When to Wash... Your Guide for Completing Household Laundry
Laura Certa
When it comes to doing laundry, it’s a given that items like socks and underwear need washed after every use. But, there are loads of fabrics around your house that don’t get tossed in the wash at the end of the day. How do you distinguish when to wash curtains, comforters, bath mats, pillows, mattress pads, and the like? Here’s my guide for when and how to clean all your household fabrics.
Cloths used to clean or dry the dishes, and rags used to wipe down kitchen surfaces need washed daily. The kitchen grease and grime in combination with a damp rag can cause bacteria to multiply pretty rapidly. If you’re not washing these items regularly, each swipe of a cloth is likely spreading germs around your kitchen, not effectively cleaning up.
If you’re using cloth napkins daily, good for you—I aspire to be that eco-friendly! Whether you’re using them daily, or just for dinner parties, you should toss them in the wash after each use.
Hand towels tend to pick up residual dirt and germs, especially if you have little ones who aren’t so great at the hand washing part. Change out the hand towels in the kitchen and main baths each day. Less frequently used bathrooms can likely go an extra day or two.
Growing up, we washed our bath towels after every use—sorry, Mom. Now that I’m the one doing the laundry, I encourage using the same towel a couple times before tossing it in the laundry. I’m sure there’s a bit of a personal preference around how fresh you like your bath towel, but let the maximum be 3 uses.
Hang towels and dish cloths up to dry in between uses to reduce the growth of bacteria. Wash these items using hot water to kill the germs. Most of my towels and rags are white, so that I can wash with bleach to ensure they are really clean—and to get that hotel scent. Be cautious of chorine-bleach on colored fabrics, you may opt to use a color-safe peroxide-based bleach instead.
bath mats + bathrobes + shower curtains + sheets
Bath mats and bathrobes get about as much use as your bath towel, so don’t put off the chore of cleaning these items. I prefer towel-like bath mats without a rubber backing, because they hold up much better to weekly washings. The damp bathroom climate can cause bacteria to grow quickly on soft surfaces. For this same reason, shower curtains and liners also need washed regularly. I know what you’re thinking… Weekly?… Do you remember the last time you washed your shower curtains?… It’s okay! It’s never too late to get into the routine! Most shower curtains and liners—even the plastic liners—are just fine to wash in your machine. Wash on cold and add a 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the cycle to cut through mildew and soap residue. Rehang on the curtain rod to let air dry. Be sure to use your bathroom vent fan during and after showers to keep the room as dry as possible and help reduce the growth of bacteria and mold on bathroom fabrics.
Washing sheets can be a daunting task, but think of the amount of time you spend in bed, ideally about 56 hours per week. Dust and germs can accumulate pretty quickly, so it’s recommended to wash sheets each week using hot water. Having an extra set of sheets for each bed will help make this less of a race against the clock—giving you a full week to complete the washing.
Make it a routine to get these items clean, choose one day of the week—say, Sunday—each Sunday, gather the bathroom laundry and get that started first. Then, strip the beds and remake them with the backup sheet set.
With the never ending chore of everyday laundry, it’s easy to lose track of when items like comforters, mattress pads, pillows, and blankets should be cleaned. Think of these as needing to be washed with the change of seasons. Set a reoccurring calendar reminder to wash these fabrics, so you won’t have to guess when it’s time to complete the chore.
These items—yes, even pillows—can typically be washed in the washing machine like any other load of laundry. I recommend using hot water, unless the instructions say otherwise. Comforters and duvets may be too large for your washing machine, if that’s the case, most laundromats and dry cleaners have machines large enough for the task.
Obviously, you can’t just throw your mattress in the washing machine, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be cleaned. Every six months mix up this solution in a spray bottle: 3 Tbsp baking soda, 8 oz peroxide, 1 drop of dish soap, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (if desired)—I recommend lavender to promote a good night’s sleep. Give each mattress in your home a good spritz of the solution. Once dry, vacuum. If you’re rolling your eyes at me about now—I get that! Life is busy. Who has time to spritz the mattress with essential oils? At the very least, run the vacuum over the mattresses and call it a day.
Upholstered furniture, chair cushions, slipcovers, and curtains are typically made from durable fabrics meant to withstand everyday dirt, dust, wear, and tear. Vacuum these items regularly to keep them looking their best. Every 6 months, launder the removable fabrics following their washing instructions—it’s not uncommon for these items to be dry-clean only. To freshen and clean upholstered furniture, sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for about 20 minutes, then vacuum.