ESL Podcast 331 - Washing Clothes
washing machine - a large machine that washes clothing, towels, and sheets
The washing machine broke and now there's water and soap all over the floor.
load - a group of clothes, towels, and sheets that are washed at the same time; the amount of clothing, towels, and sheets that are put inside a washing machine at one time
Chirag washes three loads every week: one of whites, one of colors, and one of towels and sheets.
laundry - the process of washing clothes, towels, and sheets
Do you do a little bit of laundry every day, or do you prefer to do it all at once at the end of the week?
dyed - colored; made a different color by putting something in a colored liquid
Is her hair really blond, or is it dyed?
stain - a dirty mark that is difficult to remove from a piece of fabric
Yolanda spilled red wine on her white shirt and it left a big stain.
bleach - a clear, liquid chemical that is used to clean things or make something white by removing color
Chet accidentally spilled bleach on his jeans, and now they have white spots on them.
dryer - a large machine that uses hot air and movement to dry clothing, towels, and sheets
Some people try to save electricity by hanging their clothes outside to dry in the sun instead of using a dryer.
detergent - a liquid or powder soap that is used to wash clothing or dishes
Your clothes smell great! What brand of detergent do you use?
dishwashing liquid - a liquid soap used to wash dishes
This dishwashing liquid is supposed to be gentle on your hands because it doesn't dry out the skin.
stiff as a board - very difficult to move, bend, or fold; not soft
The day after running in the marathon, Jered's legs felt as stiff as a board and he could barely walk.
delicates - clothing, often sexy underwear or very nice sweaters, that is made from special fabrics that need to be washed carefully so that they don't fall apart
Do you wash your delicates, like silk sweaters, by hand or in a machine?
lint filter - the small part of a clothes dryer that collects the small pieces of fabric that come off while drying, so that they can be thrown away
Sometimes fires start when people forget to empty the lint filters in their dryers.
fabric softener - a liquid that is used when washing clothes to make them softer
Lynn always uses fabric softener on her clothes, but not with her towels.
clothesline - a piece of rope or string that is tied between two things so that clothes can be hung on it to dry
Oh no! A bird landed on the clothesline and got our clean clothes dirty!