ContestsEvents

LISTEN LIVE

You’re Probably Doing Your Laundry Too Much According To Experts

Doing laundry is a household chore that most of put off as long as possible, letting the clothes pile up until you have to finally get it done. There is…

Plastic basket with dirty laundry indoors, space for text

.

New Africa/Shutterstock.com

Doing laundry is a household chore that most of put off as long as possible, letting the clothes pile up until you have to finally get it done. There is some good news however, you're probably doing your laundry too much according to experts. So is this about saving time and detergent? No, it's actually about the need to wash them as often as we do being unnecessary because in fact they say we can go a bit longer between washes.

Doing too laundry too often?

So if you hate doing laundry, just do less of it!  You're probably washing your clothes too much anyway.  According to some laundry "experts," a lot of us need to dial it back.  If it passes the smell test, you may not need to toss it in your hamper. Of course, you might want to get a second opinion before you wear it one more time because you may have gone "nose blind" the commercial says.

 

 

Here are different types of clothes and how often to wash them . . .

 

1.  Things you should only wear once:

fuzzy sock pack for women

Socks . . . underwear . . . undershirts . . . anything with visible dirt on it . . . and anything that gets really sweaty, like workout clothes.  In general, the closer something is to your skin, the more often it needs to be cleaned.  Otherwise, it can cause skin issues.

 

 

2.  Things you can wear a few times.

rolling stone tongue logo christmas sweater

Pants, sweaters, blouses, bras, and pajamas usually don't need to be washed that much.  Every three to four wears is usually fine.

 

 

3.  Things you can wear a bunch of times.

 

woman with a Corgi in jeans

The big one is JEANS.  Some experts say every 10 wears or more is okay . . . unless you go COMMANDO.  If that's the case, wash them every time. Other things you hardly ever need to wash:  Outerwear like coats and jackets, and any dress clothes you don't wear often.  Too many washes will just ruin the fabric.  (BuzzFeed)

 

 

(Reminder:  You're probably using too much detergent too.)

Top Cleaning Hacks That People Swear By

Think about how easier cleaning would be if we had the help of Cinderella's magical animal friends. Unfortunately, this is not our reality. Many of our realities include piles of dirty clothes, dirty dishes that "you’ll get to later," and always-accumulating dust. But there is hope for maintaining a clean home. Sure, we all have our hacks and tips, but which ones are worth trying out?

Many people have been sharing how they keep their homes spotless or tidy home habits they developed. A good habit to develop is making sure everything has a place. This could be something you developed from your parents, a relative, or on your own. Making sure everything has its own spot can prevent clutter and get you in the habit of putting things back after using them. This also makes it easier to wipe down surface areas like your countertops without appliances constantly getting in the way.

You don't want things to get to a point where you feel overwhelmed by cleaning. Here's a bit of advice: don't leave deep cleaning for cleaning day. Try coming up with a cleaning schedule or a routine. This could be cleaning the bathroom on Thursdays and washing bedding on Sundays. Just cleaning a little bit every day helps in managing keeping a clean home.

There are all kinds of ways and methods for cleaning anything. Of course, some are more effective than others. And some require a handful of steps and instructions. But let’s be real here: we all just want the best cleaning tips and hacks. Those that leave your place spotless with minimal effort.

Some of us may think we have it all together when it comes to cleaning around the home, but there’s always something new to try. For instance, when you have a stained or spotty plastic or vinyl shower curtain, you can just toss it into the washing machine with a little detergent to get it clean. Then there’s descaling your coffee maker. It just takes a mixture of half vinegar and half water brewed until the reservoir is empty. This can help get rid of calcium buildup and keep your coffee maker running a little longer.

Check out more cleaning hacks people swear by below.

Lemon Surfaces

Lemons are great for cleaning. This is especially true if you're trying to ditch chemical cleaning products. Not only is the scent amazing, but you can use the fruit to clean wooden cutting boards, deodorize your drains, and degrease pans. According to Taste of Home, lemons work well for cleaning ovens. They said for oven buildup, just fill an oven-safe baking dish with water and lemon juice. Then, bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees. After the oven has cooled, remove the side and wipe any remaining grime from the oven's interior.

Ecological Kitchen Sink Cleaning - Lemon and Baking Soda. Close-up of gloved hand

Andrei Zonenko/ Getty Images

Crayon Removal

This one is for those with kids or who often watch them. If one of the kiddos decides to draw their best crayon artwork on the walls, your wooden living room tray, LCD screens, clothing or appliances, there are ways to remove it. Some people swear by WD-40. They say it's good for clothing items and LCD screens. For clothes, The Spruce suggests flipping the fabric inside out, spraying WD-40 on a cloth, and dabbing it onto the crayon stain. Then, scraping off the solid bits left behind. You can also treat crayon stains with detergent and a toothbrush scrub, or a dab mayonnaise on a cloth for walls.

The child draws on the wall with colored chalk. The boy is engaged in creativity at home

JohnAlexandr/ Getty Images

Tough Wine Stains

Overturned glass and spilled red wine on white carpet indoors, above view

Liudmila Chernetska/ Getty Images

There are several ways to remove wine stains. But if you find yourself in a bind, then try salt or club soda. You start by spritzing the wine stain with club soda. Next, blot the wine, or colored drink stain, with a microfiber cloth. Just repeat this until the stain is gone. Some people swear by kosher salt. Usual Wines reported that salt will absorb the wine and lift away the color from the surface.

Tennis Balls For Comforters

You may have heard of this cleaning hack. Most comforters are machine-wash-friendly. If the comforter fills only half the washer then you should be good to go. When ready to dry, add tennis balls to the dryer to keep the comforter's stuffing from collecting in one corner. According to Real Simple, if you have ever pulled a washed comforter or pillow out of the dryer to find it lumpy, the tennis ball trick can prevent that.

Tennis balls with jacket in tumble dryer to loose down and feathers and not stick together in padding , fluff up laundry, pillows, sheets

Ytje Veenstra/ Getty Images

Dust Removal

Dusting is a task that many of us can live without. But if you're looking for an easier way to tackle dust, try using a dryer sheet. They collect dust better than a cloth. You can run it along your baseboards or lines. Apartment Therapy reports that you can also dust surfaces with a sock. Obviously, you want to make sure it's a clean sock. Some people even say that using a pillowcase for hard-to-reach places like ceiling fan blades does the trick. Just open it up, carefully slide it over the fan blade, and use it to wipe out from the center of the fan to the tip of the blade. "The motion collects the dust from the blades and any dust that falls drops into the pillow instead of onto your floor," said Apartment Therapy.

Close-up of dust on woman finger taken from wooden table

KatarzynaBialasiewicz/ Getty Images

Coffee Stains

Nobody's a fan of stubborn brown stains in coffee mugs. Here's a cleaning hack to try. Sprinkle some baking soda onto the bottom of your stained cup, add just enough water to form a paste and scrub. Then, give it a good rinse. Some people have also tried distilled white vinegar. Just fill the mug with vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes. Molly Maid recommends another approach, which is pouring salt into the bottom of the mug and dumping a few pieces of crushed ice on top. Cover the mug with a few layers of plastic wrap and shake vigorously. They said the coarse salt removes the coffee stains without any chemicals.

dirty mug from coffee beans

oleshkonti/ Getty Images

Bob is a native New Englander, growing up (sorta) in Maine where his love for radio started at a young age. While in high school he hosted radio shows on a local radio station, and he has never looked back. Bob joined the US Navy and served onboard the Sixth Fleet Flagship as a radio and TV host. After serving for 3 years, it was off to Emerson College in Boston. Bob hosted shows in Boston on WMEX, WVBF and WSSH in the 80’s and 90’s before heading to radio stations in Raleigh, NC, Manchester, NH, and New York City. Bob has been married for almost 25 years to Carolyn, a Woburn gal and they have 3 daughters, Nicole, Taylor, and Bridget. Bob and Carolyn are proud first-time grandparents to baby Caroline, who they plan to spoil every chance they get! “I started my career in New England and could not be happier to come back to Boston where I can root for all the Boston sports teams and eat lots of lobster rolls and clam chowder (okay not lots)… It is an honor to host the WROR morning show with LBF and wake up the World’s Greatest City!” Bob writes about recipes and restaurants, pop culture and trending topics.