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How to Separate & Sort Your Laundry Like a Pro

Make your laundry day less stressful by learning the right way to sort your laundry and avoid damage and accidents. 

By Rinse Team In Care

Hate it or love it, sorting and separating laundry is a necessary part of laundry day. Properly sorting your laundry can help prevent damage, preserve colors, and so much more. Below we teach you everything you need to know in order to separate and sort your laundry like a pro.

Why Is Sorting Laundry Important?

Before you learn the best way to sort your laundry you should first understand why this is such a critical step in the washing process.

Sorting Helps to Identify and Treat Stains

Sorting laundry effectively serves as a way to audit your clothes because you are giving each article of clothing an extra look as you remove it from your laundry bag or hamper.

During the audit process, you can pay closer attention to how dirty your clothes actually are and if there are notable stains on them. If you do come across any stained garments, you can set them aside and treat the stain as needed prior to cleaning the garment.

Sorting Preserves Your Clothing

Separating laundry enables you to segment your laundry according to fabric type and color. Separating clothes by color is especially important because some garments are made from dyes that tend to color bleed during the washing process if they are not properly sorted with similar colors. You may have already experienced color bleeding first-hand, particularly with red garments.

Sorting Protects Your Delicates

Another reason it’s important to sort your laundry before washing is that it allows you to pull out any delicate items that may need special treatment. Delicate items include garments made of silk and satin, or items with netting or lace. To preserve your delicates, don’t just throw them into the washing machine along with other clothing. It’s important to handle your delicates separately so they don’t get damaged during the washing process.

How to Sort Your Laundry

1.) Read The Care Labels

Prior to sorting and washing your clothes you should always read the care labels. The care labels are unique to each garment and include directions on how to properly care for your clothes, including the suggested temperature setting you should set your washer to.

In addition, the care labels provide a breakdown of the fabrics used to make your garments, such as cotton or polyester. This information is valuable because some fabrics may need special attention if you choose to care for them at home versus using a professional cleaner. For instance, cashmere is a fabric that you will want to care for separately.

If you don’t have time to read all your care labels (hint: most people don’t), make sure you check the care labels for items where you aren’t 100% sure they can safely go through the washer and dryer. You know the items we’re talking about...it’s less about t-shirts and socks and more about delicate or unique materials or colors.

2.) Sort Using Piles

Consider sorting your laundry into piles to make your life easier. First and foremost, separate your lights and darks. By doing so, you will limit the chances of color bleeding occurring during the wash cycle.

You should sort your lights and darks into three different categories - darks, other colors, and whites. If your garment is multi-colored or includes a pattern, sort the garment based on the most prevalent color. If it’s too tough to tell, then any of your color piles will suffice.

After your colored piles are set, you can consider the following sub-piles:

  1. Stained garments - any garment that is stained or extremely dirty.
  2. Dry clean only - items that cannot be washed using a machine or require dry cleaning service.
  3. Linens - sheets, comforters, towels, and other related bedding items.
  4. Daily outfits - garments such as t-shirts, socks, underwear, etc.
  5. Denim - jeans and denim jackets.
  6. Workout clothes - activewear and gym clothing.
  7. Delicates - anything that requires a delicate wash, such as lingerie or silk.

If the above is too detailed, we suggest starting with a more basic system and then working your way up to the “pro” level, such as:

Items that should be washed in laundry vs. items that should NOT. For items that should be washed, just separate your lights and darks.

By using the pile system you are able to ensure you are washing similar garment types together, which will help you to avoid damage or accidents during the cleaning process.

Additionally, piles allow you to set aside stained garments and clothes that need dry cleaning service. Rather than risking damage to your dry clean only garments in the washing machine, consider a professional dry cleaning service such as Rinse so that you can properly care for your dry clean only items and stained garments.

Once you’ve inspected your piles you are ready to start washing!

piles of laundry

By following these tips and tricks you’ll be sorting laundry like expert in no time. If you would rather not deal with sorting and washing laundry you can opt for professional services such as Rinse.

At Rinse, we always sort your lights and darks and handle your laundry with care. We’ll pick up, professionally clean, and deliver your laundry straight to your door. You can schedule a pickup here any day of the week, including Sundays!

 

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How Often Should You Wash Towels and Bed Sheets?

Your definitative guide to when and how you should be washing your towels and bedsheets. 

Mark Hoover

What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

Believe it or not, your bath towels are the ideal living quarters for microbes or microscopic organisms such as bacteria and fungi. Gross...right!? The water, warm air, and oxygen provide a spa-like habitat and they make themselves right at home. Therefore, it is recommended to use your towels no more than three times before washing them.

You may be thinking well thanks Rinse I know to wash my towels. However, you may not know about the risks involved by not washing them as often.

When you dry yourself with a towel layered in microscopic bacteria you are transferring those germs back onto your body. Yuck! And if you are sharing a hand towel with multiple people you are putting your body at risk of being exposed to bacteria you are not accustomed to. This can cause irritation of the skin, slight illness, or even an infection.

Nobody likes being sick so trust us when we tell you that washing your towels more often is totally worth it!

Have laundry or dry cleaning to do?

Rinse picks up, cleans and delivers 7 days a week. Amazingly awesome. Ridiculously simple.

Try Rinse

Happiness is clean sheets!

We can hear you now. Rinse, please don’t ruin my relationship with my bed! Don’t worry, we know it’s a sacred place of relaxation and comfort for many of you. We are only here to help you keep it clean and keep you happy.

So how often should you wash your bed sheets? You only sleep in it...right?

First, consider that you most likely spend 8 hours (or a third) of your day in your bed. That’s a lot of hours per week! It is recommended to wash your bed sheets once a week. Not only will the smell of fresh linens brighten your day but you will be washing away dead skin cells, sweat, body oil, and whatever small particles latch onto your sheets.

We wish it was as simple as putting sheets in the washer and adding detergent. But there are some useful tips to consider when washing bed sheets.

  • Ideally, you should wash your sheets separately as they take up a lot of space and other items tend to get tangled up with your sheets. Or if you include additional items make sure they are small, lightweight, and similar in color to avoid color-bleeding.
  • Different cycles should be considered depending on how dirty your sheets are. A normal cycle is recommended for light soil and heavy duty is recommended for major stains and a lot of soil. But remember to always check the care label before washing.
  • White and light-colored cotton sheets typically wash well in any water temperature (cold or hot). However, it is recommended to wash your sheets in warm water, especially during cold and flu season to ensure you’re removing any tough to get bacteria. If you own darker colored sheets you may want to wash them in cold water to avoid fading.

Rinse and our cleaning partners ensure that you receive high-quality cleaning and that we follow all standard recommendations and cleaning practices once you give us your sheets to be cared for. And as an added bonus we are experts at folding fitted sheets!

Phew, that was a lot of information! We understand that trying to keep up with the work required to maintain a clean environment and home might cause you to throw in the towel. But you know what that means...more laundry!

Easy, just schedule a Rinse!

We can take care of your bath towels, hand towels, sheets, and comforters any day of the week. We ask that you consider that comforters are priced differently due to their size and the time involved to dry them. You can read more about how we care for your comforters in our FAQ section here. 

Just schedule a pickup with us and one of our friendly Valets will pick up your items. We will then send them to one of our cleaning partners to be cleaned and deliver them to your door as early as the very next day.

If you're interested in hearing more tips and advice on how to keep your home and linens germ free here is a useful segment from NBC's "TODAY" featuring Good Housekeeping’s Meaghan Murphy.

Happy Rinsing!

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How to care for formal shoes during wedding season

Keep your formal shoes looking their best before, during, and after your next wedding. 

Rinse Team

When it comes to special occasions like weddings, you need to keep your formal shoes ready. Sure, they can take a break when you're watching the bride make her way down the aisle. But when the reception starts it's go time, and your footwear can easily get scuffed and damaged on the dance floor or dirtied at an outdoor wedding. Here's our shoe care guide to help you keep your best accessories in tip-top shape for every wedding this season.

Leather shoes: a care guide


Leather shoes are the foundation of formal wear. Before taking your new kicks out for a night on the town, layer a coat of water repellent to protect the leather against the environment. These protective formulas are widely available in spray formats for a fuss-free application (suede materials are especially sensitive to water). Besides weatherproofing, taking your shoes to a shoe care service to have the taps fastened will help your pair endure for a lot longer. For an extra polish, apply a thin layer of leather conditioner and gently buff with a soft cloth.

Pro Tip: Treat your favorite pair of dress shoes or heels to new soles when you notice increasing wear and tear—this helps them stay with you through thick and thin.

All about that heel: straps, stilettos and sandals

 

While extra-high heels may appeal to the stylish set, there are more practical options to help put your best foot forward. Take care when choosing a new pair of heels. Thin straps or stilettos are more likely to break; not to mention, they're difficult to keep on when you're out on the dance floor. A lower heel may be more comfortable, and you won't have to worry about the heel snapping off. Outdoor or destination weddings are increasingly popular, so take into consideration sensible yet fashion-forward footwear for your wedding guest wardrobe. Travel-friendly options include a chunkier heel or dressier sandal to complement any outfit. Plus, they're a sturdy choice to take you from the opening ceremony to the dinner reception.

Pro Tip: Dancing under white tents and fairy lights in the garden? Pack a pair of wedges or sandals with flat heels instead—they won't sink into grass or sand. Speaking of grass, you can tackle any stains with a damp cloth, warm water and a touch of soap. Don't forget to pack your shoes in a dust bag before you board that flight to Napa Valley or Costa Rica!

Long-term care tips


To make your favorite pair of heels or oxfords last, invest in a seasonal reheel at a trusted shoe care service. When it's time to switch up your closet at the end of the season, store shoes in their boxes stuffed with acid-free tissue paper to keep them in mint condition and place shoe trees in each shoe to maintain their shape. While you can opt to replace your footwear, dress shoes can be a pretty expensive purchase. Instead, by cleaning and storing your shoes properly, you'll be making a worthy investment that will allow you to get more mileage out of them for years. And if your pair happens to go great with any formal outfit you don, you'll want to keep those shoes with you for as long as possible.

Now that you can have fun on the dance floor—without destroying your feet—know how to care for the rest of your wedding attire with our handy guide.


Photos: Tymonko Galyna / Shutterstock.com, Sweet Ice Cream Photography, stock.tookapic.com, Jason Briscoe

How To Remove Chocolate Stains From Your Clothes

Learn how to remove chocolate stains and what you should do when you spill chocolate on yourself. 

Rinse Team

If you are a chocolate lover, then you’ve likely had the unfortunate experience of getting it on your clothes. Chocolate melts rather easily and no matter how hard you try to avoid it from dripping or smearing it just seems to find its way onto your clothing.

Chocolate stains have the potential to ruin your clothes, especially if you let the stain settle. Lucky for you, we’ve put together a list of helpful steps you can explore to help salvage your stained clothes and remove chocolate stains.

Professional Dry Cleaning

The best action to take to remove a chocolate stain is to take your stained garment to a professional dry cleaner and let them know where your chocolate stain is and how long it’s been on your garment.

A dry cleaner will not only attempt to remove the chocolate stain, but they will also professionally clean the entire garment.

To remove chocolate stains and dry clean most garments, cleaners will use chemical solvents, a special vacuum, and/or heat to try and remove the chocolate stain from your garment. Afterward, your garment will be placed into a machine and submerged into a non-water based solvent. Your garment will then be rotated so that the solvent is applied steadily throughout the garment.

Once this process is complete your garment is spun around to get rid of any excess solvent and warm air is released to help dry the garment.

Leaving your clothes in the hands of professional dry cleaners, such as Rinse, gives you the best chance to successfully remove chocolate stains because their tools and knowledge are no match for at home solutions.

stain removal

Steps You Can Try At Home to Remove Chocolate Stains

  1. Remove Excess Chocolate - First and foremost, you want to clear your garment of any excess chocolate by using a spoon or a utensil that isn't too sharp. Avoid sharp objects such as knives so that you don’t damage or rip your clothes. If the chocolate stain has dried, then it might be too late to try removing the stain at home. You will want to avoid having to peel or scrape dried chocolate from your garment as this can make things worse.
  2. Carefully Rinse the Stained Area - Use cold water to carefully rinse the back of the stained area. By rinsing from the back, you allow the water to flow back through the garment and limit the stain from traveling to other areas of the garment. Do not use warm or hot water as it may cause the stain to settle.
  3. Apply Laundry Detergent - Apply liquid laundry detergent on the stained area and allow the garment to sit for 5 minutes. You may be tempted to immediately rinse the detergent but refrain from doing so. After 5 minutes, soak the garment in cold water for 15 minutes and rub your fingers gently across the stained area to try and loosen the stain. Repeat the rubbing process every 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to repeat soaking and rubbing until the stain is removed and then completely rinse the stained area. Lastly, you will want to wash the garment according to your care label instructions.

In addition to the steps above, you may find success removing a chocolate stain with a stain remover pen or spray. Be sure to read the care label on your garment and any instructions included with the stain remover before proceeding. We hope you find these tips and tricks useful!

 

Leave the cleaning to Rinse experts

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Leave your clothes to the people who know best. You’ll receive your clothes pressed on hangers, or neatly folded (depending on the service).

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Schedule via SMS, web, or app. We pick up and deliver everyday, even if you are not home.

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