How Not to Look Like a Ragamuffin (Do Laundry Correctly)

What you’ll never accuse me of is looking like a ragamuffin. Clothes are expensive. Clothes, quality clothes, should last years and years. Some “looks” are timeless (a pair of jeans? a polo shirt? a well-fitted t-shirt? a plain color sweater or sweatshirt?). We should care about how we look. This speaks to getting the little things right. Because if you get the little things right, and do the right thing because it’s the right thing, and you do it whether someone notices or not, it can help form the habit of always doing the right thing and doing things right …which will include the big things.

Laundry is a little thing. Laundry is an ongoing thing. If we’re going to do something, do it right.

It’s fair if you say, “Don, I think you’re a little obsessed with laundry.” Some people living in my house might laugh and say, “since when have you been obsessed with laundry?” And they’d say it all sarcastically and accusatory and I would have hurt feelings. The answer is, however, “always.”

I’ve always been obsessed with laundry. Sometimes, however, I get lazy. Doing laundry at Ninja Level takes perfect timing and coordination and sometimes …well …clean and wrinkly is better than dirty and naked.

Ya do what ya have to do.

When I’m “on” my laundry game, I’m very on. Everything gets folded immediately when piping hot out of the dryer so clothes stay 100% wrinkle-free. Shirts and sweatshirts are folded in squares (previously Blogged about). Socks are paired up and folded in half. Underwear is folded and neatly placed in the underwear drawer. Dress shirts are ironed immediately after the spin cycle (while wet and with a very specific order of steps) and hung (on large, wire hangers and the top and middle buttons are buttoned). Sheets are washed weekly and blankets, fitted sheets, and pillows washed monthly.

I had good routines and methods. Then … Monday happened and I heard The Laundry Evangelist on “The Art of Manliness Podcast” and learned I’m a B- student of laundry. Turns out, if 20-year’s-ago I was really serious about this, I could’ve made laundry-perfectionism my personal brand. The Laundry Evangelist appears on Podcasts, TV Shows, has his own laundry products, and has written two books. Two books!?!?!? Both of which I’ll probably read.

Really makes me pause and think about all my dreams and hobbies and consider if any of them aren’t just my own ridiculous, crazy obsession, or maybe there’s a “tribe” out there looking for a leader.

Anyway. The laundry. I’m about to up my game big time. Listen to the show if you want to hear it straight from the Evangelist’s mouth.

Who says nothing amazing happens after age 50?

WHAT I LEARNED:

• Always wash in Semi-Warm or Warm (ideally 65-degree water and never colder than that)
• Less detergent (1-2 Tablespoons) because the water is doing most of the work and the detergent damages the fabric (and laundry soap – flakes – is better than detergent). If your towels are “crunchy” it’s because the detergent is still there and never rinsed away
• Don’t EVER use Tide Pods …it’s 5x-10x more detergent than you would need for a single load
• Whites with whites. Darks with darks. Colors with colors.
• NEVER use bleach (use Oxygen Bleach only occasionally)
• NEVER use fabric softener or dryer sheets in the dryer (dryer balls or a wad of crunched up foil will stop static)
• Don’t just let your dryer run and run for it’s full cycle. A medium sized load can be done in the dryer in 15-20 minutes. Personally,  I set a timer on my watch or iPhone for 10 or 15 minutes depending on the size of the load and what type of load it is (underwear & socks can dry in less than 10-minutes …sweatshirts might need 20+ minutes).  This saves your clothes from overtumbling and saves you electricity (or gas)
• Use a drop or two of essential oils on the dryer ball for a nice scent out of the dryer
• Wash clothes (save for underwear and socks) less often. Unless really sweaty or smelly, a shirt can be worn twice. Jeans can be worn 5 …6 …or as many times as you want (some people never wash jeans).
• Use a tiny, tiny amount of Dawn dish soap on pit-stains or ring-around-the-collar
• Everything else …hit it with a 50/50 white-vinegar/water for stains

MY ADDITIONS

• Plan and make sure you have time to do laundry. The most important part is not overdrying your clothes and, while the clothes are hot right out of the dryer, that you fold them. Folding a load of laundry should take 8-10 minutes maximum, so just figure out if and when you’ll have that 10-minutes at the very end (everything else in the “doing laundry” process is just passive time)
• Smaller loads are better than large loads…
  • …so the clothes can float around and really move around in the water and the water will move through all the fabric
• Wash underwear and socks in their own load …
  • …so you can use HOT water and high-heat drying
  • …so you can use a little extra soap
• Dry your fitted sheets by themselves…
  • …so other sheets and pillow cases don’t get swallowed up by the fitted sheet

There you have it. Maybe the last Blog entry you’ll ever need to read about laundry.

Get the little things right and you’ll set a standard for yourself that will carry over into other parts of your life.

One Comment on “How Not to Look Like a Ragamuffin (Do Laundry Correctly)”

1. At my age, the only choice is clean and wrinkly lol

   Thanks for the laundry lessons though🥰

   Reply