do the laundry — wash clothes
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to wash dirty clothes, towels, or bed sheets, usually at home or in a laundromat.
Say it like a native
Textbook I need to launder my garments.
Native I need to do the laundry.
'Launder my garments' is formal; 'do the laundry' is the everyday phrase.
Pattern: do the laundry
In use
- I usually do the laundry on Saturday mornings when I have more free time.daily life
- In my family, everyone has their own chores. For example, I often do the laundry while my brother takes out the trash.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I do my laundries on Sunday.
✓ I do my laundry on Sunday.
'Laundry' is uncountable — no plural.
Common collocations
do the laundry— the, a load of, a pile of, your
Don't confuse it
Not used for ironing or folding clothes—just the washing part.