Let’s look at the uncommon items you should be washing by machine, instead of washing by hand.
Bed Pillows
You toss bed pillow covers into the laundry cycle every time you wash and dry your clothes. What about the pillows themselves? Do you have to discard pillows that have tough-to-get-out stains or can you include your nightly headrests with the rest of the laundry?
The answer is bed pillows are one of the easiest uncommon items you should be washing instead of dry cleaning. Simply remove the pillowcases, use baking soda to get out the most difficult stains, and run the pillows through the delicate wash and dry cycles to achieve optimal cleaning results.
Small Rugs
Small rugs absorb a lot of foot traffic, some of which leaves behind unsightly mud and debris. Following the unique cleaning instructions for each small rug, you can machine wash the rugs at home instead of taking them to a laundromat located nearby. Make sure to shake each rug to remove small pebbles and clumps of dirt before using a vacuum to remove the rest of the debris.
Spot treat any stains before washing in cold water and air drying.
Oven Mitts and Potholders
Oven mitts and potholders look like they need special washing and drying services to get the source of food particles clean. However, you can put an oven mitt and a couple of potholders in the weekly clothes cycle if you follow a few tips. First, remove easy to notice food clumps and then spot treat difficult to eliminate stains. Make sure the stitching is intact before putting the cooking accessories through a machine wash cycle. Set the cold wash cycle to prevent shrinking and air dry oven mitts and potholders to prevent damage.
Reusable Grocery Bags
You shop for groceries by bringing along eco-friendly reusable grocery bags. Because of exposure to spills and other types of degradation, you wonder how to get the reusable grocery bags clean, without requiring the help of a residential laundry service. You do not have to hand wash reusable grocery bags, as putting them through a cold water wash cycle should get the job done right.
Use a disinfectant spray and then turn each bag inside out. Follow the washing instructions located on the inside label before setting the correct wash cycle. You can either hand dry reusable grocery bags or run them through a delicate dry cycle.
Laundry day does not have to be just about clothes. You can clean uncommon items by running them through the appropriate wash and dry cycles.
