If you’re caring for an aging parent, a spouse with a chronic illness or a family member with a disability, you already know the job never really stops. Appointments, medications, meals, paperwork, phone calls with doctors and insurance. Laundry tends to fall to the bottom of the list, until there are no clean sheets left.
For many caregivers, laundry doubles. You’re running your own household and part or all of someone else’s. Here’s how to make it manageable, and how to take it off your plate entirely.
Why caregiving creates so much laundry
- Incontinence can mean changing sheets, pads and clothing every day, sometimes more than once.
- Spills and meals happen more often when hands are less steady.
- Time in bed or a recliner means more blankets, pillowcases and throws in use.
- Two homes. If your parent lives separately, you may be carrying laundry back and forth between houses.
Practical tips for caregiver laundry
- Layer the bed. A waterproof mattress protector, then a fitted sheet, then a washable bed pad on top. Many caregivers add a second protector and sheet underneath, so a nighttime change means peeling off one layer instead of remaking the whole bed.
- Keep extra sets of sheets, pads and sleepwear close to the bed.
- Choose easy clothes. Machine-washable, stretchy fabrics with simple closures are easier to wash and to put on.
- Rinse soiled items in cold water first, then wash. Wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.
- Label clothes if your loved one is in assisted living or adult day care, where items can get mixed up.
Protect your own health too
Caregiver burnout is real. Lifting, bending and running up and down stairs with baskets adds physical strain on top of the emotional load. Handing off tasks that don’t need you personally, like laundry, frees up time and energy for the things only you can do: being present with the person you’re caring for.
How laundry pickup helps caregivers
With laundry pickup from The Elementals Laundry, bags are collected from the door and returned washed, dried and folded. It works in a few different ways for families:
- At your parent’s home: pickup goes straight to their address, so nobody carries laundry between houses.
- At your home: send your household laundry out so you have more time for caregiving.
- From a distance: if you live out of town, you can book and manage pickups for a parent in the Acworth area online, and they just leave the bag outside.
Monthly laundry plans set up regular weekly pickups with no contract. Bulky items like comforters and blankets are priced per piece. For heavily soiled items, please call us first at (770) 975-0739 so we can advise on the best way to send them.
Local support for caregivers
Cobb County has resources for older adults and the people who care for them, including senior services, adult day programs and caregiver support. Your parent’s doctor or a local Area Agency on Aging can point you to programs that fit your situation.
Common questions
Can I book pickup for someone at a different address? Yes. Enter their address for pickup and delivery, and add any instructions in the order notes.
Do you serve senior communities? We serve Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, Woodstock, Cartersville and more. Add building access details when you book.
More on keeping older adults safe with laundry: laundry safety for seniors.
You take care of them. We’ll take care of the laundry. Schedule a pickup or call (770) 975-0739.