How to Get Rid of Dirty Clothes on "The Sims 3"

By Seth Amery

Updated September 22, 2017

Everything seems to be going perfectly for Joe Sim: He just got married and had a baby, but his mood seems to be really poor despite his success in life. If you haven't taken advantage of the new laundry options available in "The Sims 3," you may have just found your culprit. Laundry options are only available if you have purchased any laundry items from The Sims Store or if you own the "Ambitions" expansion pack.

Getting a New Laundry System

Entering Buy Mode in "The Sims 3" reveals a new icon in the Bathroom category: a hamper. Clicking the hamper icon reveals a list of new laundry-related items, including washing machines, dryers and hampers. You'll need at least one of each to set up the most efficient laundry system in your home.

Like other items, the quality of the appliance depends on how much you're willing to spend. The white, lower-quality appliances are more prone to breaking, which leads to an overflow of soapy water inside your house. The red, higher-quality items are less prone to breaking, which will leave your Sim feeling a bit more secure as he sniffs his fresh laundry.

Bonus: When you purchase the most expensive appliances, your Sim has a small chance of finding a laundry gnome when washing or drying clothes. Unlike the regular gnome you can purchase, this one resembles a bear.

Picking Up Overflowing Clothes

Using Hampers: Once you put down a few hampers in your house, they'll automatically fill up each time your Sims change clothes, providing he changes clothes in the same room as the hamper. If they change clothes too often before you do the laundry, or if they change clothes in a room where there is no hamper, the clothes will appear on the ground. Pick them up and drag them into the hamper using the mouse; you don't need to switch from Live Mode to do this.

Washing Clothes: Interact with the washing machine and have a Sim start the laundry. Pause the game and drag the icon in the Sim's action queue; this ensures all laundry on the lot gets picked up, not just those in hampers.

Hired Help: Of course, there are others who can do the tedious task for you, such as hired maids; call for services on your cell phone to hire a daily maid.

Clothing Hamper Placement

Hampers Everywhere: The easiest way to ensure you don't get dirty clothes on the floor is to put a hamper in every room of the house.

Hampers, Efficiently: If you can't afford to place hampers everywhere, think about where your Sims typically change clothes; the two most common places would be in the bathroom, both before and after a shower, and the bedroom at night and in the morning. At the very least, having hampers covering these high-clothing-traffic locations should catch the vast majority of your laundry.

Cheaper Alternatives to the Appliances

Natural Drying: Forget about affording the hampers; not every household can afford the washer and dryer combo. If you can manage to scrape together the funds for a washing machine, you can save on the dryer by purchasing a clothesline for your backyard. Consider keeping your laundry setup as close to the back door as possible; this minimizes the chance of leaving a water trail on your way out.

Laundromat: Depending on your neighborhood, there are different laundromats you can travel to instead of shelling out the Simoleons for your own appliances. For example, Twinbrook features a quaint, two-story laundromat with a garage to park in.

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