Back-to-School Laundry Tips [And Washer Features to Check Out!]

With some schools opening back up and some remaining closed in the midst of COVID-19, one thing is certain: It is a stressful time. As parents, children, and college students adjust to new guidelines and protocols, it is important to not lose momentum on the home front.

From setting up your child (or yourself) for academic success to making sure mealtimes aren’t missed to ensuring your home is in tip-top shape, something is bound to fall through the cracks. Luckily, our product experts at Albert Lee Appliance have the laundry room covered.

We’ve got the lowdown on the most convenient washer and dryer features—as well as some laundry hacks up our sleeve. Do you know how to wash polyester uniforms? How to get grass stains out of jeans? How to remove paint stains from clothes?

For answers to these and other questions, read on for back-to-school laundry tips!

First things first. While we should be able to expect our washing machine to clean clothes well, it is just as important to examine the cleanliness of the household appliance that washes them. Or how about springing for a brand-new washer and dryer set altogether? We think it’s about time.

With families spending more time at home than ever before, you likely have gotten a lot of mileage from your washing machine. According to industry experts, for optimal performance, the average lifespan of your washer (and dryer) is between eight to 12 years.

As you refer to your proverbial calendar, check out what venerated brands like Samsung and LG have to offer!

Large Interior Capacity

If you’ve got a big family, a large-capacity washer is a no-brainer: fewer washes, less time in the laundry room, more time for you. When you’ve got a busy schedule, that’s valuable.

Standard washing machines have a depth of between 3.1 and 4.0 cubic feet, estimated to hold 12 to 16 pounds of laundry. Larger washers boasting between 4.2 and 4.5 cubic feet of capacity are said to withstand at least 20 pounds.

More impressively, Samsung stocks a front-load washer with 5.6 cubic feet of capacity (WF56H9100AV). Not only that, but this appliance’s Super Speed feature allows you to wash a full load in as little as 30 minutes—without sacrificing cleaning performance.

Sanitize Cycle

As we are sure you are aware, proper sanitization is as important as ever, and it goes beyond rubbing your hands together with Purell. As we safeguard our health (and of those around us), disinfecting clothes, linens, and dorm bedding reduces the chances of contracting infection or sickness.

Enter: the sanitize cycle. Did you know many washing machines from top brands offer this hard-hitting cleaning feature?

The special Stain Care option offered by one of LG’s top-load washers (WT7800CW) employs high-temperature water to effectively remove stains. In tandem, its Oxi-Sanitize cycle help remove almost 99% of germs. A washer that removes glue-stick stains and sanitizes? That’s an A+ from us.

Allergen-reduction Cycle

Raise your hand if you know the difference between a sanitize cycle and an allergen-reduction cycle.

Well, while both cycles usually entail an extra rinse, an allergen-reduction cycle refers to a longer wash period and a higher water temperature exceeding 130° to eradicate 95% of dust mites. If you are lucky, some washers can perform both types of washes.

If you’ve got a furry four-legged family member, you’ll find yourself able to breathe even better. Go on. Breathe out a sigh of relief.

Smart Features!

For back-to-school laundry season, go for a washer that thinks like you.

A smart washer lets you monitor your laundry without getting up from your desk chair—with just your smartphone. From allowing you to select and start wash cycles to enabling push notifications for transferring clothes to the dryer, you will find that the world is truly at your fingertips.

In the spirit of minimizing workflow disruptions, keep an eye peeled for self-cleaning washers, too. One of Samsung’s top-load models (WA52M7750AV) exudes versatility with self-cleaning tech and Smart Care troubleshoot options you can run from your smartphone.

In addition to investing in a top-performing washer, here are some back-to-school laundry tips you can adopt for stubborn stains and lingering odors...

Ink Stains

For ink stain removal, it is best to tend to it immediately so that the ink does not set in the fibers of the clothes. (To avoid lifting other dyes from a colorful garment, make sure to dab a little bit of rubbing alcohol to an inconspicuous region of your garment first. After 1–3 minutes, blot the area with a paper towel—if it’s clean, you may proceed.) 

Remove excess ink by placing a paper towel underneath the stain and then pouring your rubbing alcohol (or hand sanitizer!) directly onto the stain. Rinse off with cold water. After that, apply liquid detergent directly onto the stain and work it into the fabric with a soft-bristled toothbrush. After letting the soap sit for five minutes, feel free to throw the garment into your washer.

Paint Stains

To pretreat stains from oil-based paint, turn your garment inside-out on a thick stack of paper towels or clean rags. Blot the stain from the back with turpentine until no more paint comes up. At this point, you can toss in this piece of clothing in the washer.

If your little fiasco came from water-based paint, first scrape off as much excess dried paint as you can with a spoon or dull knife. Then, flush the backside of the stain with warm running water. After blotting the affected areas with a paper towel to absorb the remaining paint, put your washing machine to work.

Grass Stains

Notoriously a tricky stain to tackle, this irksome green streak can be pretreated with some distilled white vinegar and water.

Soak the stain on your shirt or pants for 15 minutes in a solution of two-parts water to one-part white vinegar. (Bonus: Vinegar also works as a natural deodorizer.) After that, gently dab the affected area with a clean rag. As you’re readying your next load of laundry, be sure to use an enzyme-based detergent to lift the protein off the fabric.

How to Wash Polyester School Uniforms

Do you have polo shirts and chino pants to wash? To keep them looking their best, turn your polyester garments inside-out, and use the permanent-press washer setting under warm water so that your fabrics are cooled before the spin cycle. This will help prevent wrinkles.

For drying, follow the garments’ care instructions on the tag.

And for white polyester fabric, soak these garments overnight in a mixture of one gallon of warm water and half a cup of automatic dishwasher detergent. And whatever you do, do not use bleach.

For all of your laundry-room needs, contact our experts at Albert Lee Appliance. We are available to answer questions over the phone, chat, or in person at any of our store locations.

As you scour our catalog for washers, be sure to check out our selection of dryers! Stocked with steam-sanitization features, top-notch dryers from Samsung and LG will have your back-to-school messes under control and your clothes as clean as a whistle. Call or visit us today!