If you’re lucky enough to have a laundry room on the main floor of your home, I envy you! In my ranch-style home, the washer and dryer are in the basement on the opposite end of the house from the stairs. Why do I mention that? Our old washing machine used to go “off kilter” and if you were upstairs in the bathroom or bedroom you could hear the washing machine bang really loudly as the clothes spun and hit the inside of the drum. Then, you’d have to run the length of the house, go down the stairs and run the length of the house again to get to the washing machine. Sometimes the washer would have “walked” itself into the middle of the room.
Why you should care
Washers and dryers aren’t cheap and so it is important to take care of them to make them last as long as possible. They need a deep cleaning at least once a year.
There are many websites that go into detail about cleaning your washer and dryer. Here are a few that I like:
All the research I’ve done points to two thoughts on cleaning: The first is to use natural ingredients and the second is that bleach is too harsh for septic systems. Baking soda and vinegar are the preferred cleaning solutions. Don’t use cleaning tools that will scratch the finish of the washer/dryer. Soft toothbrushes and cloths are good to use. Washing machines can get pretty cruddy over the years.
Cleaning your clothes dryer
Cleaning a clothes dryer involves cleaning the lint trap and the dryer vent/hose. There are many different types of tools to choose from for cleaning the vent/hose. This year, instead of cleaning the dryer hose we are replacing it. The dryer is old but still works fine. Here are some ideas about cleaning it.
Get a LintEater kit. It’s a 10-piece set that attaches to your drill. Pretty cool. “The LintEater rotary dryer vent cleaning system is the most valuable tool one can own for ensuring safe operation of your clothes dryer. It’s easy to use with a cordless drill and provides a means for regular cleaning of your dryer vent system, 4 flexible rods screw together to allow reach into vents up to 144″ from one end.”
This blog post from FRUGALLY BLONDE explains how to clean your dryer vent with a kit that attaches to your vacuum cleaner.
HOUSEWIFE HOW-TOs is another blog post that has helpful information for cleaning dryer vents.
I use wool dryer balls like these in addition to dryer sheets. If I was going all natural then I wouldn’t use dryer sheets. Those dryer sheets create a lot of lint!
Laundry Room Ideas
These items should be in every laundry room and you are lucky if are able to have them all!
Washer
Dryer
Big farm sink
Clothes racks
Drying racks
Laundry baskets on wheels, a basket for whites, one for dark, one for colors
Shelving and/or cabinets for laundry soap, dryer balls, bleach, stain remover
Ironing board and iron and/or clothes steamer
