I pre wash everything because all the material makes me sneeze depending on where I've purchased the material. I do it while I have other things going on. I pre iron also while I have someone on speaker phone. I've usually got something going while doing something else. One day DH walked in and I had the washer and dryer going and was on the phone and ironing. I was also winding bobbins. I try to get a few things going at one time but it doesn't always work that way.