It has come to my attention throughout this year of doing laundry in the dorms that people don’t know A) how to actually do laundry, B) the appropriate time frame to come get their clothes out of the laundry room, and C) the right way to do laundry. Now, I’m not saying how I do laundry is the right way… but it is. So many people wash the wrong things together or leave their clothes in the dryer way after they are done, and so on. So here are some dos and don’ts of doing your laundry in college.

DO set a time to come get your laundry when it is done.

DON’T leave your clothes in the wash/dryer for so long after they are done that I have to come take your clothes out so I can wash mine.

Side note, I once said to a friend I didn’t have enough time to do my laundry before class and he said “just leave them in there and get them after,” NO! WRONG! DO NOT DO THAT! If you do not have time to put your clothes in the washer and dryer and get them IMMEDIATELY after they are done, then don’t do your laundry at that time. (@ Max and Emma who don’t seem to understand that concept).

DO separate your colors.

DON’T just throw everything in together.

Unless you want your white sock to be pink, I don’t recommend throwing everything in together. So many college kids do that, and it’s something I just never understood. If you wash whites and darks together, your whites will start to look dingy and discolored. I separate everything into whites/VERY LIGHT greys/nudes, dark grey/black, blues/purple, yellow/green, orange/red/pink. I occasionally will throw the dark blues/purples in with blacks but that is it. This tip is @ Zack for putting EVERYTHING in the wash together. I mean dress shirts, work out clothes, everything in together (including his swimsuit). EVERYTHING! I would never wash my jeans and bras with my favorite lace dress unless I would like it to be ripped to shreds.

DO let some things air dry.

DON’T put everything in the dryer.

I only dry socks, underwear, and certain T-shirts and shorts. Everything else I hang up to dry. And I know dorms have limited hanging space but I always found a way. I was not about to let those death trap dryers ruin my clothes. My roommate makes fun of my for hanging up all my clothes around her room but the dryer ripped 3 pairs of her underwear so who is laughing now.