Getting Clothes Clean

• Wash like things together, using the detergent manufacturer's recommended amount, or slightly less, of liquid or powdered detergent. Hot water is best for jeans, sheets and towels. The warm, permanent press setting is appropriate for T-shirts, blouses and such. Knits and delicate items should be washed in cold water on the gentle cycle.
  
  Most items of clothing benefit from presoaking in the washing machine with an oxygen cleaner such as OxiClean or Sun Oxygen Cleaner. Fill the machine with water, then add one scoop of oxygen cleaner. Add the clothes last. Turn the machine off for half an hour, then add detergent and finish the wash cycle. This is enough to get rid of almost all stains.
  
  Whites that are extremely dirty should be soaked in a solution of water and bleach in a sink or dishpan for up to 48 hours. Never pour undiluted bleach directly on fabric.
  
  

Combating Lint

• Sink lint trap for washing machine
  
  Flannel shirts, blankets, towels and sweatpants generate lint and should be washed separately from other items. An accumulation of lint can clog your household plumbing, causing the dirty wash water to back up and your pipes not to drain. If your washing machine drains into a laundry sink, there's an easy fix: use a replaceable lint trap. These traps are available at hardware and grocery stores. The hose attached to the lint trap is permanently bent in a J shape and is held in place by the cold water line.
  
  The lint screen in your dryer needs to be checked after every load and cleaned as necessary.
  
  

Drying Clothes

• A dryer is nice to have, but isn't absolutely necessary. A clothesline works just as well. If your clothesline is indoors, your clothes will dry faster with a dehumidifier in the same room.
  
  If you have a dryer, consider hiring a qualified professional to attach a diverter to your dryer exhaust so that it vents inside the house in cold weather. This will also increase the humidity in your home.