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The Housework Manual/Laundry/Separation and Washing

< The Housework Manual

This article describes how the laundry separation and washing options should be set. Special focus is given on a simplified procedure; one which still ensures proper washing yet on a speedy/simple manner. Some methods describe more separation of laundry and several washing periods (for several types of fabrics), yet this method consumes more time, electricity and cleaning agent.

Separation

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When a cloth is dirty and thus removed from the body, it should be separated immediately into a correct bin, so that the sorting of the laundry does not need to be done twice. If the first separation method is followed, two bins should be placed in the room where the filthy clothes are discarded. These containers include one bin for white & heavily polluted clothes and one bin for colored clothes.

Separation method 1

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  • White and heavily polluted clothes and fabrics are sorted together. These include white clothing and fabrics as towels (kitchen towels, bath towels, ...), linen, white socks, and heavily polluted clothing as underwear, handkerchiefs, pillow cases, ... Note that most of the heavily polluted clothes are generally white as well so that no color blending can occur, in regions or instances where this is not the case, an alternative method should be used. Also note that heavily polluted clothing refers to the amount of bacteria/microorganisms the clothing generally carries after use, rather than the degree of visible filth.
  • Colored clothes. These include pants, shirts, colored socks, skirts, ...

Washing procedure

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Washing method 1 (requires additional ironing afterwards)

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The washing method for washing laundry with a washer machine after the separation method 1 has been followed is the following:

  • The separated laundry piles (see laundry separation above) are inserted separately in the machine (thus in 2 runs). When the separation method 1 is used, the white and heavily polluted clothes/fabrics are washed at 60°Celsius and the colored clothes are washed at 40°Celsius.
  • Never wash dish cloths, face towels, towels or sheets with soiled underwear and socks. New studies have shown that faecal bacteria can transfer to these items during the washing cycle.

Ironing

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Usually, after the separation and washing, the clothes undergo another procedure called ironing. This procedure de-wrinkles the clothes and again kills off leftover bacteria in the clothes due to the process of rapid heating (to 100°Celsius) and cooling. The de-wrinkling is often unnecessary in the developing world for casual dressing; if the wrinkling is not excessive (in first world countries, appearance is more strictly guarded). In such cases, this step could be thus be skipped, if the wrinkling is kept to a minimum by tricks as adding vinegar to the washing machine and optimizing air flow. This discarding of the ironing however also has a antibacterial working, meaning that the laundry separation & washing method 1 can not be used. Instead, higher temperatures (nearing 100° Celsius; e.g. 90° Celsius) should be used.

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