How To

Sorting Laundry Like a Pro {Free Printable}

Kate | Be Happy and Do Good
sorting laundry like a pro

This might sound crazy, but I don’t throw all our laundry into the machine at once. Instead, I sort our laundry into loads based on color and clothing type. For some, this is a radical idea. Truthfully, I never really gave sorting laundry all that much thought until I started teaching FCS Classes. I was shocked by the number of students who told me they NEVER sort their laundry at home. *GASP*  There is NO WAY I’m washing underwear and stinky socks with my delicate dress clothes! (The closer it is to your body, the more you probably want to disinfect it using hotter water.) If you aren’t sure where to start with the laundry, I’ve included a free printable, just for you. 🙂 Hang it in the laundry room or print it out to send with a college student. But before we wash, we must sort…

Sorting Laundry Like a Pro…

  1. Decide what color groups go together & sort. I like to have at least five piles of laundry. (See my free printable below.) And, I do them in this order:
    • Light colors
    • Dark colors
    • Delicates
    • Jeans
    • Whites–saved for last because I use bleach. I always worry about bleach getting on my other clothes.
    • Towels–I bleach these, too. (HINT: Purchase white towels or towels which will withstand bleach.)
  2. Use the proper temperature for washing each load.
    • Light colors–cold wash/rinse
    • Dark colors–cold wash/rinse
    • Delicates–cold wash/rinse
    • Jeans–warm or cold wash (depending on soil level)/cold rinse
    • Whites/Sheets–hot wash/rinse
    • Towels–same as whites
  3. Dry using lower temperatures or hang to dry.
    • Over the years, I have had so many shirts/pants shrink, that I rarely use the dryer for any of my dress clothes.
    • Instead, I purchased this fold up clothes dryer. It works so well, I now own two! No more ruined clothes!!!
Sorting Laundry Like A Pro Printable

Now, there are always those who worry about bleaching their underwear because they don’t buy cotton briefs from Walmart. That’s fine! Purchase a spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide (basically color-safe bleach), spray the inside of the underwear, give it a scrub, and then wash it with your light/dark colors. I would suggest letting these line dry if they are of the delicate nature.

For tough stains, I always pre-treat and let the clothes sit for a while, as long as over night. I feel like this allows the stains to loosen up a bit. 🙂

And that, my friends, is how to sort [and wash] laundry like a pro! If you have any questions, shoot them my way. 🙂 It seems like I’m always throwing a load into the washer! Happy Washing!

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