5 Laundry Myths + My Secret to Getting Chores Done

I don’t usually post about house management tips, but I do have a coupe things up my sleeve that I think are worth sharing.

First, I want to debunk 5 laundry myths. I know that laundry is literally a mountain many of you don’t want to climb. I could do a whole post on all my laundry secrets, but today I will just share 5 common myths that may help you start climbing that mountain.

Myth: You have to separate colors.

Listen, in the nearly 16 years I have been doing laundry for my family, I have never separated colors. And do you know how many things I have turned pink? Zero. I am more careful when I encounter a new article of clothing that hasn’t been washed yet, but after that it’s fair game.

Myth: You have to separate fabrics.

The same idea applies to fabrics. Does anyone even do this anymore? I wash all my kid’s clothing together and have never had any issues. Our clothes always come out bright and clean and looking perfect.

Myth: Hot water does a better job at killing germs.

When I was in 7th grade, I did a science fair project all about laundry. It turns out that the temperature of the water isn’t usually a factor in killing germs. It was the brand of detergent. Although this project was done over 20 years ago, I have always used the detergent that won. Want to know what it is? Tide. This isn’t a sponsored post, but I have always been very impressed with Tide. It gets out every stain and keeps my laundry looking and smelling amazing.

Myth: The dryer causes clothes to shrink.

It’s actually not the heat from the dryer that shrinks clothing, it’s the lack of moisture. If you own a newer dryer, it probably includes a moisture sensor that will shut off automatically when the clothes are dry.

Myth: Hand wash only means hand wash only.

Most washers come with a “hand wash only” setting. It is specifically made to mimic the gentle touch of washing by hand. If not, the gentle cycle on cold should also do the trick.

Second, I have a secret to share with you that will help you get your chores done and done fast! I should preface this by saying that this secret applies to most, but not all chores. Read to hear it?

The secret is that the anticipation of doing the chore takes longer than doing the actual chore. We tend to think and analyze and procrastinate but when it comes down to it, (almost) nothing takes more than 15 minutes.

Do you believe me? I timed myself. Disclaimer: I don’t live in a huge house and I don’t have 10 children or 7 pets. I do live in an average size house with 4 kids and 1 pet (and a husband).

Sink (and dishwasher) full of dishes? 13 minutes.

2 bathrooms? 15 minutes.

Other 2 bathrooms? My kids clean them.

Sweep and mop? 10 minutes.

Dust the entire house? 9 minutes.

I’m sure you get it. No, I’m not including major organization or deep cleaning. I am simply talking about the daily/weekly chores. When I started telling myself that I will be done in 15 minutes, I stopped procrastinating and it didn’t seem like a chore anymore. Try it!