How to keep your washer humming

School is back in session, and that means washing machines are in peak use.

Some basic planning suggested by experts at Mr. Appliance Corp. can keep laundry room clutter down and ensure the washer and dryer work at peak efficiency.

Just involving your children in the process can cut your laundry workload in three ways:

• Sorting. Put plastic bins in your child's bedroom or bathroom. Use one bin for colored clothes, one for whites and another for towels and jeans. If you have an athlete in the family, consider including another bin for uniforms to keep grass and mud from staining other clothes. To make this more fun for younger children, use trash cans with plastic lids and draw faces on them with a permanent marker.

• Scheduling. Post a washing schedule above the dirty-laundry bins so that on the appropriate day your child can carry each bin to the laundry room to be washed.

• Finishing. After the dryer buzzer sounds, encourage your child to help you fold clothes. It lightens the chore and gives you another chance to chat about his or her day at school.

Reducing your laundry workload also relieves stress on your washer and dryer. The back-to-school season is one of the busiest times for washer repairs, according to Mr. Appliance Corp. president Doug Rogers.

"Don't try to squeeze as many clothes as possible into your washing machine," Rogers says.