Avoid Losing Socks in the Washing Machine
If you've been walking around with mismatched socks for much of your life, you might want to consider these instructions. Socks can be a valuable asset to your wardrobe! This guide will help you find ways to keep them from getting lost so that you can Put on a Sock Post Injury.
Contents
Steps
- Keep 'em together. Before putting socks in the washing machine, attach pairs together. You can use a lingerie bag, safety pins or even office clamps, you can simply fold the tops together or tie each pair, or the best solution is to use the sock clip.
- Sock clips can be purchased from commercial suppliers.
- Specialize. Perhaps you could do a load of just socks - that way, the socks won't get lost in the shuffle of all the other, more important laundry. Remember, socks need love, too.
- Keep track. If possible, count how many pairs of socks you have before you wash, then repeat the task after the wash.
- Watch your step. Many socks get lost on the way back from the washing machine to your sock drawer. They can easily fall from the laundry basket and be whisked away by static electricity. Keep socks in the middle of the pile so they don't escape.
- Keep a close eye on kids' socks. Under the bed is one sock, under the bookcase is the other and on it goes. Tell kids to pair socks at the end of each night before putting them in the laundry basket.
- Know where to look. Many socks that go missing are stuck to the inside of the washer. The moisture and centrifugal force holds them there for several minutes. Be sure to check all around the inside of the drum. Other socks will get stuck to sheets and towels in the dryer. So when you fold these items for storage, shake them out and check for any socks which may be clinging.
- Keep orphaned socks in one place. When you fold laundry, insert any un-matchable socks into one particular drawer in your dresser, or a box on your closet shelf. Once a month, you may have quite a collection. Dump them out and make all the matches. Use socks with no partner for other purposes.
Tips
- Buy large quantities of one exclusive kind of sock. This way, when one is lost, its partner will not be an orphan, but one of a vast community of kindred socks.
- Check all items that are donated to charity; socks can escape by being stuck on or inside some item that you toss into the donation bin.
- Use small garment bags made of fishnet material with zipper to close. These come in a few different sizes and sold at most department stores. Nothing gets out and nothing gets lost. And nothing gets stuck anywhere. Great for bras as well if you really must wash them in the machine.
- There are wash bags you can get that are designed specifically for washing socks and eliminating any loss in washers or dryers. These wash bags are usually smaller and are composed of several small compartments designed to fit a sock pair in each. By placing each sock pair in each individual compartment soon after you take them off, you can also use those wash bags to store your dirty/used socks throughout the week.
- Socks can get lost before they even get close to the washer or dryer. When you change the sheets of your bed, you may find socks have ended up stuffed between the sheets at the bottom of the bed. Vacuuming will also turn up the occasional lost sock when you move furniture.
Warnings
- When it comes to broken washing machines, socks are the greatest cause of jammed up pumps, after thong underwear. Use of small-garment wash bags will help you to avoid this problem.
