For many older adults, laundry is one of the last chores they want to give up. It’s part of running your own home. But it’s also one of the most physically demanding: lifting wet clothes, bending into the machine, and in many houses, carrying a full basket up or down a flight of stairs.
Falls are a serious concern. According to the CDC, more than one in four older adults reports a fall each year. A laundry basket blocks your view of your feet, takes away a free hand for the railing, and shifts your balance. That’s a risky combination on stairs.
Here’s how to make laundry safer, and when it makes sense to let someone else carry the load.
The riskiest parts of doing laundry
- Stairs with a basket. Especially basement stairs, which are often steep, dim and without a second railing.
- Lifting wet laundry. Wet towels and jeans are much heavier than dry ones.
- Bending and reaching. Low front-loaders and deep top-loaders strain backs, hips and knees.
- Wet floors. A small leak or drip can make a laundry room floor slippery.
- Clutter. Baskets, detergent bottles and clothes on the floor are trip hazards.
Ways to make laundry safer at home
- Carry less, more often. Small loads in a bag with handles are easier and safer than a big basket.
- Toss, don’t carry, on stairs. Drop a soft laundry bag down the stairs and walk down with both hands free for the railing.
- Add lighting and railings. Bright stair lights and railings on both sides help a great deal.
- Raise the machines. Pedestals for front-loaders reduce bending.
- Use a rolling cart on the same floor instead of carrying baskets.
- Fold sitting down at a table instead of standing over the dryer.
- Add a non-slip mat in front of the machines.
When pickup and delivery makes sense
If the laundry room is in the basement, if you no longer drive, if your balance or strength has changed, or if your doctor has suggested avoiding stairs and lifting, laundry pickup removes the risk entirely. It isn’t about giving up independence. It’s about keeping it, by avoiding the kind of fall that can change everything.
How it works with The Elementals Laundry
- Book online or by phone. If you prefer talking to a person, call us at (770) 975-0739 and we’ll help you set it up.
- Leave your bag just outside the door. No need to carry it anywhere else.
- We wash, dry and fold. Add any preferences or special instructions to your order notes.
- It comes back to your door, ready to put away.
Regular monthly plans include weekly pickup with no contract, so there’s nothing to remember. Learn more on our residential pickup page.
For adult children
If you’re worried about a parent carrying laundry up and down the stairs, pickup is a gentle solution that doesn’t feel like taking something away. Many families set it up as a gift. You can book it for a parent at their own address, and we also have a full guide for family caregivers on the blog.
Common questions
Can I book by phone instead of online? Yes. Call (770) 975-0739 and we’ll walk you through it.
Can you pick up dry cleaning too? Yes. Bag dry cleaning separately.
Do you serve my area? We cover Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, Woodstock, Cartersville, Dallas and more. See all areas.
Recovering from a procedure? Read doing laundry after surgery.
Skip the stairs. Schedule a pickup with The Elementals Laundry or call (770) 975-0739.