This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
seq/Flickr
Laundry is inevitable, but wasting money isn’t. A couple years ago, I realized I was spending too much money getting my clothes to smell like a summer breeze. Since then, I have completely changed my habits in the laundry room. Here are some tips sure to save you cash.
Use cold water – There is no need to pay for heating water when you don’t need it. I used to love washing in steaming hot water because I thought it was the only way to get rid of germs, but it is not. Use cold or warm water depending on what you’re washing. Aside from saving on heating water, I find my jeans do not fade as much, which cuts down on my shopping expenses.
Forget the fancy laundry products – Multi-tasking detergents with additives such as bleach and stain removers are more expensive than plain detergent. Instead, use natural cleaners that you may already have in your arsenal like baking soda to whiten, borax to remove stains and vinegar to rinse your clothes. Natural cleaners and a little elbow grease can work wonders and are much less expensive than fancy laundry products. When adding soap, don’t follow the manufacture’s instructions; instead experiment to find the right amount for your clothes. Often, the amount of soap you need is less than directed. Making your own soap is also inexpensive but time consuming. Savings: cost of fabric softener, stain remover and bleach approximately $3 to $4 per bottle.
Stop using drier sheets. Every time you toss a dryer sheet in the trash it is like throwing money away. Instead, consider going without or use drier balls. I recently bought a set of drier balls for $4 and like the results.
Do full loads, back-to-back – Doing laundry throughout the week is a bad idea if you want to reduce your electricity bill. When you wash and dry all your clothes in one day you are using less energy to heat up the drier because it is warm from the previous load. Also, make sure you use the right settings for your washing machine to avoid using extra water or time for lightly soiled clothes.
Ditch the dryer – Whenever possible use a clothesline to save on your utility bills. If you do not have room outside, try an indoor drying rack or use extra hangars. If you want your clothes soft, toss them in the dryer for 5 minutes after taking them off the drying rack. Clothes dry incredibly fast outside mid-day.
Wear clothes more often – The most effective way to save money on laundry is to just do less of it. Wearing your clothes more than once before tossing them in the hamper is the first step. Jackets and sweaters can be worn more than once. I won’t tell you how long I wear my jeans before tossing them in the hamper – that’s my dirty little secret – but I can tell you that washing clothes less often cuts down on doing laundry and its cost and extends the life of your clothes.
Now that you’ve read my dirty laundry secrets, share yours! What tricks do you use in the laundry room to save money?
June 16th, 2010 at 11:12 am
This is great – these are all the tricks I use. I also turn my jeans inside out to reduce fading and prolong the life of the jeans.
June 16th, 2010 at 11:56 am
@Oberzone I do the same. I’ve also hear that if you wash your dark clothes with salt it will help the clothes keep its color longer. I haven’t tried it but will soon.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
When using hangers as a drying tool, make sure they are not the metal kind as that will rust-stain your clothes.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I love all your tips and do the same but I did learn many years ago that you don’t need a full sheet of the drier sheets. I only use one whole one for every three loads of wash, cutting each one in thirds.
I also use the shower curtain rod as a drying rack
June 16th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Love these ideas… I hang dry clothes to not only save energy but it helps preserve the clothes.
What is a dryer ball?
June 16th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@Melissa A dryer ball is a spiky ball used instead of fabric softner sheets in the dryer to soften and fluff clothes. I’ve heard you can also use tennis balls because they add the extra tumble but since I don’t own any I had to make the purchase.
June 16th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
@Leslie What a good idea! It never occurred to me that those sheets last more than one load. I wonder if you could cut a dryer sheet into multiple pieces, too.
June 16th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@Cat So true, I’ve done that before and it wasn’t pretty. I had to wash clothes again. I try not to use hangers for sweaters because they stretch but I will hang things like cotton shirts and pants.
June 16th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
If you do use the dryer sheets, you can put them out to keep bees away from a pool area, etc. For some reason they don’t like them.
June 16th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
@Melissa That’s totally a tip you’d read in Real Simple’s other uses for ordinary things feature!
June 16th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
What happened to printer-friendly format?
Miss it. Some articles too good to “waste”
June 16th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Another way to save is to buy laundry soap on sale and with a coupon for maximum savings. Also, avoid being brand loyal. I grew up with Tide, and so that’s what I bought when I was first on my own, and while it’s a good product, it’s one of the most expensive detergents, and other cheaper ones get my clothes just as clean.
I don’t use laundry softener or sheets, but I love the bounce dryer bars, which you just stick the inside of the dryer. It lasts a couple months, and I only buy them when I can get a great deal (and then stock up on them), so I spent about $1.50 buying a supply that will last at least through the end of the year.
June 16th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
@Joan Don’t believe we changed our format, Joan. Perhaps your printer settings are different than last time you printed? So flattered you think some articles are too good to waste!!!
June 17th, 2010 at 12:44 am
2 comments (1 is a question):
Why is throwing a used dryer sheet in the trash like throwing away money, particularly if you’ve used it a couple of times?
To Lindsey: It’s funny you should mention Tide. The latest Consumer Reports (July) rated Tide’s cleaning ability (two specific formulas) higher than all the other brands it tested. You are correct that Tide is more expensive than other detergents, but sometimes you do get what you pay for.
June 17th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Also, I do a lot of clothies by hand wash, saving on cleaning costs.
June 17th, 2010 at 9:18 am
These tips are great! I never knew that you could wash everything in just cold water. These tricks are definitely gonna save me a bundle! Thanks!
June 17th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Has anyone handwashed a silk sweater when the label says “Dry Clean Only.” The sweater is 75% Silk and 25% Nylon. Any suggestions? I don’t particularly like paying for dry cleaning.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
@Diane I used to use the sheets once and throw them away so i was not getting the most from the money I had spent – that’s what I mean by throwing money in the trash.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
All great ideas. But for anyone who still has a septic system (sigh) remember not to use baking soda (eats away at the tank) and don’t do laundry back to back. The system needs time to ‘flush through’.
June 17th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Where did you get the set of dryer balls for $4? I bought a set of 3 dryer balls for approx. $10 from Bed and Bath, and would like to know where to get them for $4!!!
Thanks,
Marie
June 17th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
I use the blue spiky dryer balls and they DO reduce drying time. But i found out they can be bad for you…the type of plastic used can be toxic when heated up in a dryer. I came across felt dryer balls in a catalog but they were pricey. Here’s a make-your-own felt dryer balls. Cheap, easy and non-toxic!
http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-wool-dryer-balls/
June 18th, 2010 at 10:50 am
@Terri Great reminder. i do not have a septic tank and didn’t think of that.
June 18th, 2010 at 10:52 am
@Marie I got the dryer balls at Bed, Bath & Beyond but I used their 20% off coupon.
June 18th, 2010 at 10:54 am
@Cori I haven’t heard anything about the balls being toxic. Where did you get the info?
June 19th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Tide is indeed the very best. Two tips to get the most value: 1) (Very obvious,) stock up when it is on sale. 2) Toss the scoop they include in the box. You need about one quarter of that amount! A coffee scoop is about right, more for larger, very dirty loads. The same goes for the liquid. If you fill it to the line it’s a waste, and too much detergent wears out and fades your clothes.
June 24th, 2010 at 4:45 am
Wow! I’ve learned a lot today from all of you! Another use for used dryer sheets is: after you remove a price sticker from an item, use a USED dryer sheet; rub it over the sticky part that was left behind from the sticker. It must be used in order to work. Instead of taking my clothing to dry cleaners, I buy Dryel or Woolite’s brand of home dry cleaners. They work just fine. A friend of mine stopping using dryer balls ’cause the spikes would get caught in sweater-type clothing. Did the tennis balls work? Sounds like they might grab lint too. Thanks for the tips on septic. I have it and never knew about your info.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
I purchased my Dolphin Diagnostic 4 years in the past at our native Leslie’s. I had a Kreepy Krauly which labored fairly well but, since my pool has only one skimmer inlet, the surface wouldn’t get adequately skimmed when the KK was getting used (even with the KK skimmer plate which allowed for some skimming whereas vacuuming). While we don’t have many timber in West Texas, any that are shed appear to finish up in my pool
June 24th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
@Sherwood Bernal I think you meant to leave this comment on the post about cleaning pools.
July 1st, 2010 at 1:22 pm
[...] Drying clothes outside on a drying rack or clothes line. In the summer heat my clothes dry in two hours. Thick towels take about 3-4 hours. The dryer is getting lonely. More tips to save in the laundry room. [...]
July 1st, 2010 at 7:58 pm
I love reading all the fabulous tips, especially about not using soda when you have a septic system, which I have. I also use Tide (liquid) and never fill to the recommended line — it’s a total waste. Tide is expensive, but I try to catch it when it’s on sale @ CVS or Von’s or Ralph’s. I have tried using cheaper brands, but they just don’t work for me. Thanks everyone for all the advice.