TENANT RESOURCES

Clean your dishwasher every 6 months…No Need to Scrub!

Ingredients:

White House Cleaning Vinegar-Lavender Scent

Pure Baking Soda

Facial Cloths, from Walmart (in the make up section)

Instructions:

Place Vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup and set it on the top rack of DW.

Close Door! Put on the hottest cycle…Pots/Pans High Temp Wash and Heated Dry and then Run it! Next, Open the Door and dump out the water that was in the measuring cup. Place 1 cup Baking Soda into measuring cup and sprinkle it all over the inside of DW. Run the DW again!

Stains happen – don’t skip out on them

Stains happen and so does forgetting about them.  When it comes to stains, you want to remove them as quickly as possible. The more quickly you act to remove the stain, the more success you will have on removing the stain.

Over or under doing detergent

Having too many suds or too few suds can have effects on your washing machine.  It may have a harder time trying to rinse out the suds out of your clothes if you have too many, or if there isn’t enough, dirt may escape and stick to your clothes during the wash cycle.  Be sure to follow the detergent instructions in the manual for your appliance for the correct amount of detergent to use.

Overworking appliances

Of course you are aware of cleaning the lint trap in your dryer after each use, but you should also detach the dryer hose in the back of your dryer and clean it with a lint brush once a year.  It is also helpful for maintenance purposes to run a “clean” cycle on your washing machine according to your appliance instructions from it’s manual.

Read the labels

Each item of clothing has a label on how it should be washed and dried.  You can wash many clothes together, and should do so, but following the directions on the label is important as well.  If it states to wash it inside out, be sure to do so.

Sorting you laundry

Many of us are familiar with sorting colors from whites, or lights from darks, but there actually may be a better way.  Sorting by temperature (cold, warm, hot) and then by lights and darks to ensure that your clothes get the best clean.

1. Jeans and shirts (with T-Shirts worn underneath) may not need be to washed every time you wear them.  By not washing these items of clothing every time they are worn, it will help you cut down on the total amount of laundry that needs to be done.

2. Have a sock party! Toss all of your socks into a mess laundry bag when you wash them, and this will save time on finding that sock that you have lost forever.

3. Give each person their own hamper with their own laundry day, if you have multiple people in the same household.  This will divide up the laundry over the week, rather than all at once.

Pay attention to the ingredients and always follow the clothing label directions regarding water temperature and treatment.  Generally, laundry detergent works in all water temperatures, but there are some detergents that work best in specific temperature (ie: Tide Coldwater Clean works best in cold water).

Types of Detergent and Their Best Uses

Liquid  – works best for grease and oil.

Powdered – provides quick, powerful clean with an easy dose.

Combination (combining a detergent with a fabric softener/bleach/bleach alternative) – complements each other for a powerful clean.

Specialty – great for individuals with sensitivity and newborns.

Stain Remover – helps to power clean stubborn stains.

Liquid Conditioner & Dryer Sheets – helps to soften clothing and protects it from stretching.  Dryer sheets also reduce static and wrinkles from the clothing.

Bleach – should only be used on whites, and used sparingly as it can be harsh on clothing.

Deodorizing Products – helps to remove distinctive odors, such as the smell of workout clothes.

Remember to also follow the instructions on what type of detergent and laundry products your particular washing machine and dryer can use.