Laundry is a chore that I do not particularly mind doing, however, it can be costly if you pay full price for all of your laundry products. Here are some simple methods to save on laundry costs in your home:Wash laundry with cold water. This will eliminate the need to use your hot water heater, causing your energy bill to decrease. Obviously, some germy loads may require a wash in hot water every once in a while, however, most laundry items can be washed with cold water and end up perfectly clean.Hang dry your laundry. By using a clothesline outside or a drying rack in your home, you eliminate the need to use your dryer, therefore reducing your energy bill even further.Plan on doing laundry back-to-back. If you must use your dryer to dry laundry, using it when it is already warm conserves energy and therefore it may not need to run as long to dry your clothes as it would have if it had cooled down in between loads.Make your own laundry soap. There are a lot of great online tutorials for doing so. Homemade laundry detergent costs pennies per load.Skip Fabric softeners. While they really are unnecessary, if you like your clothes to be soft try using a small amount of vinegar instead of fabric softener. Vinegar is less expensive, will soften clothes, and it is a natural deoderizer and sanitizer.Perform regular maintenance of your washing machine and dryer. Take care of the ones you have in order to avoid having to replace them. Washing your washing machine and cleaning out your lint traps on your dryer regularly will help improve their lifespan.Skip the dry cleaner. I avoid dry cleaning by gently washing the garment myself, only if it absolutely needs to be cleaned. I have even put dry-clean only clothing items through the washer before on gentle cycle. While I can't recommend it will work for all dry clean items, it has worked for me to wash them gently with cold water and allow to hang dry. I'm sure it depends on the fabric in question!Skip the dryer sheets. They are unnecessary. If you really feel the need to use them, cut them in half and only use one half of a sheet per load. This will save you 50% in your dryer sheets cost!I am always looking for additional ways to save on costs of doing laundry. What are some methods you use to save on laundry costs?
These are fantastic ways to save on laundry. I switched over about 2 years to using only cold water for my laundry and haven't noticed a difference in the cleanliness of the clothes. I also only buy laundry detergent on sale to save money. I also only run my washer and dryer when I have full load. I do try and hand dry some of my laundry to save costs as well. I think the biggest cost saver I do is to use less laundry detergent. I think I use about half the required amount and again do not notice any difference than if I had used the full amount. In fact if you use too much detergent it is more detrimental, too much detergent prevents the dirt from getting loose in the water.
In addition to the great tips already mentioned - the only other ways that immediately spring to mind when wanting to cut laundry costs are to always wash full loads rather than part loads - as not only do most machines use less energy and water when washing full loads - but it avoids the extra cost of running the machine more than necessary and if you do use commercial detergent - use less than the recommended amount - especially as most laundry generally comes clean with around half the amount stated by the manufacturer as well as - if its available to you - take advantage of off peak pricing offered by some utility companies - as scheduling your laundry to the times when utilities charge less - is a sure way of saving on laundry costs also if there is no other option than to use a dryer - in addition to the tips already given - considerable savings can be made by using - wool dryer balls - as not only do they eliminate the need for dryer sheets but more importantly - they cut electricity costs - as they can speedup drying times by up to 25% and often way more than that - more information of which can be found here Log In
Yes, these are great tips too. The wool dryer balls are great alternative to dryer sheets. I haven't used dryer sheets in 7 years.
I save money on laundry by making my own detergent. I have been doing this for about a year and have not found any difference in the cleanliness of my clothes. I use some vinegar instead of fabric softener. I would really like to get the wool dryer balls to try instead of dryer sheets since buying the generic ones do not even work on static. I always have full loads when I wash since I have two children that always seem to have extra laundry. I use cold water for all my loads except towels. I do not think cold water washes them good.
Personally I like to pre-wash by hand, and then put the clothes in for a short wash everytime. It gets the same results but at a lower cost (and quicker too)
You may not believe it but we still do not have a washing machine. What we have is a laundry woman who washes our clothes by hand. It is more expensive but the clothes definitely last longer than when washed in washing machine. And the quality of washing is controlled because there are clothes that needed to be washed longer and there are delicate fabric that do not require scrubbing. In short, we have categories for our clothes and washing is different for each category - denims, ordinary pants, shirts, blouses, etc.
@gata montes Do you use the dryer balls? I've seen them, especially lately, and have considered getting some. I bought some of the rubber ones years ago, and they seemed o.k., but I really prefer the idea of using something natural, like wool. I've seen some really attractive ones on Etsy and other sites where handmade goods are sold. I have eczema, so I'm not sure how the wood would affect me. I have never noticed an issue with wool, but I know my mother has, so I'm a little leery, but the dryer balls wouldn't be touching my skin, so it would probably be o.k. Right now I'm using the 'free and clear' dryer sheets, but the generic ones I last purchased aren't working as well as the brand name sheets, which cost quite a bit more. I like the idea of a one time (at least for a year, hopefully) purchase, rather than something I have to repeatedly purchase, like the dryer sheets.
I do yes and have to say - that as I think they are probably one of my best cost saving measures ever - I doubt that you'd want to part them once you'd tried them either. However - as to brand - although I have been making my own for the past six or more years - as prior to that I used a brand named Woolzies which I was particularly pleased with - they're certainly one brand that I would highly recommend checking out - especially as they're now available in packs of 6 via Amazon and at a very good price too - which considering that they last for years - meaning they're generally good for around 1000 loads or more - makes them very good value for money. Regarding the possibility of wool dryer balls causing allergic reactions or problems for people with eczema - as they don't directly touch the skin and they don't shed in the dryer either - not only have I not heard of them ever causing any problems - but as my husband - as well as a few other friends who use them - also suffer with eczema - none have ever experienced any problems either - in fact quite contrary - as because their skin is extra sensitive they all say that they like the extra softness that wool dryer balls give to the laundry. I would also just add - that although many people are tempted to use rubber, plastic or even tennis balls ( as they're cheaper ) in the hope that they will achieve the same results - not only are they false economy as they don't work in quite the same way - but as they are heavier and have a much harsher tumbling action than wool dryer balls and therefore - can damage a dryer’s sensitive electronic sensors - they could land up costing more in repairs - and even more if they happen to melt ...... which they have sometimes been known to do.
I agree with hang drying. Most of the time, there is no need at all to use a tumble drier - as they use a lot of energy which costs money that most people don't really have enough of at the moment. So I would always suggest that you should hang washing out to dry. I have a small cupboard where my clothes dry, and I do a load of washing every two days and by that time the first load has dried completely - it works out well for me.
We observe 1 and 2 religiously. It's so hot here that water comes out of the tap lukewarm to cold, anyway. Plus when we put our washing up to dry, it's usually ready to be brought in within an hour an a half to two hours. The sun and the mild breeze help in getting them dry in no time. We try not to leave them hanging out in the sun for too long because the harsh sun rays can have a bleaching effect on them, leaving the colours dull and drab. I'm curious about the dry clean items, though....do you not find they lose their shape, @prose?
Thanks @gata montes I looked around and there seems to be a huge variety on the market now. How many balls do you use at a time? I've seen recommendations from 3 to 5 or 6, and apparently there are different sizes, as well. There are some really cute ones in pretty colors with nice designs, but since they'll be in with laundry, I'll probably end up getting white/ecru ones, just to make sure there's no transfer of color.
These are some nice tips. The only others that I can add are if you must use the dryer, try putting a dry towel or other heavy item in the dryer with your wet load. It makes things dry faster. Also, hang the heavier stuff up for a bit and then only run it through the machine for a few minutes. Some people don't like to hang dry, not only due to the extra work but also because of wrinkles and stiffness of some fabrics when they are air dried. The latter tip above will fix both of those problems, yet you won't have to run the dryer for an entire cycle. You can save gas and electricity, but still get the same outcome.
You're more than welcome and yes - having only just recently had a look at what is now available - have to agree it would be difficult to make a choice - especially as many are now way more attractive than they used to be - that said - having used many different colors over the years and none have ever shed or transferred color - think you'd be safe going for whatever takes your fancy As to how many dryer balls to use - if wanting energy savings as well as softness - regardless of size or who the wool dryer balls are manufactured by - generally never less than 3 - for small loads of delicate fabrics 6 - for an average load of mixed fabrics and 8 - for large loads and heavy fabrics like denim or towels which are also the numbers I've always used - mainly because - after much experimenting - that's the amount that give the highest energy savings - especially as for me - that works out at around a 30 - 35 % reduction in energy costs - which as electricity is extremely expensive where I live - is a very welcome reduction.
To save on laundry, soak your clothes in cold water overnight before washing. Also make sure that you grade the clothes according to the level of dirt. White clothes should be washed first ending with dull clothes. Another tip is to add some vinegar into the water intended to wash your laundry. A few bottle tops are enough for a large basin. Too much will bleach coloured clothes.
Thanks for the tip on cutting dryer sheets in half! I never would have thought to do that. I have been line drying and just washing in the machine for a few years. I save on running the dryer all summer and I love the way my sheets smell like sunshine.
Wow a lot of great tips thanks! I can already hear my bills going down. In my area we also have a tiered power cost system. Basically energy costs more to use during the day and less at night, more during the week and less on weekends So we run the dishwasher and do the laundry at night or on weekends. I am surprised to not also see that tip here, is this not common around the world?
To be fair - I think you'll find that it was - it is however understandable that you may have missed it - as although energy companies do offer “ tiered power cost systems “ in many countries but not necessarily worldwide as yet - not only do the hours of availability vary from country to country - but they appear to be referred differently too - for example - as mentioned in a previous post - they are known as " off peak " in some areas of the world Either way - totally agree - that scheduling doing the laundry to the times when energy costs are at their lowest is an excellent way of reducing the cost of doing the laundry - if you are lucky enough live in a Country with a tiered energy costs.
Yes, very good ways to save on laundry costs. One thing I do is buy the large size of Kirkland detergent from Costco. It .literally lasts forever. I mean getting your detergent there, you only need to buy it once every several months. I think it is "the" place to buy detergent.
Thanks @gata montes I figured I'd go with more and bigger balls, rather than smaller and fewer. There's a set I have my eye on, but I'll have to sell something first, since it's out of my price range. Thankfully, it's not a necessity, but definitely something I am wanting to purchase at some point. Regarding cost of electricity, mine is the same regardless of what time I use it, but at least one company here does offer a plan where mornings and evenings are (supposedly) free. I'm sure they're making their money somehow, and they don't have the greatest reputation, so I'm keeping my current provider for now.
