What To Do With Clean Laundry

You’ve got laundry room etiquette down pat. You know how much you can fit in the washer and how long it takes your clothes to dry. You even have the washer and dryer timed so perfectly that you can go back to your student apartment or down the street to get a burger and walk back into the laundromat the moment the machine shuts off. And now that you’ve mastered everything through drying, it’s time for the next step. That’s right, there’s still more. Take a lesson on what to do with your laundry after it’s clean and save yourself time and money, as well as a little sanity.

Get your clothes out of the dryer immediately.

When the dryer stops, you should be there and be ready to take your clothes out immediately. This isn’t just about etiquette. This is about saving yourself time and money later on—wrinkled clothes will either have to be ironed or put back in the dryer.

Fold or hang your clothes immediately.

Don’t take your laundry back to your apartment and leave it sitting in the laundry basket. This will also wrinkle your clothes and waste a lot of time and energy on your part later. Clothes that hang should be hung first and then you should move on to clothes that are to be folded and put away.

If you have a delicates bag, don’t leave it full.

Occasionally, the items you place in mesh bags for washing don’t dry completely. If you leave these items in the bag until you need them you may be greeted with the unpleasant odor of dried standing water or even mildew. Just as you do with the rest of your laundry, make time to empty your delicates bag during your laundry time.

Don’t leave your clean clothes on the floor in a pile.

If you don’t have time to hang up and fold your laundry right away, don’t leave it on the floor in a pile. Place it neatly on your bed. Remember, you walk on the floor, drop food on the floor and who knows what else? You especially don’t know how well the carpets were cleaned in your student apartment after the last tenant moved out and you moved in, or if they were cleaned at all.

Do yourself a favor and shake out your clothes.

Shaking your clothes after you remove them from the dryer or before you hang them or fold them releases at least some of the static electricity that built up during the dry cycle. You could save yourself an embarrassing moment or two by shaking out underwear that was clinging to your dress pants or just keep yourself from having to deal with the irritation a day or a week later, when the charge won’t disappear with just a simple shake.
Remember, laundry doesn’t stop at the dryer. The point of washing your clothes is to have nice-looking, clean clothes. Keep the trend going by ensuring your clothes make it to their final destination before their next wear.