Jul

Laundry Made Frugal

Doing the laundry is one of those repetitive weekly chores that can eat into the budget. However, there are many ways to reduce the cost of laundry. These are some of the ways that we use to save money and time doing the laundry.

1. Use less detergent

Try experimenting with the amount of powder that you use with your washing. Often the recommended amount has more to do with marketing than getting clothes washed. In fact as little as 1 tablespoon per full load can be just as affective at washing clothes as a full scoop, and you avoid residue problems and excess detergent clogging up in your machine.

Depending on what I wash and how soiled it is, I use between 1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup of detergent and find that this is just as effective as using a full scoop.

2. Make your own laundry detergent

Making your own laundry detergent will not necessarily save you money over regular detergents, but it is certainly more environmentally friendly and will cost a lot less than eco-detergents. If you’re concerned about the chemicals that go into our waterways, then homemade laundry detergent is a frugal alternative to the commercial eco-detergents.

Apart from homemade laundry powder, stain soaker and tea tree oil, I don’t use anything else. I’ve never bought fabric softener and I’m allergic to the artificial fragrances in it anyway. For years we just had stiff towels, but I have found that you don’t need fabric softeners on good quality towels and linen anyway, so I invest in good quality.

To soften laundry cheaply, you can try adding vinegar to the final rinse. I have found that it works a little bit, but the results aren’t ‘straight out of the dryer fluffy’. Ironing clothes, especially with the steam on, takes the stiffness out of them as well.

3. Wash in Cold Water

90% of energy used doing the laundry is for heating water. I’ve never washed in anything but cold water and have never had a problem with the washing coming out clean.

As well as increasing your energy bill, washing in hot water is harsher on your clothes, can make the colours run, and can cause the clothes to shrink and warp.

If you have concerns about bacteria and dust mites, I have read that the water needs to be hot to kill anything, a lot hotter than most machines manage. Cold water washing is effective at washing off most allergens on laundry and hanging laundry out in direct sunlight will kill bacteria and dust mites. For musty towels, I sometimes add a few drops of tea tree oil, which is a powerful anti-bacterial, to the rinse cycle.

4. Wash When you have a full load

Save on water and energy by washing only when you have a full load. If this is impractical, adjust the water level setting to an appropriate level for the load size.

5. Avoid the dryer

Ode to the hills hoist – a national icon. Hanging the washing, particularly in direct sunlight is great for killing bacteria and dust mites and airing it out.

For wet weather, airers are good alternatives, and these can be placed on balconies or moved in and outside or around to follow the sun.

We use an airer and have a few lines rigged up in the garage for wet weather days. Shirts are hung on coat hangers to save space and keeping them hung flat to make them easier to iron. We don’t actually own a dryer, so rigging up clothes lines indoors is the only way for us to get the clothes dry. The garage usually gets sun and heats up the metal door and bricks, so putting the airer near the door means the clothes get drier, quicker from the radiating heat. If you have an indoor hot water service or a heater, then make the most of the heat to get the clothes dry.

My mum used to do washing for a private boys school, and the only way to get things dry in winter was to hang them in front of the gas heater in the lounge room.

If you have to use the dryer, try ‘finishing off’ in the dryer – letting clothes hang so they are mostly dry and just giving them a few minutes in the dryer to take the dampness out.

6. Fold clothes neatly – save time ironing

This is more about saving time rather than saving money. I used to do ironing for some extra cash. I couldn’t believe how crumpled the clothes were when they came to me. Each item was screwed up into a tiny ball and it was a nightmare doing the ironing. Ours on the other hand is a breeze. If you hang washing so that it is flat as possible, untucking sleaves and legs, and fold it neatly before ironing, then it can cut ironing time drastically, or eliminate the need iron altogether.

What tips do you have to save time and money doing the laundry?