Some of the different types of laundry accessories include a washer, dryer, and an iron. In addition to these things, people generally also use laundry detergent, stain remover, and occasionally fabric softener. Other accessories for laundry include clothes lines, ironing boards, and dryer sheets. There are many different types and brands of all laundry accessories, and all the accessories vary in price depending on manufacturer, quality, and where they are purchased.
People who are attempting to do laundry normally use a washing machine to physically wash their clothing in. Washing machines are usually either front- or top-loading, and they are made to fill up with water, at which point detergent and other laundry additives may be placed inside along with dirty clothing. After clothing is washed, people usually either put their clothing inside dryers to dry or hang it up on clothes lines to dry outside. People who do not use liquid fabric softener inside their washing machines might instead use dryer sheets in their dryers to help soften their clothing.
Dryer sheets are one of the most commonly used laundry accessories. These sheets are designed to help clothing feel softer and smell fresher after it is dried, much in the same way as liquid fabric softener. Many people tend to prefer dryer sheets over liquid fabric softener because the sheets are usually cheaper and also easier to use than fabric softener. Using a dryer sheet is typically as simple as tossing a sheet into the dryer. When the clothing is removed to be folded, the sheet can then be disposed of.
After clothing is washed and dried, it may be ironed. People usually do this with an iron, which may be either electric or steam, and an ironing board. An iron works by using heat to help get wrinkles out of clothing that has been dried. The ironing board provides a tall, flat surface to make ironing easier for people who do it. Not everyone chooses to iron after clothes have been dried, and many people only bother with it for clothing they wear to work and to formal events. Other types of clothing often come out of the dryer wrinkle-free if they are removed as soon as the dryer finishes its cycle, but this generally depends on the type of fabric the articles of clothing are made from.
Laundry detergent is normally used to get clothes clean while they are being washed. Most types of laundry detergent is made with very abrasive, concentrated soap, and when the detergent is diluted with water, it can effectively get dirty clothing clean. Some types of laundry detergent contain special cleaning agents for removing stains, while other types do not. Many people choose to purchase either spray-on or liquid stain-removing products that are designed to be applied directly to stains before they are laundered.
Fabric softener is a product that many people use in their washing machines during the rinse cycle. The use of fabric softener is not necessary in order to help with cleaning clothes, and many people use it only because they like the way it makes their clothing feel and smell. There are certain types of linens, such as towels and wash cloths, that generally do not benefit from the use of fabric softener because the softener can cause fabric to become resistant to moisture.
Some other types of laundry accessories are clothes lines and clothes pins. Clothes lines are typically made from plastic or rubber, and they are intended to be tied or attached in some way to either posts or trees outdoors. Clothes are then hung on clothes lines with clothes pins until they are completely dry. Many people prefer to use clothes lines to get their clothing dry because they like the way the outdoor air makes their clothes smell. Letting clothes air dry occasionally might also help reduce the amount of a home electricity bill because electric clothes dryers often use up a lot of energy.
