January 29, 2018
by Laundry Expert
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More Laundry Tips For Kids

In our last conversation, we began talking about ways to get your kids involved in doing their laundry. Our first post gave some really good tips for first getting everyone organized and ready for the next steps. This post will look at the various ages of children and soon to be teens and what you as a Mom can expect from them. You will see that by the age of 12 most kids who have been taught well can do their own laundry.

Laundry Tips for Toddlers | Laundry Raleigh NC

Every parent knows that little ones especially between the ages of 2-4 love, love, love to help. Yes this will disappear in time so take advantage now to teach them some good habits. At his age they can help with putting the dirty clothes in the hamper. Sorting is also a fun activity and begins to teach them a little about colors. Teach them how to sort clothes into whites, darks, colors, and towels. In the laundry room, they can help put the clothes into the washer and then with booting them into the dryer. As you fold the laundry you can let them help pair up socks or give them hand towels and washcloths to fold. Just remember to have a lot of patience with them at this age. Of course, the folding won’t be perfect but they are learning a valuable skill. Stay positive and pour on the praise!

Age 5-7:

When children start school their ability to focus and learn becomes better. This is the age where you can begin to teach them how to run the washer and dryer. You will still want to supervise them but they can bring their own laundry to the laundry room. They can begin to know how to load the washer or dryer. Teach them about detergent and how to add the proper amount. You may not be ready to leave them alone to do these tasks yet but as they learn you can certainly help them gain confidence. By now they should also be learning to fold their clothes and put them away. At this age they will also be able to add dryer sheets and still enjoy cleaning the lint from the lint trap.

Age 8-10:

This is the age where you can begin to fill in all the extra details of laundry chores. Teach them how to read a care label. This gives them important information about how to properly wash or not wash items. Which should or should not be dried in the dryer. This teaches them to take good care of their clothing. If you have not already had the conversation of how to determine if an item is really dirty or not this is a great time to begin. Explain how hanging up little-worn items will save on overall laundry chores. Show them how turning printed items inside out for washing can save on wear and tear. Jeans need the pockets emptied and can also be preserved by being washed inside out. This is a good time to explain about laundry loads, how big, how small.

Age 11-12:

By now the basics should be fully in place. The art of pre-treating and using bleach can be a new lesson. The good news is they are fully able to do their laundry from collection, all the way through folding, hanging, and putting away. The good news is that you have taught them a great life lesson that will help them in college and beyond.

Stay tuned for more laundry tips! Stop by our facility to do your laundry in Raleigh NC. We have the best washers and dryers available.

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January 25, 2018
by Laundry Expert
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Laundry Tips For Kids

For most families, the laundry is what seems to be a never-ending chore. If you have kids it is overwhelming, as well. The time that it takes to do laundry in Raleigh NC is also a big factor in most homes. Over the next couple of blog posts, we are going to look at some tips for getting the laundry under control by getting the whole family involved. This will particularly involve the kids. We hope these tips will help you not feel quite so overwhelmed.

Tips for Kids! | Laundry Raleigh NC

First things first. You must have a good plan for getting the laundry organized. It must be simple enough for the kids to follow.  The following are some things to implement before teaching kids to actually do the laundry:

  • Make a plan for collecting the dirty clothes. This means purchasing a hamper for every bedroom and bathroom in your home. This eliminates the piles of clothes on the floor. Make it a rule of the house that dirty laundry can only be placed in a hamper. If your kids are lucky enough to have their own room then color coordinate the hampers. Each could get one in their favorite color. Then the second rule is “Use your Hamper”!  This will eliminate clothes strewn all over the house and piled into the laundry room. Mom will be less stressed.
  • The third rule is only dirty laundry gets taken to the laundry room when it is their intention to wash it. This means the laundry room is no longer a storage place for dirty laundry, it is the place to clean the laundry.
  • Once the collection process is in place then you will be able to assign laundry days. This can work as follows:
  1. Monday: Girls
  2. Tuesday: Boys
  3. Wednesday: Towels
  4. Thursday: Parents
  5. Friday: Bedding
  6. Saturday: Extra laundry

Once a routine for gathering the laundry in Raleigh NC into the specified places gets established you can begin to teach your children how to do the laundry. This will, of course, depend greatly on the age level they are. Children as young as the age of two can begin to help Mom with the laundry. Teaching them good habits early on such as putting their clothes in a laundry hamper will begin this process. You can then add more responsibilities as they get older.

As children age, it will be easier to teach them how to sort, fold, and hang their clothes. Even little ones can help mom match up socks or fold washcloths and towels. When we allow children to help do their own laundry we are also beginning to teach them life skills. These are skills they will need to become responsible young adults. You will, of course, need to oversee and supervise them until they learn the right way to do these skills. Just remember it will become a win-win for parents soon.

If you are being run ragged, just attempting to keep up with all your extra laundry in Raleigh NC. give Laundry Express a try! We offer state of the art machine for washing and drying your clothes. We also offer laundry services that include dry cleaning, wash-dry-fold, and stain removal! Don’t get behind on your family’s laundry. We are here to help! Visit Laundry Express soon!

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January 22, 2018
by Laundry Expert
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Odd Stain Removal Treatments that Work! Part 2

When it comes to stain removal there are various ways to treat our laundry. Last post we began offering some odd but effective ways to treat and remove stains from your clothing. This post will continue the conversation. Of course, nothing works better than having a fully stocked and ready laundry room. If you get in a pinch some of these items can help. Our Raleigh laundromat can, as well!

Raleigh Laundromat Talks Stain Removal!

Most of us always have milk in the fridge right? Well turns out it milk is more than something great to drink. Ink stains can be a real problem in laundry. Milk is actually a powerful stain treatment for these ink stains. Simply soak your ink stained items in a milk bath overnight. The next day launder as usual to get the milk out and your stain will be gone.

Cola is a great stain remover for blood stains. This can be one of the most difficult stains to remove. Soak the blood stains in the cola for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Launder as usual and you should find the stains completely gone. Almost magical.

Another great dual purpose item is shampoo. One of the best stains to use shampoo on is the ring around the collar stains on shirts. Shampoo is formulated to break up the oils in our hair, so what better to remove oil on the clothes? Rub the shampoo all around the neck area of the shirt and allow it to sit for a while. It will completely remove the stain. Launder as usual.

Toothpaste is also a great trick for getting out ink. Just make certain you use the non-gel kind. This trick will also depend on the type of fabric to work well. It is certainly worth a try. Put some of the toothpaste on the ink stain and rub it in well. Rinse and check for removal. If some of the ink is removed then repeat the process as many times as needed to get the stain completely out. Toothpaste will also work great on lipstick stains.

When using any kind of stain removal treatment it is important to remember to blot not rub. When rubbed the stain can penetrate deeper into the fabric and become harder to remove. A properly working washing machine is also important. Keep your machine clean and free of any debris by cleaning it properly as well.

As we have noted before we suggest checking the garment for stain removal after laundering. You will never want to put the item or items in question into your dryer without making sure the stain is completely gone. This will certainly set the stain and it will become permanent. This can cost you lots of money as you have to replace the ruined clothing. We recommend never skipping this all-important step in doing the laundry.

If you find yourself behind on a mountain of laundry, check out our Raleigh Laundromat. Laundry Express offers state of the art machines for washing and drying. We also offer laundry services that include dry cleaning, wash, dry, fold services, and stain removal. Don’t get behind when we can help! Visit us soon!

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January 10, 2018
by Laundry Expert
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Odd Stain Removal Treatments that Work! Part 1

If you wear clothing – and we all do! – then you know that stains are inevitable. If you have children it is certainly a part of your daily life. Sometimes the stains are just routine and easily solved. Other times the stain can be much more difficult and will require more ingenuity. The best way to be ready for treating stains is to prepare ahead of time. This means stocking your laundry room with stain removers and laundry detergent boosters. Having these at the ready increases your chances of getting your stained garments looking as good as new. You can also rely on our laundry service in Raleigh NC!

Stain Removal | Laundry Service Raleigh NC

 

The next couple of blog posts will look at what you can do to remove stains if you are not as prepared as you would like to be. These tips will contain some odd stain removal items to treat your laundry stains in a pinch.

A laundry room standby for many families is the blue dishwashing soap. This can be found in many big box stores. This soap is great for removing grease from any item. On your clothing, it can remove tough grease stains quickly. To use simply rub a small amount of the soap directly on to the stain. Rub it in well on both sides of the fabric. Let this soak for a while and then launder as usual.

Hairspray is not just for keeping your hair in place. It can be used in a pinch to remove ink stains as well. When you have an ink stain or permanent marker accident spray the stain liberally. In most cases, the stain will disappear immediately. If not rinse and spray again. Launder the garment as usual.

A really odd stain remover is artificial sweetener. Yes, those little packs of sweetener many of us carry around in our purse for adding to our tea. This trick is perfect for grease stains. If you find grease popping out while you are cooking and getting spots on your clothes grab a pack. Use the artificial sweetener to blot at the grease stain. This substance can pull the oil out of your clothes pretty quickly. The trick is to do this as fast as possible to ensure the oil is removed from the fabric. Another great reason for carrying those little packs around with you!

In all cases, we suggest checking the garment for stain removal after laundering. Never put the item or items in question into the dryer without making certain the stain is gone. This will set the stain and it will be more than likely permanent. This can cost you lots of money as you have to replace the ruined clothing. We recommend never skipping this all-important step in doing the laundry.

Being prepared for stain removal is key if you want to keep your families clothing looking as good as it can be. Laundry Express knows your time at home with family is valuable. Doing the laundry can be time-consuming. We can help you with all things laundry. We can help with stain removal advice as well. Come by and check out our state of the art laundry service in Raleigh NC, here in the Triangle area. We can help you get caught up as quickly as possible and get you back to doing things that are much more fun! Call us today!

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January 1, 2018
by Laundry Expert
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How To Pre-treat Clothing

When it comes to doing the laundry sometimes there is more to it than throwing the clothes in the washer and adding detergent. Clothing costs add up and if you want to get your money’s worth you will need to learn to care for them properly. Some things to keep in mind are using the right detergent, proper water temperature, and pre-treating all stains. This part can seem a little complex but this post will offer some great advice on how to pre-treat and make your clothes as clean as possible.

Pre-Treat Stains! | Coin Laundry Raleigh NC

We cannot stress how important it is to check your clothing for stains before you launder. The absolute best way to ensure you get a stain out is to pre-treat it immediately, or as soon as possible once the stain occurs.

If the stain is:

  • Protein-based stains like blood, spit-up, or baby poop: rinse under cold running water as quickly as possible.  Keep the garment in cold water until you can launder it.  If you choose to use a spray stain remover, follow the directions later in this post.
  • Ink (from an ink pen or marker) – go straight to the pre-treat steps listed below in this post.
  • Grass/dirt – you’ll probably have to end up doing The Soak, but you can certainly try to pre-treat with a spray stain remover first and hope for impressive results! You can also try baking soda and vinegar. Dish wash will also help.
  • Food grease such as bacon grease, French fries, or cooking oil – you’ll need to use the Blue Dawn method which involves wetting the stain, add baking soda, sprinkle with dish detergent and then scrub with an old toothbrush. Some like to add vinegar to the mix as well. Wash the garment as normal. Check to be certain the grease stain is gone before drying. If any stain remains, repeat this process.   Skip the spray stain remover step below completely.  Spray stain removers aren’t really formulated for this type of stain.

Spray Stain Remover | Coin Laundry Raleigh NC

Assuming you have completed these crucial steps in stain removal, you’re now ready to spray on your favorite product. Spray directly on the stain, saturating the entire area. Using your finger, rub the stain remover in well.  Slightly lift the fabric with your finger, ensuring you surround the stain with your spray product. Next, you have the option of gently rubbing the stain remover in with a toothbrush. This may be needed for a tough stain that is tomato based, grease, or grass. Be sure to treat the stain on the reverse side of the fabric.  Use your finger to rub the stain remover into the fabric to ensure its covered well on both the front side and the reverse side. Allow this to work for a while, then launder as usual.

What you should never do when Pre-treating a stain is to rub the fabric together. The problem is when you spray the stain with stain remover and then rub the fabric back on itself to saturate the stain with the product, you can spread the stain and even make it bigger.  This will make your job even harder. Use something in between the front and back of your fabric.

Getting stains out of your clothes is simple if you take the time to treat stains properly and immediately. If you find yourself behind on a mountain of laundry, check out our Raleigh Laundromat. Laundry Express offers state of the art machines for washing and drying. We also offer laundry services that include dry cleaning, wash, dry, fold services, and stain removal. Don’t get behind when we can help! Visit our coin laundry in Raleigh NC, soon!

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