Save Time by Sorting Daily

There are organizational products out there to ease the laundry burden. Hampers can help you sort your darks and whites, which will save you time in the long run.

“Keep divided sorters for lights and darks and have separate baskets or bins,” suggests Carolyn Forte, Director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI).

Take a load off by making pre-sorting a family affair. It’s never too soon to get the kids in on the act. Even elementary school-aged children can be taught to divide clothing by color.

Test for Colorfast

Clueless on colorfast? You’re not alone. Clothing that has colorfast prevents runs and dyes, reducing the risk of laundry disasters. Stewart has said not enough people read the labels on their clothes and offers tips on how to determine if they are colorfast.

If you are unsure, dampen fabric in a discreet spot (like an inside seam), wait a minute or two, and blot with a white cloth.

If the cloth takes on color, the garment is not colorfast.

TIP: Wash non-colorfast clothes alone until they stop releasing dye. Include an old white handkerchief or sock in the wash each time. Once it emerges untainted, you can add the garment to the rest of your wash.

On the Mend and Yikes, Bed Bugs!

After an illness or infestation, take measures to prevent reinfection or infecting others.  In case of the unthinkable – bedbugs or illness -- there are household tips that can help you through it.

Common household products like bleach, lemon juice or vinegar are often the go-to for getting things back on the up and up. DO wash every bedding after an illness and utilize one of nature’s greatest resources, the sun.