I'm hoping it will be productive to start a thread on our least favorite chore. Something we all do and rarely discuss. I have some categories to talk about and some tips to offer, bit I'm also hoping people chime in with their own tips and ideas, since I don't think I'm getting the most out of my clothes-cleaning experience.
<ul type="square">[*]Jeans -- If you're washing designer jeans or nice ones you don't want to fade quickly, turn them inside out before you put them in the machine. The blue keeps a little longer. I wash mine in cold water and dry them on medium, permanent press-type cycles.
[*]Dress shirts -- For really good ones just get them dry cleaned. You won't have to worry about them shrinking or getting their color ruined with other clothes. For casual dress shirts, I stick with the cold water and often don't dry them at all; just hang them in the shower to dry, so they avoid shrinkage.
[*]Silk -- I could use some advice on this; I have a white silk tie that needs cleaning, and I'm afraid to do anything to it. Should I take it to the cleaners? I hate silk for the most part, both because it's cheesy and outdated, and because it's hard to clean. But this tie is badass.
[*]T-shirts -- Standard warm wash and regular dry, though I've noticed they shrink no matter what you do. I tend to not buy t-shirts that are too snug so that when they wash they won't get too small. Most of them are color-fast these days, so you can wash them with a variety of colors and not worry about running. If it runs, it was a cheap shirt.
[*] Detergent -- don't skimp on this! Generic-brand detergents suck at keeping color and can be rougher on the clothes. I prefer liquid to powder always, and I'm a Tide fan true and true. Every time I try something else, I end up going back to Tide. Anyone else have favorites?
[*] Tennis shoes -- Leather shoes can actually be thrown in the washing machine (laces out), but I don't do this. I use dish detergent and a brush, and just clean them off by hand. As for canvas shoes, I think they can be put in a machine too but I'm not sure. Any tips on cleaning canvas sneakers?
[*] Socks -- If you're not sacrificing one per month to the laundry gods, making uneven matches in your drawer, then you're doing something wrong.
[*] Machines -- If possible, get the water running first, then put the detergent in, then put the clothes in. Some machines won't run water with the lid open, in which case you have to put the detergent in first, then the clothes, then close the lid and start the cycle. If you put the detergent in last, on top of the clothes, it may wash unevenly because the liquid will sit on some of the clothes for a few moments before the water fills in.
[*] No matter what the Levi's commercials say, it's impossible to pick up chicks at the laundromat. Bring a book.[/list]