laundry room
Laundry Room Recycle old, empty containers, and ditch any laundry products you don’t like, to make some space. Decanting laundry supplies into other containers is not necessary to create a lovely, organized space — just corral the assorted containers on a tray or in a bin. This serves the double purpose of looking nice and making it easier to move everything aside to clean. Add a triple-sorter laundry basket to help avoid the dreaded laundry-room-floor pileup. Give each family member an individual basket so you can keep clothes separated, making it easier to sort afterward.
Miele’s updated WI washers come with an allergy wash and sanitize option, meaning clothes come out hygienically clean. The T1 dryers offer fragrance choices, which infuse laundry with a pleasant scent, while the steam finish preps clothes for ironing — or, in some cases, eliminates the need to iron. Both machines can be controlled remotely via an app.
One common complaint with front-load washing machines is that moisture tends to linger longer and create mildew and unpleasant odors. This leads many owners to leave the door open after each load. GE’s new UltraFresh front-load washer seeks to solve that issue with a design that wicks away water at the end of each cycle and offers a venting system that pulls in outside air, removing moisture from the door, gasket and basket. The washer’s blue gasket, soap dispenser and drain pump are made from Microban, a material that helps prevent the growth of bacteria.
The LG Studio Styler steam closet also doesn’t require plumbing. It’s designed to fit into a walk-in closet or laundry room, and now has increased capacity for up to five hangers, so you can refresh and deodorize more delicates and clothes between washings. It also helps sanitize items such as outerwear, pillows and stuffed animals and reduces allergens.
Daily (or Almost Daily) Care The experts also have some advice for preventing a buildup of dirt and odors between cleanings. If mold and mildew are a problem, leave the machine’s door or lid open after you finish a load of laundry so that the interior will dry out completely. Before you do this, make sure curious children and pets can’t get into the machine, especially if it’s a front-loading one. Some machines have latches designed to keep the door ajar without leaving it wide open. Brucia also recommends wiping down the door or lid to get rid of any condensation. Wiping and drying the gasket around the door every time you finish a load of laundry will help prevent a buildup of dirt in that area. As a final tip, be sure to use the correct amount of detergent for your loads.
Once the cycle has ended, use a microfiber cloth dipped in vinegar to clean the gasket that seals the door and the area around it. “Carefully pull it back and inspect to see if you have mold, mildew or socks (as is the case with mine) underneath,” Rapinchuk says. Don’t overlook cleaning the washing machine soap dispensers. Use vinegar or soapy water to wipe any detergent, bleach, fabric softeners or other laundry add-ins from the dispensers. “You can often just pop them out,” Brucia says. Wipe off all these areas with a cloth dipped in water and dry them with a microfiber cloth. Finish by wiping down the controls and the outside of the machine with a microfiber cloth dipped in vinegar or an all-purpose spray. To make the exterior shine, dry with a microfiber cloth.
1. Choose the “clean” cycle. If your machine doesn’t have this, select the hottest water setting. In some cases, this may be the setting for whites or heavily stained clothes. 2. Choose the added rinse cycle if it’s available. 3. Fill the bleach dispenser with your cleanser choice. 4. Fill the tub to the highest level (this will probably be automatic with the clean cycle) and run the machine. 5. If you don’t have a second rinse cycle, run the rinse cycle again manually.
How to Clean a High-Efficiency (HE) Washing Machine (Front Loader or Top Loader) A monthly cleaning is especially important if your HE machine has developed an odor. “Wiping down the interior of the washer with cleaner, using extra detergent or running everything on the longest, hottest cycle does nothing to help dissipate the scent,” Rapinchuk says, adding that doing this cleaning task will eliminate the odor and keep your washing machine “in tip-top condition.” Many newer high-efficiency (HE) machines have a clean cycle, which makes the process even simpler, but the basic procedure is the same whether you have that or not.
Before Cleaning: Identify Your Machine and Select Your Cleanser The type of washing machine you have will dictate which method you use to clean it. HE front loaders and top loaders need one approach; top-loading non-HE machines need a slightly different approach. Before you start, decide what type of cleanser you want to use: white vinegar, bleach or a commercial cleanser. Using vinegar to clean a washing machine is nontoxic, and it’s readily available, making it a favorite for both Brucia and Rapinchuk, but some manufacturers recommend bleach or other chemical cleansers, so check the manual for your machine. If you are using a commercial product, follow the label’s instructions for the recommended amount.
How Often Should You Clean a Washing Machine? Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the washing machine once a month, although a quick internet search and survey of friends and family will confirm that the majority of us are still wrapping our heads around the idea of cleaning the machine. Others, though, clean theirs even more often. “I have a separate cleaning cycle as an option on my washing machine and run that cycle after I wash cleaning rags every week,” says Becky Rapinchuk of Clean Mama. Fortunately, the process is fairly painless, especially since the machine itself does most of the work.
Clean dryer vents. Lint buildup in dryer vents can make your dryer work less efficiently and even cause a fire — cool, dry fall weather increases static electricity, which can ignite lint that has built up, so now is a key time to get that lint out. You can hire a duct cleaning specialist to clean the vents for you, or clean the vent yourself. If you decide to do it yourself: 1. Unplug your dryer. 2. Shut off the gas if you have a gas dryer. 3. Pull the dryer slightly away from the wall. 4. Loosen the clamp holding the hose. 5. Use a vacuum attachment or lint brush made for dryer hoses to clean out the hose and behind the dryer. 6. Replace the hose, gently move the dryer to the wall (without crushing the hose) and plug it in.
clutter clearing: May: Laundry room, linen closet, cleaning supplies. Cleaning routines are much easier and more pleasant when the supplies you need are neat and orderly. Sheets, towels and other household linens do not last forever — go through them this month and make some space. Recycle worn-out and stained towels, washcloths, sheets and tea towels at a textile recycling center. If your child has graduated a bed size, donate the old bedding to charity Clean under sinks and in any cupboards where cleaning supplies are stored. Get rid of empty containers and products you tried but did not like Habit to cultivate: Don’t downgrade old towels and sheets to “guest” status. Only keep linens you would personally want to use — get rid of the rest. Your guests deserve better!
wall paneling
laundry room and surrounding
A fan at the back of a cabinet helps to dry sweaters and other delicates inside three pullout drawers.
hanger for wet clothes
wall
Wall covering: Wallpaper Wallpaper
drying racks on ceiling
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gift wrap station
a suspended ladder with hooks will work just fine. T
For clothes that are destined to be air-dried, here’s a great feature the British have been using for centuries: a ceiling-mounted pulley system. The rack is composed of either four or six laths suspended between two cast iron ends and anchored to a marine-style wall cleat. To load and unload, lower the pulley to your desired height by pulling on the cord. Raising it upward keeps longer articles from brushing the floor and also makes use of warmer air at the ceiling level. When not in use, it’s out of the way.
The laundry includes a small kitchen area, a neat little getaway space for the owner. “If you want to make coffee up there in the morning, it lets you be a little independent, if guests are in the house or the kids are up
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