I have always wondered how much laundry other parents do because in my household I end up running the washing machine at least four times a week. My son has PE at secondary school three times during a school week, plus tennis, football training so a lot of sporting kit has to be washed on top of the uniform – a 12 year old boy sweats a lot! Add to that my own sports’ clothing (for fencing and football) and all the extra clothes I like changing all the time (wink), I often find myself overwhelmed by the laundry duties. That without including the hanging of the clothes afterwards (because let’s face it, the dryer is terrible and leaves the clothes badly wrinkled) as well as putting the things back in the drawers. Phfew! Now you see what I mean…
Well, when I cannot be bothered to do the laundry or I am off travelling, I can delegate the daunting task to Laundryheap, which is like like an uber but for laundry. These guys literally take the laundry stress off your shoulders when you have one of those terribly busy weeks. Their service is designed to give a simple solution to those busy working parents or individuals who struggle to keep up with laundry, taking away stress and keeping them at ease.
The service enables users to have their laundry picked up, washed and delivered for free within 24hrs. They are currently based in London, but available also in Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Dublin (Ireland), Dubai, Sharjah and Amsterdam. Cool, isn’t it? Well, if you can afford it, it’s worth getting it permanently set up otherwise even once in a while it’s a relief.
Here are my top hacks and tricks to overcome the laundry chore.
Preparation
Sort your clothing into loads according to colour (light, dark, bright) and fabric (heavy, delicate). Any new garments that might run should be washed separately.
Place delicate items, like lace underwear, in a mesh bag.
Empty pockets, close zips and connect bra hooks so they don’t snag on other garments.
Turn clothes inside out. It will protect prints on t-shirts and prevent the outside of garments from fading.
Use the coolest, gentlest cycle possible for the type of clothes you’re washing. It saves energy and makes your clothes last longer.
Spots
Spot cleaning needs to be done as soon as possible after your clothing has been stained.
Use a gentle laundry liquid and a soft, clean damp cloth to gently rub the stain.
Rinse the cleaned area to remove any laundry liquid. Dry the garment flat on a towel.
Most detergents work brilliantly at low temperatures.
Drying
Avoid tumble drying. It can damage your clothes and uses a lot of electricity.
Line-dry wherever possible. A drying rack hanging on top of the bath is a good alternative. I have it but I got it from Italy as I could not find one in the UK.
Over-washing your clothes can seriously affect their lifespans.
It can cost you money in the short term on extra detergent and electricity – and in the long term, when you may have to replace your worn-out garments.
Shoes
Last but not least, I wash trainers and other sports shoes (not leather booths or heels) at zero degrees with detergent. They are as good as new.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
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