Laundry Cheat Sheet for College Students

A laundry cheat sheet for college students will help even the most pampered student to do their own laundry successfully. Being able to reference a handy laundry printable will save phone calls and ruined clothing.

college girl doing laundry

WHAT IF MY COLLEGE STUDENT HAS NEVER DONE LAUNDRY?

Many college students start college having never done their own laundry. I admit that I did most of my children’s laundry until late high school. So they were still newbies at laundry when they went off to school.

A printable laundry cheat sheet for college students is very detailed and provides students with all the info they need to get laundry done right.

Washers and dryers are very high-tech now, and the options on the machines can get confusing. Luckily most dorm-building washers and dryers will be fairly basic. One of the cheat sheets lists common symbols found on machines to make life easier.

laundry cheat sheet for college students

LAUNDRY SUPPLIES

College students will need laundry supplies whether they live in the dorm or in an apartment off campus.

Some of the basic laundry supplies that are handy to buy are:

  • Laundry basket for room
  • Laundry bag or basket to take to the laundry room
  • Detergent
  • Dryer sheets
  • Stain stick or spray
  • A small handheld steamer is nice to keep clothes wrinkle-free and it won’t take up a lot of space.
college student doing laundry

LAUNDRY BASICS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

When you have been doing laundry for years for a whole family it is like second nature. But I remember when I first started doing my own laundry it felt overwhelming.

Here are some basic tips to make laundry a breeze:

  • Sort laundry into a few different loads. Towels should never be washed with clothing. Whites and lights can go into one load. Dark clothes will be another load. Last will be delicate clothing like undergarments.
  • It always helps to zip up zippers, fasten any velcro and close hooks. This keeps these parts from snagging other items.
  • Empty pockets!! This is a biggie and should be taught to kids when they are young. Empty pockets BEFORE you put items into the laundry basket.
  • Unroll those pants and socks and turn socks the right way so they are cleaned properly.
  • If you have stains they need to be treated with stain remover. If you can do that a day before washing, even better. Once the item is washed check and see if the stain has come out. If the stain is still there do NOT dry the item. Retreat it and wash it again. Drying the item will set the stain and it will be very hard to remove.
  • Don’t leave clothes in the dryer. They will wrinkle!! Take them out right away.
  • Remember, the hotter the dryer setting, the more likely it is that the clothes could shrink. This is especially true of items that are 100% cotton.
  • Don’t forget to read the labels. Some items like many sweaters can’t be dried and should be laid out flat to dry. Other items may need to be dry-cleaned.
laundromat

FREE PRINTABLE LAUNDRY CHEAT SHEET FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

This is a two-page laundry cheat sheet for college students. The first page goes over laundry basics. It covers how to sort laundry, the settings on a washer, and some helpful tips. The second page shows the common laundry symbols in a nice chart.

My advice is to laminate these cheat sheets, so they stay useful all year long.

You can click the button below to download and print these laundry printables. Remember these are for your own personal use only.

laundry cheat sheet for college students

Check out these other useful articles while you are here!

Jamie
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15 Comments

  1. You really have to teach them the right way because otherwise they will just dump it in the washer and that’s it! Lol. It’s nice to create a cheat sheet for them and it’s good to have such a reliable laundry detergent. Awesome!

  2. This is true, teenagers are ready to be adult when they are going to college. This post should be read by my cousin since she will be transferred to another college school next semester

  3. These are great tips for people who are just learning. I already have my kids helping me with laundry so they can do their own as they get older, but there are somethings that I haven’t taught them yet – so this would be a good reference.

    1. Thanks Coralie! It is a handy reference to just keep in the laundry room for anyone! Sounds like your kids are on the right path!

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