Doing laundry can be a daunting task, especially when you have to take it to the laundromat. But with these 7 tips, you can get your kids involved and make it an enjoyable family activity.

First, make sure that you choose a good laundromat – Duds-n-Suds of Elk River and Monticello.

Kids and laundromats don’t seem to mix, do they? In fact, they do! Actually, kids can be a great help with your laundry before, during, and after your trip to the laundromat. Every age can find a job, and they range in complexity. Here is a simple guide on how to persuade your children to assist you at the laundromat. Go on reading!

1.   Sort and Separate Your Clothes Before Taking Them to the Laundromat – Even Preschoolers Can Do This! Before you put the clothes in the washing bag, ask your child to sort the laundry. He or she can distinguish between whites, lights, and darks with ease. You can also use this to teach your preschooler about opposites and colors!

2.  Read clothing labels to keep your clothes ready for the laundromat. Middle schoolers and high school students are able to read labels and follow directions. For instance, some labels instruct the wearer to flip the item inside out, wash it in cold water, or only dry clean it. Your middle schooler can act well and help you get ready to go to the laundromat by putting clothes in order and getting them ready to go.

3.   Treasure Hunt – Checking your pockets before bringing them to the wash to make sure nothing is within them is a laborious task. You don’t want your laundry to come out of the laundromat’s washers or dryers with pen marks, torn bills, or even a melted credit card! Your child can contribute to making sure none of this occurs. Once you’ve demonstrated how to empty your pockets, you may rest easy knowing that they’ll be experts in no time! In order to prepare them for being sent to the laundromat, teach them how to unbutton clothes, unfold socks, zip zippers, remove pins, and secure velcro.

4. Spot the Stain: In order to pre-treat the garments you plan to take to the laundromat, ask your child to “spot the stain” in each of them. If your child is in fourth or fifth grade or older, they can pretreat the stain themselves for you!

At the Laundromat With a few simple instructions, older children can actually handle the entire process at the laundromat from beginning to end. They can:

•  Speak with the laundry staff and provide them with any necessary wash instructions.

•  After the wash is finished, make sure to remove all the clothes from the machine and place them in the dryer.

•  Check the washer before putting the clothes in to make sure there are no remnants from the prior wash.

Following the Laundry Trip

When you return home with your clean laundry, you can enlist the aid of your children:

•  Fold any clothing that wasn’t folded at the laundromat, hang any items that need to be placed in closets with hangers, and then place everything in the appropriate drawers or closets.

Kids can (and will) make mistakes while assisting you with your laundry, so keep that in mind! It is a technique to learn from laundry mistakes and never make them again. If a child makes a mistake now, they will undoubtedly be more careful in the future, so you are fine! Furthermore, you are positioning them for success as adults!

With these tips in mind, doing laundry at the laundromat can be an enjoyable experience for both parents and kids alike!