Comments on: 5 Quick and Easy Ways to Save Money on Laundry

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:05:54 +0000

The homemade laundry detergent IS the answer to saving money. I make a liquid detergent with the same ingredients (Fels Naptha, Borax, and Washing Soda [not BAKING soda]), but it is safe for the front loaders because there is no suds. The recipe is found on thefamilyhomestead.com web site. She has step-by-step instructions with pictures. There is also a breakdown of the cost of making laundry soap. It is CHEAP, just $0.72 to make 64 loads that is $0.01125 a load!!!

By: Allison

Allison — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:32:16 +0000

Tennis balls do the same thing as dryer balls and are often cheaper.

By: how-to-save-money

how-to-save-money — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:54:41 +0000

Great list! If you have kids another piece of good advice is to avoid washing clean clothes. I've found that my daughter often tries on different clothes, and sometimes ends up putting clean clothes in the laundry. Argh :) how-to-save-money´s last blog post..How to Apply for the Bridge Card in Michigan for EBT Food Benefits

By: easy ways to save money

easy ways to save money — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:03:36 +0000

hi
nice post
These are all great ideas
Everyone can save money in small and seemingly insignificant areas if you know how and where to do it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:51:14 +0000

Great tips! I'll be coming back to learn more about saving money!
We've listed you in weekly favorites! Keep up the good work!

http://tinyurl.com/awt3es

Kim Hays,
Moms At Work

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:46:57 +0000

I have 4 kids and a husband that loves to work outside. My homemade laundry soap works great on cleaning our clothes! I also make my own fabric softener that smells great. My kids love to watch while I make it. They are blown away that their mom is cool enough to keep in mind that the environment is not in the best shape right now. But they don't realize just yet that it also helps our pocket book.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:11:42 +0000

You may want to do some more research on dryer balls before running out and buying them. There are chemicals used in the plastic that can be harmful to children (and probably adults too). You can use two regular tennis balls and they will have the same effect.

We have stopped using dryer sheets all together. We use a little vinegar in the rinse cycle for softening and then dry on a lower setting so clothes don't get dry dry dry - it prevents them from getting a static build up and saves on energy costs.

I haven't really tested this, but I've been told if you put a clean, dry towel in the dryer with your wet clothes they will dry faster.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:34:57 +0000

Just a note on washing in cold water...in very cold areas of the country, washing clothes in cold water in the winter --especially if your washer is in an uninsulated basement like mine--may not get your clothes clean. Most of my reading has shown that detergents work best to clean in water above 40 degrees (farenheit). In my case, I have to wash in warm, then rinse in cold.

By: Tracy K.

Tracy K. — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:18:43 +0000

I also make my own detergent. I use the same recipe that Theresa provided above. It is so easy to make, smells clean and fresh, does not leave a residue on your clothes, and works as well as TIDE. I grate the soap and then run all the ingredients thru the food processor to create the powder consistency of regular detergent. However, you only need 2-3 tablespoons/load instead of that big scoop that comes with other detergents.
Linda: YES, you can absolutely use this recipe for your front loading machine. The High Efficiency detergent is made to produce less suds which is why regular detergent can ruin the front loading machines. The Fels Naptha recipe creates no suds and is competely safe. I always keep a full bar of Fels Naptha for pre-treating those wonderful grass stains my boys come home with. I just scrub a bit of soap on the stain and after washing they are GONE! I recommend this detergent as it is environmentally friendly, septic friendly and much, much cheaper than any laundry soap you can buy!

By: Dana

Dana — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:38:26 +0000

These are all great tips, ladies! Thanks so much for sharing! Off to buy dryer balls! Dana´s last blog post..Loaded Potato Soup

By: Amy A

Amy A — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:42:31 +0000

I use 1/2 cup of vinegar in my rinse cycle instead of using fabric softner. The clothes are soft and the odors are eliminated! In the spring/summer/fall I hang our clothes out to dry. I do miss the "soft" feeling of towels dried in the dryer, but I found that if I stick them in the dryer for about 5 minutes and THEN hang them up they are much softer! Amy A´s last blog post..Fruit Pudding

By: Jena

Jena — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:36:10 +0000

If you have multiple loads to wash and dry (I have 4 boys so I always have laundry going), make sure you dry them back to back. That way the dryer doesn't have time to cool down and then re-heat back up.

Also, on a different note - dishes - which is something else I always have going - if you have a dishwasher, run your kitchen tap water until it gets hot and then turn on your dishwasher. The book that came with my dishwasher reccomended it - said it was more efficient than the dishwasher heating up the water.

When in doubt, read the manual that comes with your appliance on ways to conserve energy costs.

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:41:08 +0000

I hang my clothes all over the house. Use your shower curtain rods. I also found this great gadget that is designed for hanging clothes. It is sold on QVC. It is collapsible and stores away nicely in my closet. You get 2, but I gave one to my mother-in-law for a present. It may seem pricey but it should help save money in the long run on your electric bill. Here is the link to check it out. http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.CM_SCID.COLL.item.M12586.desc.Set-of-2-Hangaway-Collapsible-Drying-Racks

Stefanie´s last blog post..Snow Ice Cream Recipe

By: Deal Seeking Mom

Deal Seeking Mom — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:55:43 +0000

Thanks for the tips on the dryer balls, ladies! I've often wondered if they actually work. Sounds like I need to give them a whirl – literally. :P

I haven't been brave enough to attempt my own laundry detergent, but I might give that a try when my stockpile runs out.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:33:24 +0000

Kira: The dryer balls are great! They're rubber balls with little "nubbies" on the surface. They tumble in the dryer with your clothes and help keep things moving around. The "nubbies" fluff up the fabric fibers helping to keep them soft and the static away. The only downside I've found is they like to hide in the clean, dry laundry .. especially in the corners of sheets! They've cut my drying time 15-20 minutes a load .. more with lighter loads like diapers. Rebekah´s last blog post..Naturally Frugal Baby or my current addiction to cloth diapers

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:15:24 +0000

Does home-made detergent work in front loading washers? I use liquid soap, which I think it recommended with those type of washers. I want to be careful with what I use because I don't want to destroy my front loading washer, which is awesome! It uses less water and I can add the cold water feature to really help save energy.
I've seen dryer balls at WalMart. I was curious but afraid to try it. Any other thoughts on them??

By: Heidi @ Frugal Girls

Heidi @ Frugal Girls — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:06:37 +0000

I just started making my own laundry stain remover, and it works GREAT! I've got two little guys that seem to attract mud and grass stains, so I was so excited to see it actually worked. :) I've linked to the "recipe".

By: Alaina

Alaina — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:53:39 +0000

Thanks for the tips! Alaina´s last blog post..Maybe some relief...

By: Amy - Cutting Coupons in KC

Amy - Cutting Coupons in KC — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:22:07 +0000

I have had really good luck with Dryel at home dry cleaning. I have used it on our winter coats, wool sweaters and my husband's suit. Everything came out clean and smelled very fresh! I have a five year old son, so we have lots of stains at our house. I pre-treat the stains with Shout, Spray and Wash etc. (I buy whatever is on sale !) and I add about a cup of baking soda to the wash. So far, all of the stains have come out! Amy - Cutting Coupons in KC´s last blog post..Johnsonville Brat Deal

By: Virginia

Virginia — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:21:07 +0000

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