Laundry tips 

Wash and wear

Separate white and colored items.  If you wash your whites with colored clothes, over time they will take on a gray tinge.  Lint from light clothing also will stick like glue to your dark clothes.  You'll want to sort our delicate items too.  A think nightgown can be torn to shreds by a zipper on a pair of jeans.  Wash delicate items on a delicate cycle or by hand.  To make your clothes last longer, wash clothes with care.  Never overload the washing machine; clothes that are stuffed too tightly into the washer tend to rub together and cause pulling.  To prevent snags, close all zippers and fasteners before washing.  Turn pockets inside out to make sure they are empty; one ball point pen left in a pocket can ruin a whole load of clothes.  And I can attest to that....LOL!!!  Remove wash as soon as it is done, and either hang it up to dry or put it into the dryer.

If clothes need presoaking, put clothes, soap and water in the washing machine, let it stand for several minutes, then turn off the washer.  You're saving time, water, and soap by not using a seperate pre wash cycle first.  Treat stains with a prewash spray or squirt a little detergent on them.  Mix small and large items in each load to circulate and distribute the load evenly around the wash basket.

Most laundry detergents are highly concentrated.  Experiment with the brand that you use.  Many times you can use about 1/2 to 3/4 of the recommended amount and still get your clothes just as clean. If you have an extra large capacity washer or very hard water, you may need to use little extra detergent to get clothes clean.  If you use a powdered detergent that comes with a measuring scoop, make sure you are not using more than the recommended amount.  Some scoops are made to fill all the way to the top, while others have a "fill to" line much lower.  Don't use more detergent than you need.

After adding detergent, read the label on the package.  You want to use enough detergent to make a few suds, but making a mountain of suds will not get your clothes any cleaner.  Usually, you'll need to add 1/2 cup or a scoop of powdered detergent, or one capful of the liquid detergent for a full load.

When you need to bleach clothes, add 1 cup chlorine bleach diluted in 1 quart of water to the machine a few minutes after it has been running.  This will allow the detergent some time to do its job and ensure that the bleach gets evenly distributed quickly.  If the machine has an automatic bleach dispenser, follow the manufacturer's directions.  To give bleach more time to do its job, let the machine run for a few more minutes after adding it, then turn off the machine and let the clothes soak for 10 minutes.  Start the machine again and let it finish the wash cycle.

Lint is usually caused by one of these five problems:  Overfilling the washing machine.  Not using enough laundry detergent to hold lint in suspension.  Using a dirty lint filter (lint trap). Using too much bleach.  Washing light and dark clothes in the same load.  To avoid lint, follow these guidelines:  Fill the washing machine no more than about two thirds full.  Always measure out the amount of detergent for each load.  Look on the box or bottle to see how much is needed.  Clean the dryer's lint filter after each use.  A clogged filter will restrict air flow, and your dryer will use more energy to get the clothes dry.  Keep a small trash can near the dryer so you can quickly remove and dispose of lint.  When using bleach for a load of laundry, don't go crazy.  One cup of bleach per load of laundry is plenty to get the job done.  The old saying "if a  little is good, then a lot must be great" does not hold true here.  Sort laundry before washing.  Wash light colored clothes separately from dark colored ones.  Turn dark colored garments inside out before washing so light colored lint won't show if it gets on the dark clothing.  When you turn it right side out any traces of lint will be on the inside.

Shake the clothes before you put them into the dryer.  This will seperate them and speed up drying time.  And don't over dry clothes; this makes fabric stiff and wrinkled and shortens its life.  Remove clothes as soon as they are dry, and hang them up immediately.

Instead of buying an expensive all color bleach product, try adding either 1/2 cup of white vinegar or 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash load.  Either one will help clean and brighten clothes--and both are priced right.

To cut down on pilling, wash synthetic fibers separately from terry cloth and other fabrics that tend to rub.  When possible, line-dry items that are likely to pill.

Wash your delicate clothes in a pillow case instead of buying a special lingerie bag.  Place the clothes in the pillow case (an old, thin one works best), and tie a knot in the end.  Running your washing machine on the delicate setting or the shortest wash cycle.

To eliminate static electricity, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the final rinse waster if you choose not to use fabric softener.
 

WARNING: NEVER MIX CHLORINE PRODUCTS WITH BAKING SODA, AUTOMATIC DISH DETERGENTS, OR OTHER PRODUCTS CONTAINING AMMONIA OR ACID.  wHEN COMBINED, THEY GIVE OFF POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS GASES. WHILE SOME JUST SMELL REALLY BAD, OTHERS ARE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN INHALED.  READ ALL LABELS CAREFULLY BECAUSE PRODUCTS ARE FREQUENTLY REFORMULATED.  cHLORINE PRODUCTS INCLUDE BLEACH, TILE CLEANERS, MILDEW REMOVERS, AND EVEN SOME POWDERED CLEANERS.  AMMONIA PRODUCTS INCLUDE GLASS, APPLIANCE, AND FLOOR CLEANERS.  ACID PRODUCTS INCLUDE VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, MURIATIC ACID, AND TOILET BOWL CLEANERS.  KEEP ALL CLEANING PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS.
 

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Tips taken from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Household Solutions.