Kathy Buckworth's Top 10 Laundry Do's and Don'ts

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Apply these 10 easy steps, and keep your family clothes fresh, soft and clean!

Like all Moms and Dads, I only have two hands. And one of them would rather NOT be holding a dirty bag of laundry. Try these tips to get past the spin cycle and onto the other 101 things on your to-do list today.

1. Assign one day as "Laundry Day".
It allows you to feel as though you've completed the laundry and check it off your list for the week. It's Monday for me, so I don't have to think about it on the weekend. I have other things to do! And make sure you’re stocked up on laundry detergent. To simplify my laundry load and save time, I go for the 2X Utlra Tide® series.

2. Get a sorting system.
I use three different mesh bags as I go through the laundry - for whites, colours, and darks. (You might want an extra bag for the neighbour’s kids’ clothes which inevitably end up in your house.)

3. Read and Respect Labels!
Set aside the items that need to be washed on delicate or hung dry (unless you want to ruin your husband's awful shirt on purpose). For instance, my 6 year old son Nicolas has a special blanket which is falling to pieces. I have to wrench it out of his hands every six months to wash it whether it needs it or not (we call it the "malaria" blanket). He waits by the washer when it's being washed… and then the dryer. Ultra Tide with a touch of Downy really comes in handy here!

4. Get the kids involved!
On Laundry Day, my kids (from ages 6 to 17) have to bring down their dirty laundry baskets before they leave for school...or they go an extra week with the same clothes. (Not so bad - most clothes can be reversed.)

5. Assign Tasks to your Husband.
I suggest “Sheet and Towel Washing”. He will have a hard time ruining these... unlike your pashmina. I personally let him take care of my son’s sweaty hockey gear and grimy rugby wear. Ultra Tide with Febreze Freshness makes him the sweetest smelling 15-year-old on the team. Dawn StainScrubbers will take care of those tough stains.

6. Don’t waste your precious time!
Why soak? Take care of those “cool” dirt stains your son is so proud of without presoaking - just use Tide with Dawn StainScrubbers. (Take a six-year-old, throw in a skateboard, his favourite Bacugon t-shirt, and a “watch me” attitude…)

7. Don’t wait
Grab clothes out of the dryer right away if you can, to cut down on ironing (it's overrated anyway, eh!)

8. Don’t bother
Don't fold clothes for kids who just stuff them in their drawers or throw them on the floor. There's really no point.

9. Don’t forget
Make sure you have loads of good television shows taped when it comes time for folding. Even better, try some reverse psychology on your nine-year-old and tell her under no circumstances to fold the clothes while you read the paper…

10. Reap the rewards!
Wake up with a smile on Tuesday morning cuz you're off duty until next Monday!

**This article was created exclusively for Tide®.