Laundry seems to be a never ending cycle that keeps you on your feet each and every day. Although it’s pretty easy to come to terms that you’re always going to have laundry to do, it might not be as easy to deal with the constant money it forces you to spend. However, if you’re looking to cut down on house expenses, this is one of the best elements to be frugal with. There’s a lot of tips and tricks that can make your laundry experience cost you next to nothing which will give back to the household without forcing you to sacrifice too much extra time!
1. DIY Detergent
When it comes to laundry it’s never good to feel that empty container of laundry detergent. Supplies to keep your clothes fresh and clean aren’t always on the cheap side, especially if you’re on a budget. Often, even generic brands can cost too much or they leave your clothes covered with detergent residue days after washing them. Keeping up with detergent and softener can be too much to ask at times, so your clothes suffer and end up feeling uncomfortable or less than perfect when you wear them out. This could lead to you wanting or needing to purchase new clothes, which means throwing even more money down the tube. One of the best things you can do is create your own laundry detergent. There’s a lot of copycat recipes online as well as those you may enjoy better than the store bought stuff. You can even create your own special scents using different oils, which may even have people asking for your laundry secret. Another great option is to use vinegar rather than softener. If you only use a small amount it won’t leave a lingering scent, plus it’ll get your clothes cleaner and will make them feel soft to the touch!
2. Use Cold Water
It’s a common idea that hot water is the best way to get things clean. In some senses this is true, but when it comes to your laundry you’re usually safe running your clothing on the cold cycle. The cold cycle will actually help you out in a lot of different ways. For instance, this cycle uses less power as it doesn’t have to process hot or warm water, thus enabling it to get the job done with water that’s readily available. The cold cycle also won’t cause your clothing to shrink like the hot cycle will which means your favorite items can be worn again and again. Finally, washing colored items in cold helps preserve the color so they’ll look newer much longer. Also, soaking stained clothing in cold water can help remove the stain before it sticks to the fabric. This trick alone will save you lots of money on clothes, special treatments and the number of times you have to run an article of clothing before it looks clean!
3. Larger Loads
Many people don’t like to put a lot of clothing into the washer or dryer so they spend all day working on half loads of laundry. This if often because people believe their clothing may not get clean if they’re putting too many items in the washer at once. Most of the time, this isn’t the case. Of course, there are limits and usually your washer will let you know when a load is simply too large to process but a lot of the time you’re good to go. Larger loads of laundry can help you save money in a variety of different ways. For instance, the less loads of laundry you end up doing, the less power you’re going to save so your bill won’t be quite as high. You may not believe it, but you’ll also save on laundry detergent when you choose to use larger loads. Sure, you will need to use more soap, but this extra amount won’t add up to the amount you’ll end up putting in each separate load. When the clothes are washed they may also take a little extra time in the dryer, but once again not as much as a separate load. In the long run, you’ll also save so much time using this technique that you won’t want to go back to your small loads of laundry ever again.
4. Home Remedies
A lot of people lose some of their favorite clothes because their expensive store bought stain remover isn’t doing the trick. This can mean wasting more money on clothes, which is great in theory but when you get your credit card statement in the mail you may not be singing the same tune. Rather than spend a fortune on getting rid of stains or replacing things ruined by them, do a little research and find some home remedies that will make your life amazing. If you’re having trouble getting blood out of something then soak it in cold water and hand soap. Is your child’s soccer uniform covered in grass stains that just won’t give in? Then use a simple combination of dish soap and hydrogen peroxide. If grease is a major problem in your household then try using chalk or baby powder to get rid of the problem. There’s an abundance of ways to get rid of the all too common yellow stain so you may want to look around to find one that suits ingredients you already have in the home. Another simple home remedy to cut out bleach is to wash with baking soda instead. Finally, cut down on static and your use of dryer sheets by using a tin foil ball. You can reuse it as many times as you want too!
5. Spot Treatments
Spending money at the dry cleaners is one way many people lose out a lot of money on their laundry. Some clothes just can’t be washed at home though and if they’re pricey you probably don’t want to run the risk in the first place. You don’t have to run your clothes to the dry cleaner every time you wear them though. Rather, use a simple spot treatment to get out any stains that may have happened during the day. Usually simple water will help keep the clothes clean, but you can also look up the type of material to see if anything else is recommended. If you have a heavy coat or denim clothing then you may want to skip washing them as frequently. These items are meant to be worn more than once, so take a spot treatment to stains between washing. If the clothes seem to have an odor then use a spray to help freshen them up until the next time you wash them!
6. Laundry Bags
The sock monster seems to work 365 days a year, which can be a problem if you’re always having to buy socks. Socks aren’t the only items that end up going missing in your machines though, so take precautions using laundry bags. These can be bought just about anywhere or you can think out of the box and use your common household items as a laundry bag. Simply stick your smaller items in the bag and enjoy receiving them when the laundry is finished. This is a pretty helpful way to end the painstaking labor of sorting socks too, as if you put all similar socks together, it’ll be like folding straight from a grab bag! Another great thing about laundry bags is they’ll help prevent delicate clothing, like lingerie, from getting ripped in the washer or dryer which will also save you a pretty penny!
7. Shorter Cycles
Unless you’re washing some heavy duty items that haven’t been cleaned in years, you probably don’t need to wash your clothing on the heavy duty cycles. Aim to use the shortest cycle on the machine, especially if you’re only washing your clothing. This will cut down on the amount of energy and water you use each time you run a load which translates into more savings for you. Shorter loads don’t just apply to the washing machine though. Rather, you should definitely always use shorter cycles for your dryer too. This won’t just save you money, but it may prevent your clothes from shrinking. It may also keep some of your graphic t-shirts from getting messed up in the process of drying. If you’re worried about your clothes not getting dry enough then toss in a dry but fluffy towel into the mix. This will help soak up the extra moisture, thus allowing your clothes to get dry faster. Also, if you plan on doing some ironing then don’t dry the clothes all of the way. The leftover moisture will help make your job ironing faster.
8. Hang Clothes Out
Washing your clothes by hand may be a little much, especially if you have more than laundry to do during the day. However, letting Mother Nature dry your clothes for free won’t take more than a couple of minutes of your time. If you have a backyard then hang up a clothes lines and enjoy your energy saving dryer. It may take several hours for the clothes to dry, but you won’t have to lift a finger during that time nor will you have to pay for all of the energy a machine would use. If you don’t have a yard then string up clothes on the balcony or create a clothesline over your bathtub. If you leave the fan in the bathroom on it will also help get your clothes dry faster. Although this is a great option, you may want to keep an eye on the weather forecast as high winds or rain may force you to rewash your clothing.
9. Energy Efficient Machines
Of course, if convenience is more your cup of tea then energy efficient machines are right up your alley. Although these machines were once expensive, they are rapidly becoming very affordable which is good news for consumers looking to save money on every day bills. These machine efficiently clean your clothing using less energy, water and laundry detergents which means you save all across the board. Before you know it, the savings alone will have paid for these machines. The best thing is, a lot of the time you may even be able to find a tax deduction if you’ve purchased an energy efficient washer or dryer during the tax year!
10. Keep Machines Clean
Believe it or not, but keeping a machine clean is your ticket to more savings. One of the most common things to clean is the lent trap. This alone will cut down on the energy you use every time you dry your clothing. Of course, there’s more than just the lent trap that needs to be cleaned. Throughout the year you should check the hook ups to both the washer and the dryer to make sure they are clean. This is especially important for the dryer as it could cause a fire if too much lent builds up. It’s very easy to do, but if you’re not sure where to start then you can easily look up a tutorial online. You should also clean inside of the washer. Sometimes clothing or other items that end up in the wash can get lodged inside which may cause damage. Some machines may even grow mildew which isn’t safe for your family. Clean machines are well running machines, so they should last longer if you take good care of them.
Laundry is a part of everyone’s life. There’s no getting around dirty clothes so you might as well learn the best way to save some money on cleaning them. With these simple tips you’ll find laundry isn’t as expensive or time consuming as you once thought it to be!
