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Climbing Mount Laundry is a necessity. But it can also create a HUGE expense. So how can you save money in the laundry room?
When you have six people in your family, laundry can be a huge expense and take a tremendous amount time. These are some of my favorite tips ever for saving money and time in the laundry room.
- Make your own laundry detergent. Personally, I have tried homemade laundry detergent and still prefer to wait until my favorite brand goes on sale and stock up. Even better if I can use coupons to save even more money in the deal.
- Wash only full loads since it takes just as much energy to wash a small load as it does a large load. If you have to combine multiple colors to fill a load, using a color safe detergent can prevent color bleeding.
- Cut dryer sheets in half before using. They still work just as well. Then, keep an empty tissue box on the dryer for the used dryer sheets. You can use them to dust furniture.
- Always empty the lint trap every single time you dry clothes in the dryer. Periodically, use a dryer brush to clean the trap completely. This allows your dryer to heat and dry the clothes more efficiently but also prevents a fire hazard.
- Use a mesh bag when washing/drying socks, especially baby socks, to keep them together. Or, if you are like me and don’t want to touch those nasty boy socks, place “stranger” socks without matches in a basket next to the washer. Once a month or so, sit down with the basket and sort the matches. (This also makes a fun matching game for kids!)
- Make your own laundry sprays. If you iron your clothes, make spray starch by combining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 pint cold water. Place in spray bottle and shake well before each use. Wrinkle release spray can be made with 1 tablespoon liquid fabric softener and one pint of water.
- Pretreat spots and stains when they occur and wash up to one week later. I often pretreat stains by rubbing in a drop of dishwashing detergent as soon as I can. This has saved me tons of money since it always works and I don’t need to replace clothes.
- Remember that water costs money to heat. Unless labels specify otherwise, wash your loads on the cold cycle. And skip those special “cold wash” formulas. Regular laundry detergent works equally well.
- When the dryer buzzes, hop to it! Dry your loads back to back so the dryer does not have to cool down between cycles. The residual heat will help dry your clothes faster.
- Lightweight sheets need far less time in the dryer than heavy towels. Jeans require more drying time than chino pants. Grouping similarly weighted items will cut down on dryer time.
How do you save money in the laundry room?
Leave me a comment! I am always looking for more money saving tips.
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number one is fold clothes straight from the dryer. Cuts down on wrinkles, saves facing the huge basket/s full at the end of laundry day, and if you’re like me it gives you a few minute of peace and quiet because no one wants to get tagged to fold clothes. pssst, don’t tell anyone, but I like to fold warm clothes from the dryer. Some how even with interruptions it’s relaxing to me.
Always sort your clothes. I know everyone knows this but not everyone does it.
Teach everyone to check their pockets and turn their clothes right side out. Don’t you just hate washing clothe only to find you missed a pocket with a tissue in it. Now all the clothes are covered in tissue or paper towel lint
Fabulous tips, Vikki! Honestly, folding laundry is like therapy for me too. 🙂