It's important to read the care labels inside your clothes before washing them. These instructions not only indicate how to care for the garment, they often give guidance on separating loads too.

To remove stains from dirty clothes, it's best to pretreat before you wash. Grab a bottle of HE detergent, pour a small amount onto the stain and gently rub it into the clothing. You can also try the StainCare™ option, which uses multiple temperatures to attack different types of stains, on select LG washers.

Sort your laundry by fabric type, color and water temperature. Keep clothes that require hand washing or dry clean only items separate. Divide the rest into 5 piles for best results:

• 1. Whites — everything white, underwear, t-shirts, handkerchiefs, etc.
• 2. Lights — including striped whites, off-whites and pastels
• 3. Darks — everything dark, like blacks, blues, browns
• 4. Brights — reds, yellows, oranges, fluorescents
• 5. Delicates — fine linens, lingerie, some synthetic fabrics

There are two general categories of denim blue jeans: prewashed and unwashed denim. Prewashed denim, also known as preshrunk or distressed denim, is achieved through bleaching or several mechanical treatments like stonewashes, sandblasting and scraping. Unwashed denim is stronger and most durable but is also much stiffer.

Even if your jeans are prewashed, they can still fade and shrink over time, especially if you do not follow the care label instructions. There are certain precautions that one can take to maintain color and fit:

• Always turn the jeans inside out for laundering.
• Wash in cold water with a cold water detergent.
• Never use bleach.
• If the care label instructions recommend drying in a dryer, be sure not to use hotter than recommended dryer temperatures and take the jeans out of the dryer while they are still slightly damp. Then lay your jeans on a towel to dry or, if possible, hang them so that no part of the jean is folded over.

Now using the cold cycle on your washer doesn’t have to mean compromising on cleaning. New ColdWash™ technology uses cold water and enhanced washing motions to penetrate deep into fabrics, giving you cold water savings with warm water performance.

First, see if there are care instructions inside your shoe. If so, follow those instructions. If not, use a specially designated cleaning kit for athletic shoes. Kits are most effective on leather and nylon uppers, foam midsoles and liners and inserts. When in doubt, follow the kit instructions.

• 1. Remove the laces and inserts.
• 2. Rinse shoes with clean water.
• 3. Use a neutral cleaner and a soft brush to scrub your shoes. Do NOT use bleach, solvents, harsh chemicals or abrasives.
• 4. Use a white, nylon-backed scrub pad for scuff marks.
• 5. Rinse entire shoe well with clean water.
• 6. Drip dry. Stuff with absorbent white paper to keep the shape.

You spend lots of time wrapped up in your bed sheets and blankets, but your laundry habits may or may not reflect this, Oil from your hair and face can leave a lasting impression on your bedding, but detergent can get stains out.

You can opt for a scented detergent, or add fabric softener for softer bedding.

The bed is considered the centerpiece of the bedroom. Duvet covers, decorative pillows, shams and throws all work to create your bedroom's overall aesthetic. But after a long winter on display, decorative bedding may need a "face lift." To freshen and clean these prominent items, try detergent with fabric softener, which will give your fabrics outstanding cleaning with a touch of softness and give your bedding a well-deserved springtime lift. (Integrate SteamSanitary Cycle)

Here are some general tips for pretreating stains:

Allow the pretreating liquid to sit on the stain for five minutes. That way the chemistry in the detergent will have a chance to soak into the fabric and unseat the stain.

• For deep-set stains and soils, presoak the entire garment. Fill your machine or a tub with a low level of the warmest water allowed by your garment's care label. Add detergent, let it dissolve, then add your clothes and let sit for 30 minutes. Soak longer for tougher dirt. Drain excess water and launder normally.
• For extra-dirty clothes, consider a prewash cycle. Essentially, you pretreat the entire garment in an initial detergent wash. Once this pretreating is complete, drain the water and launder the garment in the hottest water the care label recommends.
• LG washers also feature a StainCare™ option that can remove a variety of stains in a single wash.
• Rinse thoroughly, several times.
• Dry naturally on flat towel — not in direct sunlight or heat.
• Smooth out garment to original shape and size.

Baby Food/Formula, Body Soils (Feces, Urine, Vomit/Spit-Up), Blood, Dairy, Dirt/Clay/Mud, Egg, gelatin dessert

Pretreat with detergent. Make sure to work detergent into stain and let set for 10-15 minutes. Then wash in hottest water safe for fabric.

For butter or margarine stains specifically, try the following:

• 1. Using a plastic bucket, create a soak solution by adding ½ use (approx. 25 mls) detergent per gallon of warm water. Allow the garment to soak for up to 30 minutes, weighting the item with a white towel to keep it totally submerged.
• 2. Wash in warmest water setting with detergent.
• 3. If stain remains, pretreat with detergent (pour on to cover stain and let set for 20 minutes). Then, rewash in warm water.

Avoid perspiration stains by applying deodorant twice daily (once in the morning and again before bed) to provide extra protection against wetness.

In addition to being one of the most comfortable fabrics, cotton can withstand numerous washing over a range of temperatures and also responds well to color-safe bleach and a good detergent. It also absorbs water better than any other fabric, so you can fight even the toughest stains pretty easily.

For quick stain pretreating, apply water, seltzer or an ice cube to the affected area. To remove even really dirty stains, presoak in detergent before washing.

• Avoid hot water and hot dryer temperatures if the item is made of cotton knit. Knits are more vulnerable to shrinkage.
• Tumble dry, just long enough to remove wrinkles and moisture. Too much heat can set wrinkles and shrink some cotton fabrics.
• Store cotton out of sunlight as overexposure may weaken or yellow fibers. Always store cotton dry to avoid damaging mildew.

• Gently hand wash with a mild detergent. Or select the "hand wash" cycle on your LG washer.
• Line dry or dry flat to prevent stretching. Put in dryer on air setting only to restore softness.
• To remove stains, use color-safe bleach on whites. Try a paste of salt and vinegar to remove wine or a detergent paste to remove proteins such as milk and egg yolk.

Avoid creasing clothing made of linen or ramie in the same places repeatedly — the fabric will eventually weaken at that crease point.

• When choosing colored linen, ramie or hemp clothing, look for a label that says "colorfast" or "vat dyed" for better colorfastness. If your linen or ramie garment is machine washable, use a shorter or gentler agitation cycle and air-dry.
• These fabrics soften as they age, but you can speed up the process by adding a fabric softener to the rinse cycle.
• For washable, delicate linen or ramie, hand wash with soap rinse thoroughly and dry flat. Pay special attention to re-shape the item appropriately.
• If you need to remove a stain from any of these fibers, soak the item in cool water with soap before washing. Don't rub the spot. Ramie, especially, is susceptible to color loss from abrasion.
• Never use bleach. It can weaken the natural fibers.
• Iron linen or ramie garments while they are still damp on medium or high heat.

Your washer and dryer can work to eliminate wrinkles before you even plug in the iron. Always refer first to specific washing and drying instructions on garment care labels.

• Wash synthetics made of nylon, polyester and acrylic and washable woolens in hot or warm water using a permanent-press cycle to help remove and reduce wrinkles.
• Wash bright colors and lightly soiled fabrics in cold water to minimize washer wrinkling (and save hot water).
• Shake out items taken from the washer before placing them in the dryer to prevent them from balling up and wrinkling.
• While LG dryers have very large capacity, you should avoid overloading — it prevents proper tumbling, causing clothes to dry slower and wrinkle.
• Don't over dry clothes — this not only causes them to shrink, but increases static cling. Excessive heat can also set wrinkles.
• Hang up or fold clothes immediately after removing them from the dryer. If you leave them in a heap, they will wrinkle.

The best way to help those in need is to get rid of the clothing you haven't worn in years. Bite the bullet, admit you'll never wear it again, and donate it to a charity of your choosing. You'll feel better knowing your clothes have gone to good use, and your new closet space will open up in front of you.

With a new season approaching, some clothing won't see the light of day for months at a time. Try to pack away what you don't need — it'll save room and protect your clothing while it's not in use.

A messy closet can sometimes feel like a black hole: it's dark, scary, and when you throw stuff in there it disappears. So make your closet someplace you don't mind visiting. Bright lighting will help you find what you need.

Do you have tons of undershirts? Or are shoes your guilty pleasure? Find out which odds and ends get disorganized fast, and then find a solution. Woven baskets or floor racks will give you a place for those little extras.

Do you fold your underwear or toss it to the side? Don't be afraid to admit it. Be proud of your fancy-free tossing ways, and move to a system that'll work for you. Instead of using a stately drawer, try tossing underwear into an open bin or a little basket.

Make sure clothes are completely clean and dry before storing. And if you keep worn clothing and clean clothing in the same space, separate them. Even the smallest crumb can beckon pests.

Packing away all your seasonal clothes doesn’t mean just stuffing them up in the closet. You want to make sure you’re storing your garments properly so that they are in tip-top shape for when you need them again.

Before you put your wardrobe away for the coming season, inspect all clothing closely and under a bright light for stains. Any particles left on garments can stain and set in over the months in storage. Make sure all clothing is washed or dry cleaned beforehand. Garments that have been worn, even for five minutes, may contain body oil, perspiration, perfume or food particles, which can easily set in as stains.

Packing away all your seasonal clothes doesn’t mean just stuffing them up in the closet. You want to make sure you’re storing your garments properly so that they are in tip-top shape for when you need them again.

Look over each garment for minor repairs: loose hems and buttons, open seams and holes in pockets. They'll feel more like new garments next winter if you don't have to repair them. Also, make sure to empty the pockets of money, candy, gum and sharp, heavy items, to help prevent damage while in storage. If you have jewelry or stick pins on a blazer or coat, remove them because they can oxidize and deposit a nasty black stain that can be difficult to remove.

Use natural repellents, such as cedar, to fend off insects. Cedar is the most popular since it smells good and comes in many forms including blocks, hangers and sachets.

Instead of old-fashioned mothballs, try a moth repellent containing paradichlorobenzene instead. You can use less to get the same results and there is no clinging odor or risk of fabric staining.

If your closet or storage area is large enough, use a dehumidifier to help prevent mold, mildew and fungus. And make sure the area is kept cool, well ventilated and dark. Ultraviolet light deteriorates fabric over time.

Where you store your clothes is most important. Make sure to avoid wet or musty basements and warm attics and never store clothing directly on the floor without protection.

Using a cold water cycle with cold water detergent can mean big savings, not only on your energy bills, but also in carbon dioxide emissions- eliminating up to 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. All LG washers feature ColdWash™ technology.

Most people use far more soap than they require, which not only wastes money, but can harden clothes, shorten the life of your washer, and build up excess mold and mildew. Part of this is because people are used to seeing suds, which usually means too much soap, not the right amount. Of course, a wash/rinse optimizer option on LG washers can eliminate this problem.

According to a recent New York Times article, self-help appliance author Vernon Schmidt recommends putting 4-6 clean bath towels in a front load washing machine without any detergent or fabric softener. Run a hot water, medium rinse wash for about 5 minutes. If you don't immediately see suds, shut it off and check for soapy residue. If you find it, it's coming from your clean towels- and you're using too much soap.

Using a High Efficiency (HE) washer with a HE detergent can get the same sized load clean using nearly half the detergent, water and energy. Again, you may not see the typical level of suds, but this doesn't mean your clothes aren't getting clean.

LG is partnering with the Tony Awards and the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) to make Broadway a more environmentally friendly place. We will equip 45 theaters with new, high-efficiency laundry pairs. With so much energy being saved, actors and fans can enjoy the magic of the Theater with their consciences—and their clothes—clean.

The Broadway Green Alliance works to educate the theater community and inspire actors, directors, and fans to adopt environmentally friendlier practices both in the theater and in their everyday life.

During the Tony Awards, we invited Broadway celebrities to test the cleaning power of our high-efficiency laundry pairs. See who stopped by to air their dirty laundry and help Broadway save energy.