This year marks the 67th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.


WRAL Tower Lighting: WRAL lights the towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

WRAL Tower Lighting

Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

WRAL welcomes Michelle Mackonochie to evening newscasts beginning Jan. 5

Michelle Mackonochie

What it really means to be an organ and bone marrow donor

Stay up to date with WRAL’s Laundry detergent news and reporting coverage

Laundry detergent News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

Laundry detergent Coverage

Laundry is a necessary chore for everyone. While you might think it's a straightforward task, some common laundry mistakes can lead to unfortunate results. 

10 common laundry mistakes you're probably making & how to avoid them

The average family does about 300 loads of laundry per year. 5 on Your Side's Keely Arthur explains how it's possible to cut that number back.

CERTIFIED EVERY 2 YEARS AND MANY LIKE THEIR CERTIFICATIONS LAPS IN THE PANDEMIC. OK? SO YOU MAY DO A LOT OF LAUNDRY AND A LOVING HOUSEHOLD. WE DO MANY LOADS OF LAUNDRY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE AVERAGE FAMILY DOES ABOUT 300 LOADS OF LAUNDRY PER YEAR. >> AND THE ONLY WAY TO COME BACK, DON'T WASH YOUR CLOTHES AS OFTEN. FIND YOUR SIDE'S KELLY ARE THE SHARES. HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE. >> IS ALMOST THE SUMMER IN NORTH CAROLINA. AND THAT MEANS SO ANY CLOTHES. SO HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO WASH YOUR GARMENT? THE SEARCH THAT ON THE WEB? YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A TON OF DIFFERENT ANSWERS. BUT CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL AND GET FRUSTRATED JUST YET. HERE'S THEIR GUIDANCE. >> STAINES A SWEAT, DIRT AND CLOTHES THAT DON'T PASS. THE SNIFF TEST ARE AUTOMATICALLY THROWN IN THE WASH. BUT HOW OFTEN DO YOU REALLY NEED TO WATCH SHEETS TOWELS AND COMFORTERS? IT COVERS EVERY SINGLE WEEK, NOT NECESSARY. SAYS CONSUMER REPORTS AND LET YOUR PET SLEEPS IN THE BED EVERY 2 WEEKS WILL DO THE JOB BUT DON'T GO TOO MUCH LONGER. THINGS WE CAN'T SEE CAN ACCUMULATE LIKE DUST MITES, BACTERIA, DEAD SKIN CELLS. >> THAT CAN TRIGGER ALLERGIES AND SKIN IRRITATION. SHEETS ARE ANOTHER MATTER. WATCH THEM EVERY 5 TO 7 DAYS SOONER. IF SOMEONE IS SICK, FEAR OF DANK. MORE DETAILS HAS THIS MOM WASHING HERS AFTER EVERY USE OFF-ROAD ON THE FLOOR. HANG IT UP. IF YOU ALLOW TO DRY IN BETWEEN. >> WE'LL KEEP THOSE THINGS DOWN. YOU WILL HAVE TO WATCH IT AS OFTEN. WE GENERALLY SUGGEST IN THE 3 TO 5 DAYS BUT UNDERGARMENTS T-SHIRTS, SOCKS AND ESPECIALLY GYM CLOTHES SHOULD BE WASHED AFTER EACH USE AND CALLED ON UP IN A BAG AND LEAVE THEM IN THAT IT WILL BECOME A SIZE 6 TIME. >> BUT THAT KHAKIS AND DRESS SHIRTS UNLESS STAINED OR SWEATY OR YOU DON'T WEAR UNDERGARMENTS, SAVE YOURSELF. THE TROUBLE. >> AND WASH THEM AFTER 3 WEARS JEANS, YOU CAN GO EVEN LONGER TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DETERGENT. PICK A GOOD ONE. TRIED CHOOSING THE ONES TESTED BY CONSUMER REPORTS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TIDE PLUS ULTRA STAIN RELEASE. >> TIED OXY AND PERSONAL PRO CLEAN STAIN FIGHTER. THEY ALL EARNED TOP SPOTS. BUT WHATEVER DETERGENT YOU CHOOSE, GO EASY ON IT. MORE DOES NOT EQUAL CLEANER CLOTHING. HEALEY ARE SIR. 5 ON YOUR SIDE. >> WE'RE JUST A MODERATE AMOUNT. CAN GO A LONG WAY. AND DON'T FORGET HOW YOU'RE SORT OF LAUNDRIE IS KEY. NOW. THAT'S HOW YOU SORT YOUR LAUNDRY. THAT IS CONSUMER REPORTS RECOMMENDS WASHING HEAVILY SOILED ITEMS SEPARATELY FROM THE LIGHTLY SOILED ONES TREE STAINS BEFORE YOU THROW

How to cut back on your laundry habits

People are particular when it comes to laundry.

COM. >> ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY AND THE DETERGENT YOU USE SOME MANUFACTURERS TWEAK THEIR FORMULAS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR. AND THAT'S WHY CONSUMER REPORTS TESTS THOSE DETERGENTS MULTIPLE TIMES. HERE'S 5 ON YOUR SIDE'S KEELY. ARTHUR. >> WITH THE WEATHER BEING SO BEAUTIFUL, YOU PROBABLY SPENDING MORE TIME OUTSIDE. AND WHILE THAT'S GREAT I MEAN 30 OR CLOTHING. SO SHOULD YOU GO WITH PODS, LIQUID DETERGENT OR POWDER? WILL CONSUMER REPORTS PUT THESE TOP BRANDS THROUGH THE RINGER? >> THE TESTS ARE EXTREMELY TOUGH. EVEN THE BEST DETERGENTS CAN REMOVE EVERY STAYING COMPLETELY. SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT GETTING ONE THAT WORKS FOR WHAT YOU ARE TYPICALLY LAUNDERING AND WHETHER YOU ROUTINELY HAVE HEAVILY SOILED CLOTHES. CONSUMER REPORTS TESTERS LAUNDERED FABRIC SWATCHES SOAKED WITH BLOOD BODY OIL, CHOCOLATE COFFEE, DIRT, GRASS AND SALAD DRESSING THE LIGHTER, THE STAIN AFTER THE WASHING, THE BETTER THE DETERGENTS SCORES ON CLEANING PERFORMANCE. INVESTORS ALSO CHECKED OUT AN ALTERNATIVE TO TYPICAL DETERGENTS LAUNDRY SHEETS MADE OF A CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY DETERGENT AND HELD TOGETHER BY A RESIDENT AND IS A BUBBLE PAPER. PLUS, THEY'RE FREE OF PLASTIC PACKAGING. THE LAUNDRY SHEETS AS A GROUP DIDN'T PERFORM AS WELL AS LIQUIDS AND PODS IN OUR TEST. HOWEVER, IF YOUR LAUNDRY ISN'T HEAVILY SOILED AND ARE LOOKING FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE LAUNDRY ROUTINE. THESE COULD BE A GOOD OPTION. TIDE PLUS ULTRA STAIN RELEASE AND PURCELL PRO CLEAN STAIN FIGHTER TACKLED DIRT AND BODY OIL AS WELL AS TOUGHER STAINS LIKE GRASS AND BLOOD. BUT IF CRESCENT BLOODS, TEENS AREN'T A ROUTINE OCCURRENCE IN YOUR HOME AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BETTER VALUE. CR SAYS CONSIDER KIRKLAND SIGNATURE ULTRA CLEAN LIQUID FROM COSTCO. CONVENIENCE IS KEY. THE POWER PODS FROM TIGER EARNED TOP SCORES. AMONG THE PODS. HOWEVER, THAT CONVENIENCE COSTS MORE IN PODS HAVE OTHER DOWNSIDES. POTS CAN BE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN HOUSEHOLDS WITH COGNITIVE LEE IMPAIRED, ADULTS OR YOUNG CHILDREN WHO MIGHT ACCIDENTALLY INGEST THEM IN ONE MORE REASON TO STICK WITH LIQUIDS. THEY CAN ALSO SERVE AS A PRE TREATMENT FOR STAINS, WHICH MEANS ONE LESS PRODUCT. YOU'LL HAVE TO BUY IT. KEELY ARTHUR, 5 ON YOUR SIDE TO SAY I USE A LITTLE STAIN REMOVER AND THEN I USE THAT URGENT. ALWAYS WORKS. >> NOW THE DETERGENTS, THOUGH, IN CONSUMER REPORTS, TESTS WERE ACTUALLY STELLAR AT REMOVING COFFEE STAINS. IF YOU SPELL. CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS THE BEST CHANCE OF REMOVING THE STAIN IS TO RUN COLD WATER VERY FAST ON

WRAL 5 On Your Side examines laundry detergents that clean the best

Which laundry detergent works best: Liquid, powder or sheets?

Liquid detergent or pods: Which laundry detergent performs best?

The All brand of laundry detergent is as low as $1 with the sale and coupons at Harris Teeter!

Laundry detergent News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

10 common laundry mistakes you're probably making & how to avoid them

How to cut back on your laundry habits

WRAL 5 On Your Side examines laundry detergents that clean the best

Which laundry detergent works best: Liquid, powder or sheets?

The All brand of laundry detergent only $1 with coupon at Harris Teeter