My favorite money-saving laundry hacks

Laundry is a part of everyone’s life in some way; Whether you go to a laundromat or wash your clothes at home, we all need to find ways to keep our clothes clean. This week I encourage you to observe your own laundry habits so that you can improve and optimize the way you handle these tasks.

I want to mention that I learned many of these tips from a guest appearance by The Laundry Evangelist, Patric Richardson, on the show “Am I Doing It Wrong?” Podcast. Now let’s discuss how you can save money and take the best care of your clothes.

Some hard truths

First of all, I need to get some difficult truths out of the way. Some of these are age-old misconceptions that most of us have believed at some point, but it’s time to set the record straight.

First of all, sorting clothes makes a difference. It extends the life of your clothes a lot. If you sort your clothes by color and optimal washing temperature, your clothes will last much longer, meaning you won’t have to spend money on buying new clothes for a longer period of time.

It’s also important to use just the right amount of detergent – too much will leave your clothes dirty with residue. Also use mild detergents. Strong scents and intensive cleaning chemicals are not necessary for your normal load of laundry and will cause the fabric to wear out more quickly. Use only stronger soaps on stained items and always pre-treat and treat stains as quickly as possible. The same goes for dryer sheets. Using too many dryer sheets will negatively impact your towels’ ability to absorb water. In fact, wool dryer balls (or, if you’re allergic to wool, tennis balls) are more efficient at drying your clothes and reduce static and are not suitable for one-time use.

As for stains, make sure you treat stains differently depending on the type of stain. You can only pre-treat protein stains, such as blood drops, with cold water before washing. Using hot water on protein stains will make the stain even harder. For these types of stains, use hydrogen peroxide and cold water and gently work the stain with a clean brush. For other types of stains, diluted white vinegar and a clean brush is generally a good solution that will be gentle on your clothes. Don’t wait to treat your spots; The longer they sit, the deeper they settle. Be sure to learn how to remove specific stains from your clothing.

Let’s talk about cycles and temperature

Next, let’s discuss which cycles to use at which temperatures. In general, using the quick wash cycle (sometimes called “Eco”, sometimes called “Express”, depending on your washing machine) is the right choice. There is no need to wash your clothes for hours to get them clean; It just wastes water and wears down your clothes. You can almost always wash your clothes in this cycle.

In general, do not wash your paints on hot water. This also puts a strain on your clothes and is completely unnecessary when cleaning clothes; The detergent cleans your clothes, not the water temperature.

The only exception to this is when washing your whites. Washing white laundry hot is much more efficient than washing cold. In fact, they become brighter and whiter in a small fraction of the time than if you wash them with cold water.

Other notable tips

Avoid overloading your washing machine; Your clothes won’t get optimally clean and this can cause the machine to wear out much more quickly. Also, make sure you always check and follow the care instructions on all your clothing. This is a crucial part of the sorting process and will definitely extend the life of your clothes.

Now let’s talk about washing your washing machine itself. This is another crucial step in making the most of your laundry habits. Ideally, it’s a good idea to quickly wipe down the drum and door of your washing machine after each wash cycle. This will prevent mold from forming in your washing machine. Once a month, run your washing machine’s self-cleaning cycle with a little baking soda. If you smell mold, add some additional bleach and then begin wiping after each cycle.

Remember to remove your detergent drawer (if you have one) to clean it frequently to prevent residue from building up in your machine. Also, after wiping the drum and cleaning the detergent drawer, leave it open for a few hours to allow it to air out and dry. This will also prevent mold and mildew.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, these tips are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cleaning your clothes with the utmost care and efficiency. After recently debunking my own misconceptions about doing laundry (and how much I could save if I adjusted my own habits), I want to share what I’ve learned with you. I highly recommend you do more research and dive deeper into how to become a laundry expert! The amount of money you save on buying new clothes and repairing old clothes (and your washing machine) will definitely make the change in your laundry routine worth it.

Josh Elledge is a syndicated newspaper columnist with over 12 years of consumer protection experience. His work focuses on money saving skills, strategic shopping, and financial life hacks.