9 Money Saving Laundry Ideas
These days, everybody is trying to save money. And one of the easiest places to save is with your weekly laundry.
After all, laundry has to be done. Use these tips to save money doing your laundry.
1. WASH LESS FREQUENTLY
You don’t have to wash your clothes after every wear! In fact, some items are better when you wash them less frequently. Aside from workout wear, things like jeans, sheets and towels can be spaced out so you wash less frequently. Check out our handy guide so you know how often to wash your clothes.
2. USE COLD WATER
Cold water is less expensive than hot water. Save the warm and hot temperatures for heavily soiled loads. Up to 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is spent on heating the water. Additionally, warm or hot water can fade your color clothing.
3. CONSERVE UTILITIES
Cut your energy bills by only washing full loads of laundry. Wait until your laundry hamper is full. Keep your loads at 75% capacity for an optimal clean.
4. DON’T BUY BRAND NAMES
We know commercials make us think a certain brand of laundry detergent or dryer sheet is better. But that’s not always true! Consider using generic brand detergents, bleaches and fabric softeners. Many generic products are made with the exact same ingredients as the popular name brands. You could even go the extra mile and consider making your own detergent!
5. DIY
Who needs bleach when you can save money (and be more eco friendly) by adding one cup of white vinegar and a quarter cup of baking soda to the wash when you add your detergent. These will brighten and whiten your wash without making you smell like vinegar.
6. SAVE ON STAIN REMOVERS
Instead of buying specialized stain removers, you can remove stains with ingredients you already have at home! Baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide can be applied with a toothbrush to naturally remove stains.
5. WASH ON SHORTER CYCLES
Most washers have a shorter cycle option that can be used for moderately soiled loads. Reserve the normal and heavy-duty cycles for heavily soiled laundry or items with major stains. Save both time and money with shortened laundry cycles.
6. MAINTAIN YOUR APPLIANCES
Keep your washer and dryer clean. Make sure to clean the lint trap and dryer vent regularly.. A dirty lint trap prevents moisture from escaping, which causes the dryer to work harder. A dryer that has to work harder increases your electric bills and will wear the dryer out sooner.
7. USE WOOL DRYER BALLS
Eliminate the dryer sheets and use wool dryer balls instead! Not only are they reusable and sustainable, they help your clothes dry faster and softer! Wool dryer balls can be used up to 1000 washes.
8. ADD A TOWEL
This is an easy tip to help save dryer time and energy! Just stick a bath towel into the dryer with each wet load. The towel will help absorb excess water, which will decrease the time you need to run the dryer by up to 50%.
9. SKIP THE DRYER
Seems old fashioned to hang clothes on a clothesline - but it’s a wonderful way to save money by eliminating the dryer cycle! There is nothing as fresh as clothing dried outside in the fresh air.
WANT TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY?
Using a mobile laundry service seems like a luxury - but when you add up the value of your time wasted doing your own laundry - it’s a no brainer!
Laundry has to be done, but you don’t have to be the one to do it. Download the OrangeBag app and schedule a pickup, and take back your valuable time