April 7, 2017
by Laundry Expert
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Summer Laundry Tips Continued

As promised last post we will offer up more tips to help you keep your summer clothing in great shape all season long. The problems that come in the summer with our clothes are from many different things. Last post we addressed some common stains and warmer weather issues and how to correct them. This post we will offer up more great tips for all your summer related laundry problems. Need help catching up with laundry all at once? Stop by our laundromat in Raleigh NC!

dWhen the weather heats up sweat becomes a problem. This sweat especially when it is heavy can be hard to get out. Before washing a garment that you have sweated in there are a few things to keep in mind. Take a bar of soap and rub sweat stains with it before washing. If there are signs of any discoloration you can mix white vinegar with hot water and soak your items in this. You mat then wash the clothing as normal using the hottest setting according to your clothing label.

If you go swimming regularly then one laundry issue you will want to pay attention to is sunscreen. We know its good for us to apply it liberally and often for health reason. We can get a little crazy with the application and apply a bit too liberally. When this happens it will transfer to our clothing. When this happens use a pre-treatment or you can use your regular liquid detergent. apply directly to the stain and run it in gently. Allow to sit for a little while then you can wash as normal on the setting directed by your clothing’s label.

We are generally happier in summer months and we get and give hugs often. Sometimes that hug brings makeup onto out clothing. A great way to clean this off is to apply shaving cream to the stains. allow this to sit at least 20-30 minutes. Then the clothing can be washed as usual.

Believe it or not iced tea can cause stains that can be hard to remove. The more that is spilled the worse the stain. To remove you will want to flush the garment form the reverse side of the stain thoroughly.  As soon as possible soak the item in cold water mixed with your detergent for at least 30 minutes.  An overnight soak can be done as well.

If the stain comes from a red wine blot it immediately to remove as much of the wine as possible.  While the stain is still wet use some table salt to absorb the liquid. Then you can rinse the item in hot water and launder as usual. Before drying check to make sure the stain is gone and if not try some vinegar and hot water to soak then launder again.

Dropping food is also a summertime issue. If the stain is grease based as soon as possible use regular dish detergent right on the stain. Gently rub it into the stain. Wash the garment as usual. BBQ stains require a rinse from the back with cold water. This helps flush the stain from the back to the front. Add a liquid detergent as soon as possible and allow it to sit at least 10 minutes or more. Rinse and Blot with white vinegar, then rinse again. This should be repeated until most of the stain disappears. Then a pre-treatment can be rubbed in and the item washed as usual.

Laundromat Raleigh NC

If you need a little extra help with your laundry give Laundry Express a try. We have a state of the art laundry facility and our dry cleaning services may be just what you need. Stop by the best laundromat in Raleigh NC today!

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April 1, 2017
by Laundry Expert
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Summer Laundry Tips

The weather outside has turned from frightful to almost delightful in the past few days. Although we love the warmer months they do bring with them more laundry of a different kind. Being in the outdoors means more dirt, grass, and sand in the clothes. Cookouts mean barbecue sauce, mustard, and other food related stains on the clothes. Swimming brings problems of another kind. The next couple of blog posts will look at all of these common summertime laundry issues. We will offer some great tips for getting your laundry as clean as it can be. Remember, stop by our Raleigh laundromat anytime you need to utilize our equipment!

Summer Laundry | Raleigh Laundromat

One of the biggest clothing issues is usually sports related and that is grass stains. It can also be from mowing grass or playing yard games. No matter how they get there the best way to treat them is to not let them set in. This will means pre-treating the stains as soon as you see them. You should train your family to point them out as well. Use a toothbrush or sponge to really work the solution into the stain. You can let it sit if you want before tossing the clothing into the wash. Check the clothing carefully at the end of the cycle to see that the stain has been removed. If the stain is not out and the items are placed in the dryer the heat will set the stain. It may then be impossible to remove.

Those summer barbecues are so much fun and the food is awesome, that is until you are wearing it. This time of year spills happen quickly. You can be prepared by carrying a supply of stain sticks or wipes in your purse to get ahead start on removing the stains. A paper towel placed on the spot and then flushed with water which is cold will also help. Do this from the back so that the stain transfers to the paper towel. This will not remove the stain completely but will help until you can launder the item.

If the laundry problems come from a trip to the beach it will be from several things. One will be the sand that comes from the beach. This can harm your clothing and swimsuits. The best defense against this is to try to keep your beach clothes in a bag that can be sealed separately from other items. If it is to late for that then take the necessary time to allow the clothes to dry and then shake, shake, shake. It is important to remove the sand before placing them into the washer and dryer. If not you will find sand in all of your clothing for some time to come.

Swimming in a pool also brings problems to your favorite swimsuit. Sunscreens, chlorine in the pool and your own body oils will begin to break down the elastic and spandex in the material of the swim wear. To combat this your suit must be rinsed really well the minute you take it off. Use cold water only. This needs to be done each and every time the swimwear is worn. Once you get it home hand-wash the suit using cold water and then it can be laid flat to dry. Do not wring or use a dryer because doing this will cause damage to the swimwear.

Raleigh Laundromat

We know that you are super busy in the hotter and longer days of summer but taking the time to properly launder your summer clothing will cause you less stress. Laundry Express can help you with your laundry any time of the year. Our wash-dry-fold service can also save you loads of time. Call us today!

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March 25, 2017
by Laundry Expert
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Are You Laundering Your Clothes Correctly? Continued

Last post we began with the question of do we really launder our clothing correctly? We do it so routinely that we may not be doing it properly. It is easy to get into a rut and not even realize it until disaster strikes. Today’s post will continue to look at ways to get back on track and get our clothes as clean as possible. Last time we looked at washing machines and the proper detergents. Now we will look at getting the laundry in Raleigh NC ready to wash.

Tips | Laundry Raleigh NC

Label Check:  A common mistake made by many of us is not looking at the care label in our garments. There is a whole lot of information located on that small label. It is very important. The following are what the symbols are and what they mean.

  • A circle all alone means Dry Clean Only. If there is a big X you can use the washing machine. It is really important you only dry clean a garment that says dry clean only. You can ruin a garment otherwise.
  • If the item is machine washable you will see a washing machine type symbol with water. If it also happens to have one dot in it that means cold wash only. If there are two dots then warm water is to be used. If it has three dots then you can safely use hot water. If there is a big X over this symbol then dry cleaning should be used.
  • The bleach symbol is represented by a triangle shape. If it is plain then be cautious but you can use chlorine bleach. If there is a big X over the symbol then bleach is a No No.
  • The tumble dry symbol has a square with a circle inside. If there is a white circle you may use whatever heat setting you want. If there is one dot then use a low temp.. If there are two dots then use a normal temp.. Three dots indicate you can use a high temperature.

Next you will want to Prep your clothing for laundry. This will involve separating or sorting your items into one of four piles. The normal is whites, lights, darks, and delicates. Some of you will want to combine your whites and lights and that is perfectly acceptable. Once they have been sorted properly then comes the prep. This will involve some of the steps we sometimes either forget or just do not take the proper time to do. This involves:

  • Close all zippers (no snags)
  • Empty all pockets (you don’t want any surprises)
  • Turn your denim any any embellished items inside out
  • pre-treat all stains! Check your items carefully.
  • Delicates can be put into mesh type bags and wash with cold water on a hand-wash or gentle cycle.

Set your water temperature. Hot Water should be used only for really stained or soiled clothing. Dish towels as well as bath towels and cloths can be washed in hot as well. Warm Water can be used for your whites and lights. Cold Waterworks best for delicates, denims, fine fabrics, and any clothing items you think might shrink.

Choose the right settings on your machine as well. Permanent Press is good for any knits and synthetic fiber clothing. It is a good cycle for keeping wrinkles from forming as well. Regular is great for towels, cottons, denim, and any really soiled items. The gentle or delicate cycle should be used for wool’s, silks, lingerie and any items you want to take extra good care of.

Laundry Raleigh NC

If you need help getting your laundry under control come by and see us at Laundry Express. We are a state of the art laundry facility and can handle all your laundry needs. Come by to do your load of laundry for the week!

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March 20, 2017
by Laundry Expert
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Don’t Overload The Dryer!

Laundry. Washing clothes in a washing machine at homeWhen it comes to trying to save a little money many of us try a lot of things. Energy prices are higher than ever and this can wreck havoc on our monthly budget. There are some things however that we try that can actually cost us more money in the end. One of these things is trying to double up loads of clothes in the dryer. Let’s look at why this is not a good idea or a cost effective one either.

Dryer Tips | Coin-Op Laundry Raleigh NC

The first thing to look at is our actual dryer. Did you know that every dryer has a capacity?  Some have lets say a 7 cubic foot drum. The problem for us is this does not mean we are to stuff 7 cubic feet of our laundry into this space. Often we will cram it as full as we can stuff it right? This is a big problem. Some dryer manufacturers will offer an idea of how much is enough but these specs can be a little misleading.

If you are drying children’s clothes then those specs might be handy. When it comes to adult clothing its just common sense to know that they weigh more and are much more bulky. If you have a large load of towels it is actually more cost effective to dry them in two loads. This is because if your fabric is already heavier then the added weight of water makes them very heavy.

A good rule of thumb is that if your laundry fills 2/3 of the drum or more it is overloaded. Fill the dryer drum no more than 1/2 full and your dryer will thank you.  There are many reasons for doing this. The biggest being dryer malfunction or total breakdown. When a dryer is loaded too full then the pulley on the dryers motor tries to turn the entire time of the dryers cycle. The resulting friction will cause the eventual burn through of the belt turning the dryers drum. Your dryers pulley can also break. This may not occur immediately but after many loads of heavy laundry it will.

Of course the costs of repair parts may not be overly expensive but the labor costs are expensive. You must also consider the time you will be without a dryer. This we know is the worst part of the breakdown. Laundry piles up faster it seems when you are out of your normal routine. Dryer belts can and will break down normally over a period of time. If this is happening every few months then you should know that you are loading the dryer way to full and heavy. Your dryer is having to work way to hard to dry your clothes. Adjust the loads accordingly.

Another breakdown problem is your dryers motor. When the motor is worked way to hard it to will burn out sooner than you would like. This is also a really expensive repair and not only are labor costs high but a motor replacement is expensive as well. Sometimes this can even mean its cheaper to replace the dryer verses fixing it. A real expensive lesson to learn!

If you overload your dryer this will mean more wrinkles, not drying properly, and the lint builds up faster. This lint buildup can be a fire hazard so pay attention and empty your lint screen after each load. We hope these helpful hints will encourage you to fill your dryer properly to avoid any expensive repair costs.

Coin-Op Laundry Raleigh NC

If you find yourself in need of some laundry catch-up help give Laundry Express a call. We can help you get your laundry clean and ready to go quickly. Stop by today!

 

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March 15, 2017
by Laundry Expert
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Are You Laundering Your Clothes Correctly

Laundry. We all have to do it in some way, shape or form. However, are you doing it the right way? Are we getting our clothing as clean as it can be? Sometimes we get into habits when it comes to the household chores we do everyday. Laundry is one of those “got to do it” chores that we tend to do routinely and not give much thought to until disaster happens. Over the next couple of posts Our Raleigh laundromat experts are going to look at some of the things we may be doing wrong and how to do them right.

Laundry Tips | Raleigh Laundromat

The first thing we need to address when it comes to doing our laundry properly is look at what type washing machine we have. Today’s machines operate a bit differently depending on the style. There are two types of machines. The first is a front loader. Front loaders have a door on the front and will open by swinging outward. Most of these type washers are also called HE or High Efficiency Washers. With this type of washer you load the clothing and there will be a compartment at the front or maybe on top of the washer to add your detergent. You can still use liquid or powder. The choice is yours. There will also be a compartment for your bleach and fabric softeners as well. These will be labeled for you so that you can put each in the proper place. This is important because the machine dispenses each during the proper cycle. If you choose to use the newer pod type detergents then place these in the proper amount into the washer along with your clothes.

The second type washer is a Top-Loading type. This type has the lid on top of the washer and will flip up to open. It used to always be true this type washer had a center agitator. It still does in a way but today’s machines have a small one at the bottom of the washer instead of the tall center one of years past. In this type of washer you can add the detergent first and the clothes after. Many of these machines do have compartments for your bleach and fabric softener. Some have a detergent cup as well. You should use these compartments for the same reason as we noted above with a front loader.

When it comes to the many varieties of detergents there are reasons for and against all of them. Powders used to be the norm when it came to detergent. They generally cost the least and can be bought in bulk even cheaper. The biggest issue with powder is that it does not always dissolve and the resulting residue means a re-wash. Using this type means taking the time to make certain it dissolves properly.

Many prefer liquid detergent. Liquid dissolves great and cold water temperatures can be used with it. It can be used to pre -treat any stains as well so you get more bang for the buck. The biggest problem with liquid is a tendency to use to much. Take care to measure carefully when using.

In recent years detergent pods have become increasingly popular. If you must do your laundry in a laundry facility they are certainly easy to transport. No spillage. If you like fast and convenient then they work great at home as well. This will also cut down on overuse of detergents. The rule here is to use enough. If the load is light use one pod but if you have a larger load or heavily soiled one you will want to use more.

Raleigh Laundromat

Laundry is something we have to do so why not do it right? Be sure to come back for a continuation of this blog. Laundry Express, the best Raleigh laundromat, can help you with all things laundry! Call us today!

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