Do you have a favorite outfit that you don’t want to shrink? How about those expensive garments that you want to be extra careful with? Drying delicate clothing can be a bit daunting because it’s usually laundry you need to take extra care of when cleaning.

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We get it! These are your favorites. You don’t want the fabric to shrink, you don’t want the color to fade, and you don’t want the material to rip.

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Delicately drying your delicate laundry is possible. The fact that you’re here puts you ahead of most. It’s best to air dry delicate materials, as opposed to machine drying. But you can use air-dry settings on most residential and commercial dryers. We’ve outlined some of our top tips for drying your delicates below.

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Let’s Talk Air Drying

If you’re here, you’re probably wondering, “How can I avoid the risk of shrinking a beloved piece of clothing?” or “How can I dry my clothes without using a dryer?”

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It’s best to begin with the most gentle possible option when it comes to drying your delicate laundry. Then, work your way up to different options if the others don’t work out for you. 

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The best option is to allow them to air-dry. There are plenty of techniques for air-drying your delicate items, like using an outdoor clothesline or clothes drying rack. Air-drying your clothes is far gentler on fabrics than machine drying, and it is also more energy-efficient.

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Using a machine dryer causes clothes to wear quicker than they would if they were air-dried, due to the increased friction and heat that comes with machine drying. Drying your clothes on clothes drying racks or outdoor clotheslines can reduce the impact that comes with machine dryers. Flat drying is leaving your damp garments on a flat, perforated surface – so there is no gravity stretching your heavy, damp garment.

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Air-drying also eliminates the need for dryer balls or dryer sheets by preventing static cling, so you’ll save money and minimize garment damage as well.

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How Can I Avoid Shrinkage?

To avoid clothing shrinkage, the most important thing to do when drying your delicate items is to read the tags, especially if you’re wearing expensive or irreplaceable clothing.

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Air drying prevents delicate fabrics from shrinking. But, there are still ways to stop your clothes from shrinking if you’re using a machine dryer. 

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If you do put your delicates in the dryer, make sure to put them on the gentlest, coolest setting. You should not put an item in the dryer if it should be hand washed or washed on the delicate cycle. This typically means that machine dryers will be too harsh for that particular material.

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When in Doubt, Air it Out

As a good rule of thumb, if you’re concerned at all about your clothes shrinking, tearing, or fading, it’s best to let them air dry. But, if you do use a machine dryer, just make sure to be careful and mindful and use the gentlest, coolest setting.

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2ULaundry offers a Delicate Laundry Bag!

You can now choose which items get which treatment! This Delicates Bag is a flat-rate bag that you can stuff full of your delicate laundry.

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The Delicates Bag is for your wash & hang dry garments that need gentle washing and low-temperature or air drying. For some people, it’s a few pairs of their favorite jeans. For others, it’s workout gear and leggings. However you decide to use this delicates bag, rest assured that the garments in this bag are getting specialized and separate treatment from the rest of your order.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Washing Hotel Sheets

You can learn a lot of interesting laundry-related facts from hotel housekeeping, including the importance of water temperature during the wash cycle. 

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Gone are the days of simply boiling anything and everything for hours on end, causing long-term damage, color fading, and shrinking. Who better to ask for best practices than the pro housekeepers who wash by the ton?

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Here’s what we learned about washing from hotel housekeeping!

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Commercial Washing

Hotel laundry consists mostly of sheets, towels, comforters, and other large, bulky items. Most commercial washers are set up to wash over 275 pounds at a time (Thats over 45 regular loads at once!) with water set at roughly 160 degrees. The average residential washing machine temperature runs between 110 to 130 degrees.

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This hotter temperature increases the effectiveness of a commercial wash in three essential ways:

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• Gives heavily used fabrics a fresh, clean look
• Stain removal is much easier in hot water
• Sheets, towels, and restaurant linens are disinfected and treated for bacteria

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Let’s Get Scientific

Physics tells us that a higher water temperature lowers the surface tension of the water so that it soaks into fabric fibers and stains more easily. Higher-temperature water also separates fabric fibers to help release any dirt and grime that might be hiding deep in the fabric.

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Commercial washers automatically release any detergents, bleach, and fabric softeners into the wash on a timed schedule. Higher-temperature water allows the chemical ingredients to get to work quickly and more effectively.

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Drum Size Matters

The drum is the part of the washer that holds and rotates clothes in a washing machine. The water and detergents need room to circulate in and around the fabric to achieve a good clean, so making sure you don’t overfill your drum is key. Most small or residential machines aren’t designed to process the amount of laundry most people put in at once.

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Customize Water Temperature

The temperature of the water you use for laundry could cause damage, be inefficient at stain removal, or not provide proper sanitation.

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Cold water washing is recommended for the average home laundry load to lengthen the lifetime of your garments by protecting color and reducing shrinkage. Unfortunately, it does not remove stains as effectively as warm or hot water.

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The benefits of cold water for clothing are a downside in the commercial hotel hospitality industry where sanitation and pristine stain removal are important.

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A warm water wash works best for lightly soiled, low-use synthetic fabrics such as polyester, spandex, nylon, or rayon blends. Detergents can easily dissolve in warm water and it’s more energy efficient than hot water. Warm water can cause colors to fade and will not be as effective at stain removal or thorough sanitation.

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For true sanitization and aggressive stain removal, hot water is the only way to go. This setting is ideal for household fabrics and what’s primarily in the laundry room at hotels such as cotton-based sheets, curtains, comforters, towels, and pillowcases.

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Hotel Laundry Housekeeping Horror Stories

When staying at a hotel, be sure to take your makeup off before going to bed, or else you’re likely to get it all over the sheets and pillowcases. One Reddit user shared this was the most annoying thing for them when housekeeping.

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“I would have to spend extra time in the laundry room trying to get the stain out and I would usually end up leaving late because of it,” they shared. Make sure you also don’t use the hand towels to take your makeup off, or you’ll stain those too and possibly get charged, running up your hotel bill when you’re trying to save.”

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Another housekeeper shared this story. “One time, while an older man was checking out, he handed my manager an extra $50 for the “inconvenience” — but didn’t go into detail. When housekeeping went to his room, there was blood everywhere: on the floors, the bathroom mirror, even the shower! We never figured out where it all came from. It legitimately looked like he murdered someone in there. We had to call the police and have a special hazmat cleaner come in.”

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Think hotel laundry is easy? Our final story includes food in bed. “I was a housekeeper, and one day I went into a room after a guest checked out. It smelled a little funky, but I couldn’t find the source of the stench. I went to strip the bed, pulled the sheets back, and the bed was filled with coleslaw. COLESLAW! I had no idea why, and I do NOT want to know why!

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Leave the Washing to the Pros!

2ULaundry’s commercial laundry and delivery service is perfect for hotels, spa and massage offices, gyms, or any other small business! It’s okay to skip laundry day and get fresh, clean items delivered!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Have you been trying to figure out how to get massage oil out of your massage table linens? Here are 5 tips and tricks to help you in removing these troublesome spills with ease:

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5 Commercial Laundry Tips For Removing Massage Oil from your Massage Table Linens

There is nothing more unappealing for clients than lying on a massage table that appears dirty with oil stains. Thanks to advances in modern detergents, keeping your massage table linens blemish-free is easier than ever. Here are 5 tips and tricks on how to get massage oil out of massage table linens:

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#1: Tackle The Problem Fast

If you notice that massage oil has spilled on your massage sheets, it’s important to treat the stain as quickly as possible. When the oil stain is treated while it is still wet, it is much easier to remove than a stain that has already dried and settled into the fibers of the sheet. 

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To begin removing the stain, pat the wet spill instead of rubbing it to soak up the excess stain. Then, rinse the area with cold water. Remember, don’t rub the stain; this spreads the stain and pushes it deeper and deeper into the garment!

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#2: Use Baking Soda and Stain Remover

Both baking soda and stain remover products are excellent products to treat an oil stain, as they both do a great job at pulling the oil from the sheet’s fibers. Apply the baking soda or stain remover to the oil stain and let these products sit for at least fifteen minutes. Then, wash the sheet in the hottest water indidicated on the massage sheet’s care label. After washing, inspect the stained area before tossing it into the dryer. The high heat of the dryer, especially for synthetic fabrics, can make the stain very difficult to remove. Repeat the treatment if necessary.

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Stain Removers We Recommend

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Grandma’s Stain Remover

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Effective yet gentle, Grandma’s does not contain bleaching agents or leave dirt-attracting residues.

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Miss Mouth’s Stain Spray

This lightning-fast, commercial-grade formula is the perfect spot remover for quick action. Originally made for moms on the go, it is pocket-sized for immediate application.

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Naturally It’s Clean

These plant-based enzymes are effective and work by attacking the source of stubborn stains for easy and quick removal while also eliminating unwanted odors.

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#3: Pretreat Stain With Detergent

If your stain is set in or you are worried it will not come out, it is helpful to soak the sheet in hot water mixed with detergent before washing your sheets as you normally would. Plus, with a high-quality detergent in place, resorting to harsh chemicals like bleach isn’t usually necessary.

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Note: Liquid detergents tend to work better on oil stains. When purchasing your detergents, stay away from powder or pod detergents for your massage table linens.

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Laundry Detergents We Recommend

Good laundry detergents make stain removal easy!

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Dropps Laundry Pods

Dropps is made for sensitive skin and comes in recyclable and compostable cardboard packaging helps reduce single-use plastic.

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The Laundress – Signature

The Laundress laundry detergent blends the finest modern perfume into the brand’s best-performing detergent formula.

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Charlie’s Laundry Liquid

Each bottle contains just four ingredients. No suds, just a deep clean that leaves your laundry fresh and soft.

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#4: Hot Water Is A Must

When removing massage oil stains, using the hottest water setting on your washer is essential. This is because hot water is much better at breaking down the oil from the sheet than cold water ever could.

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#5: Partner With A Commercial Laundry Service

If you struggle to remove massage oil alone, don’t hesitate to turn to commercial laundry services. While DIY methods can be effective for removing massage oil stains, they can only take you so far. Plus, as a massage professional, your time is money. Instead of booking extra clients, you’ll be spending time in the laundry room.

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Working with a commercial laundry service ensures that your stains are removed on the very first try. Commercial laundry services have professional detergents and solvents that massage table linens need to get treated quickly and then return to your clean inventory circulation. And, keeping inventory in circulation is the name of the game!

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2ULaundry Commercial Laundry Service Is Here To Help

Working with 2ULaundry for your commercial laundry service needs takes the stress out of pesky massage oil stains on your massage table linens. Rest assured, our tried and true cleaning methods, experienced team, and high-efficiency commercial equipment will keep your massage table linens looking spotless and brand new.

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Massage oil stains on your sheets will be a thing of the past! For unmatched services delivered right to your door, get started with our laundry solutions today!

‍2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

When you’re separating laundry, it’s easy to think you can wash sheets and towels together. Not only does it cut down on loads of laundry, but it could save some time and money. But that’s a big laundry mistake that might end up costing you. 

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Should I Wash Sheets and Towels Together?

Airbnb owners all have so many questions about maintaining the linens in their rental units, especially when it comes to washing sheets and towels. Keeping an inventory of sheets and towels in circulation is important! You do not want to damage inventory that is expensive to replace.

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It may seem like a good idea to wash sheets and towels together to save time and housekeeping costs, but is it a good idea? Let’s take a look at the washing differences between sheets and towels, what damage can occur if sheets and towels are washed together, and how this impacts the lifespan of linens.

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You’ve probably heard different opinions on whether you should wash sheets and towels together. Well, we’re here to provide you with a definitive answer: NO.

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We spoke to laundry service professionals to learn why they separate their sheets and towels in their commercial laundry businesses. And, while you might not be running a commercial laundry business, you should be caring for your linens like a pro!

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Why You Shouldn’t Wash Sheets and Towels Together?

Linens and towels should be washed separately for the following reasons:

• Material Weight: Different material thickness means sharing a wash cycle can cause damage!
• Different Material: Pilling can be prevented by washing with similar materials and textures.
• Temperature Control: It’s hard to believe but, you’ll do more damage to fabric in a dryer than you will in a washer! Be careful…
• Different Sizes: Different sizes of linens prevent tumbling which can mean less cleaning & more complaints!
• Airbnb Laundry Service: An Airbnb laundry service can increase the cleanliness and lifespan of your linens.

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1. Towels And Linens Have Different Material Weights

By weight, we’re talking about the thickness of the laundry. Their thickness can affect how long they take to dry in the dryer. Sheets, a lighter weight, will dry faster than thicker towels. This means either towels won’t dry fully–which could lead to the formation of mold or mildew–or sheets will be over-dried resulting in damage and shortening their lifespan.

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If you wash sheets and towels together it can make it difficult for your washer machine’s drum to move effectively during its spin cycle; this could lead to unnecessary wear-and-tear on your washer which may reduce its longevity over time if not corrected promptly. By separating your wash cycles into different loads based on temperature settings and material types (sheets vs towels), you ensure that both items are properly cleaned without increasing wear-and-tear on either item or your washer machine itself. Not only will you get cleaner linens faster with separate loads, but you’ll also extend the life of your linens by avoiding any potential damage caused by improper washing techniques.

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“Not separating your sheets and towels is a one-way ticket to higher utility costs! The balance between linens in the dryer is like a dance. You can’t have one dancer dancing to a different song than the other. Everything will get tangled up! And tangled linens take forever to dry. Instead, limit your dry cycles to one type of linen so the tumble dance can be harmonious!” – Randy R., Columbus Express Laundry Service

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2. They’re Made Out of Different Materials

Sheets are typically made from a lighter fabric than towels, meaning they require a gentler cycle in the washer and or dryer. Towels are much thicker, so they need a longer or stronger cycle to get them clean.

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At first glance, this may not seem like a huge concern, but because towels are typically made out of cotton, they’re more likely to produce lint. Because of the material difference, your sheets can end up covered in lint, changing their appearance and texture, and shortening their lifetime. Beware, new towels produce a lot of lint.

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Sheets can be sensitive to certain laundry detergents or fabric softeners, so these should be avoided when washing them. On the other hand, towels are usually quite durable and can stand up to most detergents without any problems.

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“Lint on sheets will get itchy! Whether you are washing your own sheets and towels at home or providing a service as a commercial laundry service, scratchy lint on soft sheets is a surefire way to lose sleep and lose clients! -Kent W., Happy Landry and Dry Cleaning

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3. They Require Different Temperatures

Sheets require a lower washer temperature setting than most towels. Sheets are generally made of a fabric blend that includes some natural fibers, so they need to be washed at a lower temperature to reduce shrinkage in the fabric.

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That being said, there are also certain types of sheet fabrics (such as polyester microfiber) that will tolerate higher temperatures without shrinking or fading. Always read the care labels on your sheets before laundering them! Also, always use delicate laundry detergent for washing your sheets. Any harsh detergents or bleach can cause damage to the fabric over time.

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Towels, on the other hand, need higher temperatures with harsher detergents to ensure proper cleaning. This is because towels tend to accumulate bacteria from frequent use and need strong detergents to kill germs effectively. Furthermore, high temperatures help remove oils from the skin which may build up on towel fibers over time.

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“Because towels come into contact with skin cells and dampness frequently, you should wash them with hot water to rid them of any lingering bacteria. However, sheets don’t need to be washed in hot water. If you do, it could damage the finer fabric.

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Most people are afraid to wash in hot cycles. As a commercial laundry service, we know the benefits of hot cycle washes. But, you don’t want to process your delicate linens in hot cycles. These sheets can’t stand the heat like the towels can!” -Matt P., Washed Commercial Laundry

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4. They’re Different Sizes

This is important because it also affects drying time. If a towel becomes tightly wrapped in a sheet, it won’t dry properly resulting in mildew and mold. Additionally, if towels or other pieces of clothing are getting caught in sheets, they’re not rubbing up against other items of clothing which is an essential part of the cleaning process in a washer.

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When washing sheets and towels together, remember that towels can cause damage to sheets due to their size and thickness. This is because thicker fabrics will cause friction between them during the wash cycle which can lead to pilling or tearing of the delicate fabric of your sheets over time. Also, towels tend to collect lint during the wash cycle which can then transfer onto your sheets.

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“Also, when you are heading to fold, it helps to have all the sheets with the sheets and towels with the towels. When you are folding a lot of laundry, the consistency helps. Muscle memory takes over and folding gets a lot easier!” -Ayad M., Orange Bag Laundry Service

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Protect the Lifespan of Your Airbnb Linens

Despite how convenient it might be, you should not wash sheets and towels together.

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Different materials require different care instructions, which means mixing these two types of linen during one wash cycle can result in damaged linens over time. It’s a gradual decline that will slowly deplete all of your Airbnb linen inventory – causing you to replace linens quicker.

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That is a big price tag caused by simple improper laundering techniques!

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Separating linens into separate loads based on their material type (sheets vs. towels) will not only give your linen a better clean, but it will also help prevent unnecessary wear-and-tear on your linens and your washer – extending the life of your linens & washer significantly!

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Our Recommendations for Airbnb Sheets & Towels

As an Airbnb laundry service, we see a ton of sheets and towels. The cheap ones never last! If you are looking for a good return on on your inventory investment, we recommend GhostSheets Bedsheets and American Soft Linen Bath Towels for all Airbnb laundry service customers.

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Ghost Sheets

Ghost Sheets, the sheet set from Ghost Bed, is a linen set that is built to last. These TENCEL® sheets are a laundry service favorite because they are easy to stain-treat, wrinkle-resistant, and stand the tough conditions of commercial laundry cycles.

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American Soft Linen Towels

The American Soft Linen Bath Towels are the perfect Airbnb towel. The hint of geometry in its dobby-border adds personality to the greeting without adding color – allowing easy stain treatment. The ELS Combed Cotton means quick drying too.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Understanding Your Washer and Dryer Settings

We’ve all seen the different cycle settings on our washing machines and dryers, but how many of us actually understand what each of them means?

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Knowing which washer and dryer setting to use for which article of clothing can make all the difference in how your garments look and feel after they’re done washing and drying.

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However, if you dont know, you’re not alone! Many people don’t understand the different settings, which can make doing laundry a confusing experience. Many people believe that all of the washer and dryer settings are more or less the same things, but they are not. Different washer and dryer settings use different temperatures and spin cycles, thus creating a different result.

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Fortunately, we’ve compiled the basics of using each of these settings, so you can better understand how to use them for your laundry.

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What is the Permanent Press setting on washers and dryers?

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Permanent Press is for clothes that can get wrinkly during a regular wash and dry cycle. The term refers to the fabric composition – not the washer or dryer settings. This new fabric composition was invented by Ruth R. Benerito in 1990 to help eliminate the need for ironing cotton after every wash.

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She developed a process called cross-linking, which replaced the ineffectual hydrogen bonds with stronger ones. The new chemical bonds act like the sturdy rungs of a ladder, snapping the polymer chains back to crisp, unwrinkled attention. The term refers to fabric that has been chemically processed to resist wrinkles and hold its shape.

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The washer and dryer settings simply cater to the time, temperature, and tumble that is most beneficial to this textile type. 

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Permanent Press in the Washing Machine

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The permanent press cycle works to release creases in the fabrics placed within the washing machine by beginning the wash with warm or hot water, and then switching to cool while rinsing. The cycle ends with a slow spin, as a way to reduce wrinkles.

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In essence, the permanent press cycle reduces the wrinkles in your clothes. It also helps to preserve the finish on your wrinkle-free items, allowing them to last longer. But, the hot water in the cycle can damage delicates if you’re not careful! Typically, you want to avoid the Permanent Press washing machine cycle with your delicate laundry.

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Permanent Press cycles are also used to reduce the fading, shrinking, and pilling of certain synthetic materials. In comparison to the regular cycle, the Permanent Press cycle is gentler. However, it isn’t gentle enough for certain delicate garments, such as lingerie, athletic wear, or woven throws.

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Permanent Press Settings in the Dryer

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The Permanent Press setting on your dryer is designed to reduce wrinkles in clothing when drying without damaging fabrics that may shrink if exposed to high temperatures.

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The cycle works by combining a high-heat drying period with a low-heat drying period and then a cool-down period at the end. This helps to relax wrinkles out of fabrics while reducing heat exposure during the cycle, which prevents shrinkage and damage to delicate fabrics.

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This setting is great for items like blouses, button-up shirts, and khaki pants – items that typically need to be ironed. However, it can ruin athletic wear or delicates that should not be exposed to high heat.

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The permanent press setting differs from other settings on your dryer because it uses both high and low heat combined with a cool-down period at the end. For example, regular heat settings are designed for tougher items like jeans or towels that can tolerate higher temperatures.

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Prevent Wrinkles with These Amazon Laundry Products on Amazon

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No one likes dealing with wrinkled laundry – wrinkles can ruin a great fit! Fortunately, following these simple Amazon laundry products can help keep wrinkles at bay so that after each wash cycle, you have clean and crisp clothing.

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Allertech Reusable Dryer Sheets- If you want the efficiency and ease of use of dryer sheets without the harmful side effects, Allertech has a great option in their reusable dryer sheets. These sheets are unscented, chemical-free, and hypoallergenic. Each sheet is good for over 500 loads of laundry.

Friendsheep Wool Dryer Balls- Made of organic New Zealand wool, Friendsheep’s dryer balls are cruelty-free and last for 1000+ loads of laundry. They are made in Nepal and hand-felted in ethical working conditions by women. A set of six can be used for large loads of laundry.

The Laundress Fabric Conditioner- It’s not laundry softener – it’s fabric conditioner. That’s how you know it’s fancy. Just an ounce of fabric conditioner per load leaves my clothes much softer than supermarket brands. However, I do find that all The Laundress products have a strong scent which I would describe as anything but fresh and natural – artificial really. But, still smells quite good!

The Laundress Detergent- If there is a specific type of Permanent Press fabric that you are trying to wash, finding a detergent meant specifically for that fabric could be beneficial. The Laundress makes a detergent meant specifically for denim and other Permanent Press type garments. It protects fibers while also cleansing and conditioning in a concentrated formula.

What are the Gentle or Delicate Cycles on washers and dryers?

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When using both your washing machine and dryer’s delicate cycles, keep in mind that these cycles are designed specifically for fragile fabrics such as silk, cashmere, wool, linen, and other embellished garments – not for everyday items like t-shirts or jeans. Be sure to read the care label carefully before putting any item into either machine so that you can ensure that you choose the best setting possible for protecting those special garments while still getting them clean! With a proper understanding of how both machines’ delicate cycles work together, you’ll be able to keep all of your delicates looking their best!

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The gentle cycle, also known as a delicate cycle on some machines, is best for garments with weaker fabrics, as well as some blankets and other bedding items.

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Gentle or delicate laundry settings begin with a quick, cold wash, and end with a slow tumble and spin cycle. The delicate materials that most commonly should be washed on a gentle or delicate setting include, but are not limited to:

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Sweaters

• Athletic clothes
• Underwear/lingerie
• Crocheted items
• Blankets/bedding

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Delicate Cycles in the Washing Machine

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The delicate cycle on a washing machine is designed to be used for items that require gentle handling. This includes lingerie, bathing suits, and any other clothing with embellishments (such as sequins). It also includes materials such as cashmere and silk.

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The delicate cycle can also be used for wool sweaters that are labeled “hand wash only” or any other item with a similar label.

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The washing machine’s delicate cycle uses less agitation than the regular cycle does which helps protect fragile fabrics from damage. It also typically operates at lower water temperatures which helps prevent shrinkage and fading in color-sensitive materials like wool.

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Additionally, most washers have an extra rinse option associated with their delicate cycles which can help ensure that all of the detergent has been removed from your clothing items before they go in the dryer.

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Delicate Cycle Settings in the Dryer

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The delicate cycle on a dryer is designed to help reduce wrinkling in fabrics that are prone to wrinkling when they are dried – such as cotton and linen.

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The low heat setting of the delicate cycle helps keep these types of fabrics from becoming over-dried, while still providing enough heat to evaporate moisture from your clothes so they don’t come out damp.

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Most dryers will have a timer associated with their delicate cycles so you can set it to run for shorter periods if needed – this ensures that your delicates don’t get over-dried and become brittle or faded due to excessive heat exposure.

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Tips for Drying Different Types of Clothing

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When selecting a cycle for drying clothes on your dryer, it’s important to note that some fabrics are more sensitive than others and require special care when laundering them. For instance, delicate fabrics like silk should never go in the dryer; they should only be air-dried flat or hung up so they don’t stretch out over time.

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Similarly, natural fibers such as cotton have a lower tolerance for heat so they should always be washed with cold water and then dried using the permanent press setting or air dry option. On the flip side, synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon can handle higher temperatures so they can usually go in any regular heat cycle without the worry of shrinking or damage to fabric integrity.

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Rule of Caution: If you are worried about maintaining the integrity of your delicate item, you can opt for hand washing instead.

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At the end of the day, as long as you are cautious and mindful of your delicate items, they should be fine!

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Ultimately, understanding how each cycle works on your dryer can help you keep your clothes looking new longer! Knowing which type of fabric should go into which cycle will help you avoid shrinking clothes or ruining delicate materials with too much heat exposure over time. So next time you’re doing laundry at home make sure to pay attention to those settings—your clothes will thank you later!

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2ULaundry now offers a Delicate Laundry Bag!

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Still not sure if you should use Permanent Press or Gentle Cycle? Send your laundry off for professional laundry service!

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You can now choose which items get which treatment at 2ULaundry! Our Delicates Bag is a flat-rate bag that you can fill with your delicate laundry.

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The Delicates Bag is for your wash-and-fold garments that need gentle wash and low-temperature or air drying. For some people, it’s a few pairs of their favorite jeans. For others, it’s workout gear and leggings. However, if you decide to use this delicates bag, rest assured that the garments in this bag are getting specialized and separate treatment from the rest of your order.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Given how important cleanliness is, Airbnb hosts need to know how to make their rentals shine–– in the most efficient manner possible. Here are some tips to speed things up!

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Fit Four Hours of Cleaning into ONLY Two Hours:

When it comes to a guest’s rating on Airbnb or other home-sharing services, cleanliness is often the deciding factor between a good review and a bad review. Airbnb surveys conducted on guests’ experiences have reported that a vacation home’s poor cleanliness is the number one reason they might leave a bad review.

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Of course, cleaning a rental isn’t like cleaning your home––you may not notice a couple of dust bunnies floating around, but a guest will. On top of that, a rental’s cleaning window is often very slim, and a host can easily find themselves cleaning their Airbnb right up to the minute before their next guests arrive.

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In this article, our goal is to walk you through how to take a 4-hour cleaning block and turn it into only 2 hours of cleaning. Ready to clean your Airbnb twice as fast?

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Clean Your Airbnb Twice as Fast:

Thankfully, hosts can set their timeframe for cleaning their homes in between guests. Most people allow themselves around 4 hours, which is a perfect amount of time to thoroughly clean the entire unit with special attention to guest “pain spots.” These are the highly frequented areas where guests are most likely to notice spots or dirt, such as the linens, towels, floors, and bathrooms.

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A host should begin their cleaning with a load of laundry––ideally, with the linens and towels washed separately. We recommend starting with laundry because the cycles can run in the background while you start other areas of the house. If you wait to start laundry until the end of the cleaning, you and your staff will be sitting around waiting for laundry cycles to finish. This alone will save you one hour––with 30 minutes of the wash cycle and 30 minutes of the dry cycle happening while you are cleaning other parts of the house.

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Other quick Airbnb cleaning tips include:

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• Using a lint roller to collect hair (pets and otherwise): No one likes to see someone else’s hair in their space. Using a lint roller is the easiest way to collect strands from sheets and cracks in the floor. 
• Don’t be a clutter collector: While adding small sentimental touches to your home can make a guest feel more at ease, if your house is filled to the brim with tiny trinkets, dust can easily collect. By keeping things orderly, your home will appear cleaner and more modern. Save time cleaning by simply not storing all of ‘the extras’ on your rental shelves.
• Don’t be afraid to hire a laundry service: If you know you won’t be able to clean or finish the laundry in a concise amount of time, don’t be afraid to hire a third-party laundry service to take care of the laundry for you. You can always add a cleaning fee to your guest’s charges to offset the expenditure. And, a close relationship with a commercial laundry service provider will help to manage inventory and to prevent damage.
• Make sure your house smells nice: Guests will always notice how your home smells when they first enter. Don’t use chemical products for fake freshness. Instead, use essential oils in a diffuser, or, if you don’t have a diffuser, place two or three drops of your preferred oil onto a tissue and tuck it into your window’s blinds. This will keep the tissue out of sight and diffuse the scent throughout the room.

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A Two-Hour Airbnb Cleaning Checklist:

Finally, the best way to tackle efficient cleaning is to have a concise method. The best way that we’ve found to clean a home FAST is by following this order of chores. If you’re reserving a four-hour time slot to clean, your goal should be to limit cleaning to two hours, giving yourself a safety net if something needs more time.

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• Gather dirty linens and towels and load them into the washer––separately. Once they’re in the dryer, it’s best to check on them after every chore to see if they’re done. This will ensure more thorough drying and prevent damage from frequent washes.

• Clean any dirty dishes––start a dishwasher load if necessary.

• Clean the bathrooms starting with the sink tops, shower/tub, toilets, mirror, faucet, and finally, door handles.

• Clean the kitchen. Be sure to check the fridge and cabinets, and clean the microwave, oven, and any other appliances.

• Vacuum and sweep floors.

• Wipe down tables, ledges, windowsills, and other dusty places.

• Mop the hard floors.

• Straighten outdoor furniture and sweep the patio, stoop, or porches.

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For a full equipment list and step-by-step guide, learn from the Airbnb cleaning professionals at Merit Maids. For a full Airbnb maintenance checklist, you can consult this Xenia Airbnb checklist.

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Fast-Track Your Airbnb Cleaning with Commercial Laundry Services

Keeping a clean rental home is essential for making guests happy and learning how to do so quickly is a must. If you have any doubts about whether you can successfully clean your property in a short amount of time, don’t make the mistake of passing on a cleaning or laundering service.

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Find out more about 2ULaundry’s business laundry services for Airbnb rental properties.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Whatever business you’re running, a commercial or business laundry service partner is one of the most important partnerships you can make. If you are still debating whether or not to take the plunge into a commercial laundry service partnership, here are some tips to help you learn more about the benefits of a business laundry service partnership!

The Top 5 Differences Between a Business Laundry Service vs Doing The Laundry Yourself

You wouldn’t hesitate to hire a plumber when the pipes are leaking, right? Would you hesitate to hire a web developer to help build and maintain your website, right?

Why would you hesitate to hire a commercial laundry service to help with your business’s laundry? Hiring a professional laundry service comes with plenty of benefits and perks – ranging from the equipment, process, and efficiency used. Let’s explore the 5 key differences between commercial laundry service vs doing the laundry yourself:

#1: Less Time and Hassle On Your End

With work, social, and family responsibilities contributing to your busy daily life, the last thing that you want to worry about is staying on top of your laundry chores. Lucky for you, all of the time spent sorting, folding, and transferring your laundry is gone with the help of a professional laundry service, all of which will save you time and hassle in the long run.

#2: Much Higher Load Capacity

The chances are your home has just one washer and dryer available to wash your linens in, which isn’t always enough to do all of the laundry needed for your business or family. Professional-grade washers can withstand much larger loads without the risk of breaking over constant use as a piece of at-home washing equipment would.

#3: Money Saved On Replacing Washer

There is no denying that the upfront cost of commercial laundry services is greater than that of an at-home job. However, it is important to note that there is ample money saved in other ways. Not only will outsourcing your laundry save you on the money it would take to replace an overused washer at home, but there is also no need to constantly purchase detergents, dryer sheets, and other smaller laundry fees that add up across the years.

#4: More Thorough and Precise Clean

Even if you’re using the best of at-home laundry techniques, there is nothing quite like the level of cleanliness accomplished through a professional clean. This is because commercial laundry services have stronger detergents and higher-quality washing and drying equipment to get the job done right and clear away pesky stains each and every time.

On top of that, the team of professionals found at commercial laundry services knows exactly how to handle a variety of materials, linens, and clothes to achieve the best clean possible.

2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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At 2ULaundry, we’re committed to providing a quality experience for all of our laundry & dry cleaning customers, unlocking more free time with each pickup. The team has been hyper-focused on pivoting to still provide the same level of service while navigating the updates around COVID-19. Due to the unique set of circumstances that we’re all attempting to navigate, our team took a moment to assess the overall future of 2U.

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In January, the team rallied behind the launch of our third market, Raleigh! We have spent the last three months or so building out the team, getting our 2U vans on the road, and providing our customers with a best-in-class laundry & dry cleaning service.

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Unfortunately, we didn’t have quite enough runway to sustain and then grow a new market during these uncertain times. And as a company, we have to be able to provide a quality experience to our customers, which has proven to be more complicated as customer behaviors have adjusted. At this time, we have decided to suspend all service in Raleigh, indefinitely.

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2ULaundry will end service in Raleigh, effective Friday, March 27.

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Our last pickups in Raleigh will be Thursday, March 26.

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This is an extremely tough decision that wasn’t made lightly. We wanted to fully understand the impact on our team and the lives we’ve already changed before even considering the possibility of an exit.

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“And we haven’t totally given up on Raleigh, it’s still an exciting market for us. As we all figure out our new normal, the team plans to revisit our return to the Triangle Area.” –Alex Smereczniak

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As a startup, we were (naturally) excited about the growth and amped to get the chance to get our feet under us as we focused on expanding, changing the way folks take care of their clothing in an area as progressive as Raleigh. The full implications of COVID-19 are yet to be determined, but we plan to still be around for years to come. And our service suspension in Raleigh will help guarantee that for us.

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“Who knows, we may be back soon! But we wanted to give ourselves a chance to provide the best service possible to all of our customers while ensuring we’re setting ourselves up for future success.” – Dan Daquisto

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Thank you to all of those Raleigh customers that tried 2U since January. And those few customers who still have items in our possession have received additional communications about their delivery. Any outstanding gift card balances or bag bundles will be refunded for the total remaining value. If you have any questions along the way, our team is ready to support in any way we can. Reach out to us in our Mobile App, via SMS at 545-55, or email us at Care@2ULaundry.com.

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We look forward to continuing to serve our Charlotte and Atlanta customers for years to come, as we all navigate these challenging times.

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Alex & Dan, Co-Founders of 2ULaundry

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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At 2ULaundry, we’re committed to not only providing a quality service but also being transparent every step of the way. Currently, we are following the developments around COVID-19 very closely and want to keep you updated on the measures we’re taking to protect our valued employees and our customers. We also wanted to provide our customers with the most recent information about service updates and impacted schedules. We’ll use this blog post as the main source of information for 2U’s response to COVID-19.

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Our Team

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First, we are advising any employee who feels any sign of the symptoms to stay home for a minimum of 14 days, based on the guidelines communicated from the CDC. With our unlimited vacation policy, our employees can focus on getting healthy and not worry about any financial impact.
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Additionally, we have provided employees with an excess of the items meant to help keep us all safer, including hand sanitizer, gloves, and face masks. We’ve also implemented increased usage of disinfectants to ensure a healthy and clean work environment in our offices and facilities.
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Pursuant to the North Carolina Governor’s reopening plan, all employees have their temperature screened and are asked a series of questions surrounding if they have any symptoms prior to starting work. We have also created more space within our facility to allow our teams to spread out more while working.

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Our Cleaning Process

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Thankfully, our current cleaning process aligns with the recommended guidelines for your clothing care. Both of our detergent options and the heat from our commercial grade dryers will continue to act as powerful disinfectants, as we clean your clothes. Here is an article we recommend reading covering five tips when washing your clothes in response to COVID-19.
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Our Service Plans

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2ULaundry has updated its service to varying degrees in our markets. Please continue reading below to find out up-to-the-minute updates in your location. In the locations we are still operating, we continue to maintain a focus on keeping our employees and customers safe.
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For any further adjustment to our current services, we will ensure you’re directly informed and also keep this blog post updated. We will also continue preventive measures like frequent (and thorough!) hand washing and more frequent surface disinfection.  
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Our Schedule Updates

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If you have any scheduled services that are impacted by any updates, you will receive direct communication with more information and any next steps. However, if you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Care team at Care@2ULaundry.com.
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Our Community

2ULaundry has partnered with Charlotte Medi to deliver more than 50,000 face shields and counting for local medical practices and health care workers in Charlotte. You can find out more about the initiative here.
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We are also providing a way for you to get involved with a Buy One Give One deal. For each face mask that you purchase from here, 2ULaundry will donate a face mask to frontline healthcare employees in Charlotte.

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Below is a current list of our city-by-city service updates. This list was last updated on Monday, June 1 at 9 am.
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Charlotte

There will not be any order pickups on Fridays. However, customers with a Thursday pickup will still get their order deliveries on Fridays.
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Atlanta

⚠ All services have been temporarily suspended, starting Friday, March 27. The final pickup for the foreseeable future is Thursday, March 26.

Raleigh-Durham

⚠ All services have been suspended, starting Friday, March 27. The final pickup for the foreseeable future is Thursday, March 26. You can read more about our announcement to exit Raleigh-Durham here.
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We want to remind you to adhere to the CDC guidelines during this sensitive time. Wash your hands, practice social distancing, and take advantage of the beautiful summer weather in a safe, responsible manner.

Additionally, we have a gift card offer for a 20% bonus on every purchase over $50 to help remove one more thing from your to-do list right now (or in the future!). We’re a small team, but we’re confident that we’ll come out of this ready to provide you with more free time and clean clothes to all of our amazing customers.
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If there’s anything we can do to help make this moment just a bit easier for you, please let us know by reaching out to our Customer Care Team at Care@2ulaundry.com.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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No one understands the gift of time more than Lauren.

When Charlotte native, Lauren Palmer, and her family found out that their young son, Jennings, was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood leukemia, an entire community rushed to support them in any way they could. Whether it was through home-cooked meals, grocery delivery, babysitting services, or prayer, one of the most significant gifts they received was the gift of time.
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Raising newborn twins who were born two weeks after her child’s diagnosis while striving to maintain a “normal” life for her then 4-year old daughter, all the while dedicating all of her “free” time at the hospital to be at Jennings’ side, there was never any time to focus on the day-to-day. A community of neighbors and community members collected a large sum in the form of a 2ULaundry gift card, and it was our privilege to match the amount to give Lauren and her family back the time they needed to focus on what mattered most.
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Flash forward almost two years, the Palmers have recovered and Jennings has made it through a major bone marrow transplant where his older sister, Caroline, was his bone marrow donor. It’s the strength and support she found in that trying time,that has made her a nominee for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year.
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We got to catch up with Lauren and talk about her family’s journey and understanding the gift of time through 2ULaundry.

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How did you come to learn about 2ULaundry?

I was pregnant with boy-girl twins in the Fall of 2017, I already had a 4-year old daughter and a 2-year old son. When you’re pregnant with twins, you get more uncomfortable a lot faster, and I was physically so tired all the time. A friend of mine (and 2U customer) told me about you guys and I started using 2ULaundry once a week as I prepared to welcome the twins.

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What was the moment when everything changed?

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On December 4, 2017, we found out our 2-year old son, Jennings, was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of childhood leukemia. That event started the period of time when 2U became such a godsend for my family. We have an amazing preschool community that just wanted to help, and one of the ways they wanted to help was through 2ULaundry!

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Do you remember how you felt when you received the 2ULaundry gift card?

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I can’t really articulate what a gift it was during that time. I was trying to care for a critically ill child but also raise twins, and try to keep my 4-year old daughter’s life somewhat normal. Being able to be freed up from laundry gave me the time I needed to focus on my family. We will be 2ULaundry customers for life.

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What does this LLS Woman of the Year campaign mean to you?

It means a great deal to us personally, because we have lived the nightmare of dealing with pediatric blood cancer. This campaign is our way of giving back big as a family and helping the next generation of children diagnosed with blood cancer. I am so thrilled to have 2U’s support in this endeavor.

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How would you tell other people about 2U?

Even if you can’t use the service, gift it. Whether it’s for a new mom or someone in a time of crisis, give them the gift of 2ULaundry. When people are in crisis, they don’t need stuff, they often need support with their day-to-day. This is a great way to do that.

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What are some goals your family has this year outside of the LLS campaign?

We are excited just to be a normal family and enjoy family time together like beach trips and camping and even routine things like school, which were taken from us when Jennings was sick. We are just thankful to a normal family with a healthy child.

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Lauren Palmer has been nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year. Without help from 2U, her church community, and fellow 2U customer Jenny Helms, Lauren, and her family wouldn’t have been able to make it through such a difficult time.

To support Lauren and her efforts to ensure that all children get their survivor story, please help us in supporting her efforts by making a donation to her campaign for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society here.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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We Americans are trashy people. We heap tons of trash into landfills every year, and the waste keeps piling up. But if each of us takes a few steps toward making our kitchens zero waste, we save the environment, money, and time.

Here are five ideas for creating a zero-waste kitchen.
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1. Refuse

Start with the easiest zero waste principle of all. Refuse to buy products that have too much packaging or come packaged in single-use plastic. That doesn’t mean finding a replacement product in different packaging. Think outside the box or plastic bottle.

Instead of buying laundry detergent, which often comes in a big plastic bottle, softener (ditto on the plastic bottle), and dryer sheets, which are not recyclable — consider outsourcing your laundry to a service that buys everything in bulk.

Imagine how much waste you’ll eliminate over the course of a year. Bonus: You’ll also save on your energy bill by not using electricity to run a washer and dryer.
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2. Reduce

Buy less, and use less. That goes for everything, from food to household cleaners and everything in between. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tracks about $160 billion in food waste every year. That adds up to a lot of trash!

And that’s not counting everything else that gets tossed. The Environmental Protection Agency says Americans produce just under 270 million tons of trash a year.

Not only will reducing what you buy and use mean less trash, it means fewer ants and other pests in your kitchen. The most environmentally friendly way of getting rid of bugs is to not invite them in in the first place.

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3. Reuse/Recycle

Thanks to local recycling programs reusing and recycling has gone mainstream over the last few decades. Americans recycle more than 67 tons of waste every year. The trend is rising as we stay home more and receive more deliveries in cardboard boxes that we repurpose.

You probably do your part to recycle the paper bags and aluminum cans that come into your kitchen. But how about cereal boxes, flower bags, and packaged goods? Buy in bulk and store your non-perishables in glass containers. You may never have to take out the trash again.

Another easy step toward a zero-waste kitchen is reusable shopping bags. Bring along your fabric or heavy cloth bags to the store, instead of accepting the single-use plastic bags most grocery stores offer.

While some stores barred or discouraged reusable bags at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, many of those restrictions and limits have eased.

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4. Rot

Rot is also known as composting. Take your kitchen scraps, your lawn clippings and your yard trimmings. Layer them together, keep everything moist and occasionally turn the mix, and voila! Your waste turns into organic compost that helps enrich your garden soil.

Not only is composting a great way to reuse your kitchen waste, you’ll cut down on your need to buy fertilizer, which often comes in plastic packaging.

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5. Restroom Detour

There’s another room in the house that’s easy to overlook when it comes to zero-waste practices, and it’s just a few steps away from the kitchen.

Recycling isn’t usually top of mind when you’re using up the last of the shampoo in the shower, or replacing a roll of toilet paper.

Consider a small recycling bin in the bathroom, right next to the trash. You’ll be surprised at how much trash ends up in the recycling bin when you think twice about what you’re tossing.

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Patience and zero-waste principles pay off

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Finally, have a little patience as you work toward making your kitchen (and restroom) zero-waste. Start by putting these principles into practice, and consider what changes you can make along the way to a zero-waste home.

Going to zero-waste in your kitchen probably won’t happen overnight, but the payoff for your home, your bank account, and the environment will be worth it.

By Larry Jergins

Larry Jergins has worked in his county waste management division for 20 years and recently became certified as a recycling specialist. His favorite project is turning Christmas trees and yard waste into mulch for the community.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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While staying at home as much as possible is an important part of keeping our families and our community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, for those with kids it can lead to a lot of extra work.
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In addition to working from home and taking on the role of homeschool teacher while schools and daycares are shut, many parents are finding it difficult to plan for and prepare all the extra meals and deal with the magnified mess of kids at home all day.
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If you’re on the hunt for ways to lighten your load during this stressful time, check out the list of ideas below for inspiration!
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1. Prepare multi-purpose meals

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It can be hard enough trying to plan, shop for and prepare breakfast and dinner every day but with the whole family now needing lunch everyday too, lots of parents are feeling burnt out in the kitchen. Lighten your load by preparing multi-purpose recipes that can be stretched into two or three meals.
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For example, if you roast a chicken for supper on Sunday, you can use leftovers to prepare chicken soup on Monday and chicken quesadillas on Tuesday.

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2. Make cleaning a family affair

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If everyone is making the mess, everyone should be responsible for pitching in to clean it up. Even small children can pick up and put away toys and older children can be tasked with sweeping, vacuuming, dusting and doing the dishes.
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At a minimum, kids should be responsible for picking up the game or toys they’re playing with before moving on to their next activity.

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3. Get outside as much as possible

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While getting outside won’t help you knock out any cleaning tasks, it will help you prevent your kids from making indoor messes that need to be cleaned up.
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Play in the backyard, take a walk or spin around the block on your bikes and, while you do, rest assured that the inside of your home isn’t being wrecked.
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Gentle reminder to still follow social distancing guidelines!

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4. Outsource where you still can

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While home cleaning services are a no-no right now, there are plenty of things you can still outsource – one major one being your laundry.
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Instead of tossing in load after load that never gets folded and put away, make a pick up request with 2ULaundry and watch your clothes come back fresh, clean and folded the next day.

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5. Plan for some alone time

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As much as extra time with our kids can be a blessing, it’s easy for parents to feel burned out after weeks of 24/7 parenting with no break.
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If you have a partner, make it a point to take turns taking breaks and getting some alone time. While you can’t go out (or at least should be cautious when going out) with friends or relax with a pedicure, taking a nice solo walk around the block or a relaxing bubble bath, or simply sitting and reading alone at home while your partner takes your kids out to ride their bikes can be just the break you need to recharge!
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There’s no doubt that these are tough times for everyone in the community but with a little forethought and planning ahead, you should be able to lighten your load at least a little bit this spring!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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During the Coronavirus pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders, most people’s social lives have been greatly disrupted. While for lots of people this means they’re feeling pretty bored, there’s one group of people that probably don’t have the chance to get bored: parents of young children.
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For parents of young kids who are now at home 100% of the time, the day is likely a never-ending parade of games and meal-making and mess-cleaning and entertaining.
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And the evenings are likely a mad dash to return emails, complete work that got pushed to the side during the day, and get the house in some semblance of shape before the next day of mess making begins.
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For these parents there is no time for new hobbies or social Zoom calls or the learning of new skills.
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It’s constant parenting, working and upkeep.
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If you’re a parent who has been feeling overwhelmed by the overwhelming amount of life being thrown your way, check out these ways to relax, even when you don’t have much down time.
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1. Download a good book

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There’s nothing better than a good book but, if you’ve got little ones by day and loads of work by night, there’s a pretty good chance you don’t have the time to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.
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Instead of trying to jam some reading time into your day, download a good book and plug in your headphones as you complete the evening chores you know you need to get done for tomorrow to happen smoothly.
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Immerse yourself in a different world as you do the dishes, fold laundry or meal prep and you’ll be amazed at how you suddenly relax.

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2. Try a new recipe

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While cooking with the kids isn’t always the most relaxing activity, trying a new recipe is a good way to stretch your brain and feel good about how you’ve spent an afternoon.
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Instead of a kitchen free-for-all, pre-measure and prepare all the ingredients in advance so that cooking with the kids actually is relaxing.
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Whether you relax as you cook or as you enjoy your new recipe, you’ll certainly feel better than you would if you had opted for spaghetti for the fourth time this week!
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3. Indulge during self-care time

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Self-care at home probably looks a little different than your ideal self-care activities but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself.
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While you can’t get a babysitter for some alone time with your partner or head in for a massage or pedicure, consider what you can do at home and then do it.
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Use your favorite bath products, give yourself a pedicure or paint your own fingernails if it makes you feel better!

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4. Claim some downtime

If you have a partner, now is the time to negotiate with them to make sure you each get just a little bit of “off” time during your time at home.

Even if it means leaving the house a little messy or not meal prepping for the next day, do your best to trade off responsibilities so that each of you get at least one night “off” during the week. That can mean skipping out on bath time and bedtime in favor of a long, solo walk, heading to bed early yourself or simply parking it on the couch to watch a WHOLE movie while your partner deals with the kids after bedtime antics.

A little “off” time can make a world of difference!

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Being at home with young kids while juggling work and other responsibilities is simply overwhelming. While this will pass eventually and you will get to have a babysitter one day, for now, focusing on what you can do to relax is a great way to feel calmer throughout the day!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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If you’re like most people, your kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your home. Not only is every meal prepared there, it’s also a gathering space for friends and loved ones and a storage space for all your often (and not-so-often) used kitchen gadgets and tools.
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If you’re on the hunt for ways to kick your kitchen organization into gear and to make your most-used room even more welcoming and functional, look no further!
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Check out the expert tips below for creating the most organized kitchen on the block!
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1. Ditch what you don’t need
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Like any good clean-out, the first step to getting organized is getting rid of everything you don’t need.
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While clearing out the pantry of old or unused food, the cabinets of mismatched plastic containers and the shelves of unused kitchen gadgets can take some time, doing so will leave you with only what you truly need and use in the kitchen, making it much easier to actually get organized.

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‍2. Maximize cabinet space
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Whether you have shelves or cabinets in your kitchen, you’ve likely found yourself, at one point or another, wishing you had more space. Instead of shoving items to the back or stacking them haphazardly, maximize your cabinet or shelf space by storing smartly.
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The items you use most often should be stored on the lowest shelf, with less used items stored higher up.
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If you find you simply have too many dishes, consider downsizing your collection to only what you really need to save shelf space.

Neighbor.com’s blog post has more smart storage ideas!

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3. Focus on the pantry
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Your pantry should be a functional space that makes it easy to identify and grab the food items you’re looking for.
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After thoroughly clearing out the pantry of all expired items and donating anything you simply don’t or won’t use, take the time to think deeply about what you find yourself reaching for most and organize with this in mind.
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Consider also sorting items by type (sauces, pastas, baking goods etc.) and creating divided sections so that everything has a place. Check out Delish for more pantry organization ideas!
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3. Focus on the pantry
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Your pantry should be a functional space that makes it easy to identify and grab the food items you’re looking for.
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After thoroughly clearing out the pantry of all expired items and donating anything you simply don’t or won’t use, take the time to think deeply about what you find yourself reaching for most and organize with this in mind.
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Consider also sorting items by type (sauces, pastas, baking goods etc.) and creating divided sections so that everything has a place. Check out Delish for more pantry organization ideas!
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5. Keep rarely used items elsewhere
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Most of us have some kitchen items we only rarely use.
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Instead of storing your holiday plates and platters in with the rest of your dishes, consider finding them a new home, perhaps with the rest of your holiday decor in the garage. Same goes for kitchen gadgets you only use seasonally like that snow cone maker or s’mores kit.

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While cleaning out and organizing your kitchen might be a big task, it’s one you’ll be glad you did every time you prep a snack, cook a meal or even find yourself flipping through a cook-book at the kitchen table. Happy organizing!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

Organizing a clothing closet can feel so overwhelming that many people never muster the courage to take the first step. While it can feel daunting to step into a small space filled with so much stuff with the goal of wrangling it all into its proper place, having a neat and organized closet is something that will make a seriously positive impact on your day to day life.
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From helping keep your bedroom clean to making it easier to find what you need while you’re getting ready in the morning, the benefits of an organized closet are endless.
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While the process for getting your closet organized is pretty simple (empty it, sort it, make a place for everything and then put it all away) there are some tips and tricks that can make getting the organized closet of your dreams easier than you ever imagined.
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Check out the tips and tricks below for helping you get (and keep) an organized closet!

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1. Make time for a fashion show

An essential part of organizing a closet is clearing it out to ensure you only make space for the things you really want, need and wear. Instead of guessing as to whether an item really fits and flatters you as you are, make time for an at-home fashion show so you can get a peak (and a feel) for every item in your closet.
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As a good rule of thumb, if you haven’t worn it this season you should at least put it on to make sure it still works before deciding that it belongs in the ‘keep’ pile.

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2. Get creative with bulky clothing

Sometimes our favorite, coziest items are also the toughest to store. While hanging shoe organizers are great for shoes and other accessories, they can also serve as an excellent place to store rolled sweaters and other bulky items that might stretch or pull if hung on a traditional hanger.

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3. Use clothing dividers!

Hanging clothing dividers are a great way to help keep you accountable as you strive to keep your closet as organized as it was on day one. Some people choose to divide their clothing by type while others prefer seasonal or setting specific dividers. Whatever you choose just be sure to stick to it!

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5. Make a seasonal plan

Most people have winter clothing and summer clothing along with a few pieces that they tend to wear year-round. While it can feel like a heavy lift to organize your closet more than once per year, making a quick switch to where your items are stored as the seasons shift will ensure your space is as accessible and usable as possible.
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Whether you simply shift around your dividers and move seasonal items to the front of your closet or you totally move out-of-season items to another location, having a closet that reflects the season will help you feel organized and ready for the day!
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If you want more ideas for what to do when different seasons come around, check out some of our Spring Cleaning Hacks.

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While a disorganized closet is easy to hide behind closed doors, it’s impact on your day to day life is hard to ignore. This season, take the plunge and dig into creating an organized, usable space that you’ll love!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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If you’re like me, you probably have a hamper full of damp and dirty laundry in your bathroom or closet. Some of our readers might even leave that dirty hamper sitting there for weeks. Am I describing you?

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Nooooo… You’d never do that!

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Well, for everyone else, it’s an awful idea to continue this bad habit. Here’s why…

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1. Fecal Matter

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Did this catch your attention? It caught ours! Dr. Charles Gerba, renowned microbiologist at the University of Arizona, said that

“The average adult undergarment has about a tenth of a gram of  fecal matter.”

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When you add dark and damp conditions, this can actually be quite dangerous. Especially these days in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak.

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2. Salmonella

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Every year, about 1.3 million people are infected with Salmonella, with 26,500 individuals hospitalized due to the infection and 420 dying from it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Contamination typically happens after infected feces comes into contact with animals, crops or water and people then consume or touch those items and don’t wash their hands. This makes you take our #1 a little more serious doesn’t it?

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Salmonella, aka Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium, can live in your dirty hamper for weeks as they don’t die off as fast as fungi or some viruses. So that dirty hamper of yours may be more dangerous than you think.

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3. Staphylococcus aureus

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This nasty bug causes staph infections. And if you’ve ever seen someone with a staph infection, you’d place your order with 2ULaundry right now! The worst part about Staphylococcus aureus is that it can survive for months as it’s extremely hardy.

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According to the Department of Health, It’s the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections such as abscesses (boils), furuncles, and cellulitis. Although most staph infections are not serious, S. aureus can cause serious infections such as bloodstream infections, pneumonia, or bone and joint infections. Did we mention this can live in your laundry?

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4. E. Coli

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Germs such as E. coli, salmonella, and Klebsiella oxytoca can cause pneumonia, skin infections, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially in people with compromised immune systems.

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In fact, this nasty germ can live in the place that you clean your dirty clothes. That’s right. Your washing machine rarely gets cleaned itself. And germs like E. coli are very tough, lasting for weeks inside your dark and damp machine.

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Experts say that the newer, eco-friendly machines are doing you no favors in this regard either. Because they generally wash your clothes on lower temperatures, it never gets hot enough to kill the bacteria. Therefore, it’s best to wipe it down every now and then with disinfectants.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Ahh spring time, there’s nothing quite like the fresh scent of spring on the breeze, flowers blooming brightly in the garden and a fresh and tidy house for the new season. While the fresh scent of spring and blooming flowers might come naturally with the turn of the season, you’ll have to put in some work if you want the tidy house that spring calls for. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the very best spring cleaning tips and tricks to help you get your house under control with as little stress as possible. Check out the spring cleaning hacks below and your house will be spring-ready in no time!

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1. Make a list

Before you get started, it’s important to make a list of everything you want to accomplish during spring cleaning. Take a few minutes to inventory your household and either make a list of your own or download a handy one like 2ULaundry’s or like Hey y’all! 2ULaundry just put out a Spring Cleaning Guide with hacks from bloggers you may know around Atlanta and some of their other customers. Definitely worth checking it out! this from Martha Stewart.

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2. Clear your calendar

While you can probably squeeze your regular cleaning sessions between your other regular to-do’s and must-do’s, a spring cleaning session calls for a clear calendar so you can truly focus and get the job done without leaving any lingering jobs. Take a peek at your calendar, designate a day as your spring cleaning day and don’t make any other plans for that day.

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3. Enlist help

While a lot of people find deep cleaning relaxing and gratifying, spring cleaning can be tiresome for even those who typically love to clean. Instead of trying to do it all yourself, enlist the help of your partner, children or roommate to give you the helping boost you need!

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4. Clean by category, not room

When you clean room by room, it’s easy to accidentally carry piles of clutter from one place to the next without ever really getting rid of them. Instead of cleaning by room, make a plan to clean by category so that everything that gets clean stays that way. Start with a category like surfaces, floors or upholstery to get going.

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5. Make sure you have the right tools and products

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting into a cleaning groove only to discover that you don’t have enough furniture polish to get the job done. Before you start cleaning, take inventory of your products and make sure you have enough of everything to finish the job. If you want to be extra thorough of everything at home, look into downloading a home inventory app.

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6. Clean your cleaning tools

When you’re spring cleaning you want to make sure everything is truly clean and sanitized when you’re done. To do that you’ll probably need to do some pre-cleaning before you get started. Sanitize your sponges or purchase new ones, clean your broom, mop and vacuum and run a sanitize cycle on your dishwasher and washing machine before you ever start your spring cleaning session.

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7. Just do it!

Once you’ve made a list, cleared your calendar, inventoried your cleaning products and made sure your cleaning tools are ready to go, there’s nothing left to do but jump in and get it done! Take small breaks as you go but do your best not to get distracted and leave the job half done.
Spring cleaning is a major undertaking but, once it’s done you’ll have the benefit of living in a clean, organized space you can enjoy all season!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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If you didn’t come over here from our Spring Cleaning Guide page, make sure to download and print out the checklist from there so you’re on top of all your to-do’s this season. Since you couldn’t get enough of the tips from there, here are some more spring cleaning hacks heard straight from our customers!

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Julianne, one of our 2020 Timekeepers, has a few hacks that she and her family are keeping busy with to make their whole house clean. This includes sweeping the garage, organizing the pantry, planting flowers and seeds, washing their car, and even donating their extra clothes to 2ULaundry! Outsourcing the smaller tasks to her children while working cooperatively on the larger ones is a great way to bond with your family during spring cleaning!

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Lauren & Julie, 2ULaundry Legacy Brand Ambassadors have a couple tips for you as well. When the weather starts getting better, they use 2ULaundry to wash their winter clothes. Like every wash, dry, fold as well as dry cleaning orders, 2ULaundry returns them in airtight plastic bags. They like to store them until the next winter season comes around! You can put them away with the peace of mind that they’ll be clean when winter rolls back around. It’s a great way to keep clothes clean for months and seasons at a time!

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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Amidst the novel Coronavirus pandemic, you – like most of the world—are probably social distancing yourself right now, working from home, and possibly going a little stir-crazy. If you need a break from working, vacuuming, Netflix-ing, and scrolling endlessly through Instagram and Facebook, we have some ideas for you. And no, they aren’t the traditional ideas you’ve heard (baking, learning guitar, or reading). While all those activities are great for the potential weeks of isolation, we suggest that you take time to do some deep cleaning.

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We all (hopefully) wash our sheets once a week, our towels every 3 days, and our clothes as often as needed, but when was the last time you washed your pillows?

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Not your pillowcases – your pillows.

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When was the last time your couch got that scrub down it’s been needing? Never? Okay, well now is your chance! Stop putting those daunting tasks off and get clean!

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Washing pillows is something most people don’t think of doing, but do you know how much bacteria 1 pillow can harbor? A lot. More than your toilet seat. It’s said that 1/3 of your pillows weight is due to skin, dust mites and bugs – gross! Luckily, it’s easy to clean pillows!

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Follow these steps:

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1. Remove pillow case
2. Fill washing machine with the hottest water setting and your favorite detergent
3. When cycle is complete, rinse 2-3 times
4. Pop pillows in the dryer, or air-dry them
5. Put on (clean) pillowcases
6. Sleep like a baby

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Now that you’re done with your pillows, let’s move onto the couch. Yes, the couch where you fall asleep watching Sunday afternoon golf, the couch your kids have spilled food on, the couch you have spilled wine on, the couch that is harboring millions of germs, dust mites, and bacteria. This couch can also contain listeria, the flu-causing virus. Still want to Netflix-and-chill on that germ-infested comfy couch? Neither do we. So how can you clean it?

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1. Remove the couch covers
2. Throw those suckers in the wash – make sure you zip up the covers first!
3. Hang dry these guys – you don’t want them to shrink and be rendered unusable

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As for the part of the couch that can’t be thrown in the wash:

1. Mix 1 cup water, ½ vinegar, and 1 TBSP of dish soap in a spray bottle
2. Spray the mixture on the remaining parts of the couch (back, arms, large pillows that can’t be put in washing machine)
3. Let that mixture soak in for a few minutes and then gently rub back and forth with a soft cloth
4. Now just let the coach sit and absorb
5. Check back in an hour and make sure there aren’t any super wet spots
6. Once couch is dry, spray with your favorite disinfectant and finish with some Febreze (your family will thank you)

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We aren’t suggesting you waste time during these social isolation weeks. 2ULaundry is still running and still making laundry and dry cleaning dreams come true. Schedule your pickup today and have clean laundry and dry cleaning done tomorrow! Don’t risk going to the dry cleaners right now, let us do the dirty work for you. Stay home. And as always, stay clean.

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2ULaundry is a premium laundry and dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery service available in Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. Learn more about 2ULaundry and sign up on our website.

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