Separate and Presoak Laundry
Follow the washing instructions that appear on the label of each garment. Separate laundry into batches, such as dark fabrics, shirts, towels, underwear, and rags. Launder clothing in the shape in which they are to be worn: zipped, velcroed, and buttoned up, with pockets empied and cuffs unrolled. Always presoak heavily soiled items and dinner napkins in an enzyme detergent either in the washer or in a basin; wash the following day. First, launder your batch of white fabrics. Wash white towels on the hottest setting with no bleach.

Detergents
There is a wide variety of laundry detergents from which to choose. Powdered detergents work best for hard water and for removing mud and clay. Liquid detergents are good for taking out grease, oily dirt, and stains, and work very well as a pretreatment. A good tip to follow is to buy laundry detergent in bulk and pour it into smaller bottles or airtight containers. Also, always wear household gloves and old clothes when you hand-wash items in bleach.

Color-fast Test
Martha suggests always checking for colorfastness on dark clothing before washing. To do a colorfast test, dampen fabric in a discreet spot and blot with a white cloth to see if any color appears. If color does appear, wash the item separately until it becomes colorfast.

Removing Oil Stains
Use cornstarch to help absorb oil stains. Sprinkle the stain with cornstarch, wait 10 to 15 minutes and scrape off.

Easier Ironing and Drying
For easier ironing, remove items from dryer while still damp. This will help prevent wrinkles from setting in. Clean the lint drawer before drying each load of laundry.

Washing Pillows
Most pillows should be washed every 3 to 6 months. Check tags to make sure the pillows are not "dry clean only" Wash them in the gentle cycle with warm water and mild detergent. Be sure to check the tag to see if you can dry the pillows in the dryer. When drying pillows, add tennis balls in a sock to the dryer, which will help break up clumps of filling. This tip also works well for down jackets and comforters.