Teach the basics of cleaning clothes so that they wear out on you, instead of in the machine. Watch step-by-step instructions on sorting, washing and drying clothes. Take your students behind the scenes at a dry cleaner to discover it's not really dry at all.

Learn basic techniques for stain removal, and see how to interpret care labels on garments. Discover which laundry additives are worthwhile, and see how detergent cleans not by penetrating fabric, but by "making water wetter". Show how to use bleach and avoid garment damage, and how to iron and store clothing after it's clean.

Explore:

• Does it matter if you use a front loading or a top loading washer and dryer?
• How often should you wash clothing and linens?
• What kind of preparations do you need to make before cleaning your clothes?
• Do home dry cleaning kits really work?
• Laundry additives,boosters, stain removers, antistatic treatments. Do they help clean or are they marketing gimmicks?
• What are fabric softeners? Do they work, and how can you select the best?
• What's the best way to clean wool and garments that require gentle handling?