitted garment. Don't squeeze delicate fabrics in a hurry to remove water; they may stretch or tear.

Save Time: Use Shorter Cycles

Ninety-eight percent of soil comes out in the first two minutes of a wash cycle. Your everyday clothing, without stains or ground-in soil, only needs about six minutes of laundry time, so using shorter wash cycles can save water, time and your dark clothing from fading.

Spend Time: Wash Clothes in Smaller Loads

Don't overload your washer. You may get more clothes in, but they won't come out clean. If a washer is too full, clothes won't agitate or rinse enough. Make sure clothing is equally distributed around the tub of the washer to keep the load balanced during spin cycles.

Save Time: Pouring, Spilling and Dissolving Detergent

Most detergents require you to wait for the washer to fill and detergent to dissolve before adding clothes. That's two minutes per load and more than 12 hours a year spent waiting. The OxiClean Detergent Ball sits in your washer, ready and waiting at all times. Drop it in once and it lasts for 25 loads of laundry - eliminating time spent adding detergent every time you do a load.

Due to the advanced technology of OxiClean Detergent, you won't have to worry about leaving residue on your clothes during the rinse cycle. The low suds detergent rinses clean every time.

Sometimes taking extra time is the best thing you can do to keep your wardrobe looking great, but other times it's unnecessary. Knowing when to spend time washing and when to save it can keep clothes looking their best while giving you more time to show them off.

Steve Boorstein, known as "The Clothing Doctor," is a third-generation dry cleaner and the author of "The Ultimate Guide to Shopping and Caring for Clothing." He has appeared on "The View," "Good Day New York" and the CBS news. - NU

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