Laundry Hacks That Save Money

Hi Sweet Friends,
 Dirty clothes are a fact of life. We spend more time cleaning and less time having fun in life. So, I've gathered up a few hacks/ideas for you. Did you know that we, Americans, used 8 billion kilowatts washing laundry at home last year and 61 billion kilowatts drying it," according to Consumer Reports.

“Around 10 percent of a home’s total electricity use goes to washing and drying clothes,” says Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

So, with all this dirty laundry, the cost of electric/gas to clean the laundry, and the time it takes to do this chore daily/weekly, how can we make it less taxing?

     *Space-saving washer & dryer units or stacked units.

Well, apparently in the US, size matters. What I mean by that is, Americans have a habit, good or bad, of buying big. We have stuff, more stuff per capita than most other people in other countries.  Size of the washer/dryer units are eco-sized for max loads, while in Europe, for example, compact and space-saving models are more popular.

     *Line dry many clothing items to save $ on bills.

Use the Dryer much less.  It has been proven that the use of the dryer when cleaning clothes per year total is more than the use of the refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher combined. Now that it an eye opener! I line dry most of my own clothes, however, towels, sheets, and blankets are so much nicer out of the dryer.

     *Front loading washers make more sense.

Front loading washers are more economical than the older top loader models because they use less water in the washing/rinsing cycles, extract more water in the spin cycle, and they do less damage to your clothes than the "agitator" style washers do.

     *Increasing spin speed, low sudsing laundry detergent, and full loads save energy.

If your washer has a speed control, use a higher spin speed to remover more water from the laundry. Use a low sudsing laundry detergent that makes rinsing clothes better. Load your washer with full loads to save on water consumption.

     *Lower the hot water heater temperature from 140*degrees down to 120*degrees.

Lowering the temperature on the water heater may not seem like a big deal, but over time it can save you money! I only use hot water when I wash jeans and work clothes. Cold water is fine on most laundered items and cold water does not shrink clothing.

     *Clean washer wash the inside and surrounding areas.

Keeping the washer cleaned of soap and dirt will increase the life of your washing unit. This is most important after a particularly dirty or smelly load of laundry. No details need to be given; you know what I am talking about. Right?!  Add 1 cup white vinegar to an empty load. Fill the washer and run the full cycle. For the drain, a 1/2 cup of baking soda keeps it smelling fresh for weeks, repeating as needed. I use a cloth with a bit of soap and water and wipe out the laundry tub, around the agitator, door, detergent/bleach compartments, and around the seal. Once a week, wipe outside of both the washer and dryer with an all-purpose cleaner to keep it looking new.

     *Dryer lint changed, clean dryer sensor, dry like items together, line dry if possible.

Because the dryer pulls out lint, the lint will build up in the dryer and cause it to not work as well. The solution is to make a habit of cleaning out the lint trap/screen after each drying cycle. Put it in a small trash can and it's easy as that! Use a bit of soap and water on a cloth to clean the dryer sensor. Keeps it working and your clothes will dried correctly. Drying like items together, example: towels, t-shirts, jeans, etc., keeps drying time down and less chance of any one thing not being completely dry. (keeping like colors grouped helps in washing, too!) And, as I love to do, line dry your delicate items, blouses, dress shirts, and skirts to keep them looking better longer. Pressing may be needed, but the items of clothing will stay in shape and not endure fiber breakage and shrinkage.

As always, these are suggestions. I hope you found these hacks/ideas useful and can implement some of them into your cleaning routine!
Enjoy!

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