Easy Homemade Stain RemoverIf you mix 1 part Dawn dish washing liquid with 2 parts hydrogen peroxide you have the best spot remover! This is probably the only cleaner you will ever need. Either spray or pour on the spot and watch it disappear.
Use Pantyhose to Catch Washing Machine LintA washing machine repairman told me to put a pantyhose leg on the pipe that drains into our slop sink. I was surprised to see how much lint it caught. All that lint would eventually clog our drain, and plumbers are expensive!
Stop the Drip of Laundry DetergentI store my large laundry detergent dispenser and my fabric softener dispenser in a cabinet over my washing machine. No matter how careful I am, the spout drips inside my cabinet and makes an awful mess. The blue fabric softener is even worse.
Fanny Pack for Clothespin BagI have an old fanny pack and have discovered it has multiple uses. I have been wanting an apron clothespin bag but just haven't gotten around to making one. After using my fanny pack for dropping seed, when planting the garden, I thought about using it for a clothespin bag. Hooked around my waist, it's so easy to get the clothespins out when hanging clothes on the line. This little bag will hold well over 60 clothespins.
Hanging Fitted Sheets On the ClotheslineI love being able to hang my sheets on the clothesline. To keep from stretching the elastic on my fitted sheets, I hang them with the elastic on the inside.
Drag Your Clothes BasketWhen you are not suppose to bend over and have to walk with a walker or a cane or just have back problems, you may need some help to get the basket of clothes from the dryer to the bed or folding table. I needed a way to get the job done so I tied some old shoe strings to the clothes basket handle and pulled it to the bed. It works great for me.
Save Your Back with a Reach ExtenderI have a reach extender hanging in my wash room. It makes getting the clothes out of the dryer much easier.
Protecting Clothespin Bag Left on ClotheslineSoon begins the hanging laundry on the line season. I have a very nice cloth monogrammed bag that I like to keep hanging on the clothesline right where I need it. To protect it from the rain and sun I found a simple solution. After I emptied a large birdseed bag I cleaned it out and cut a hole in the top, slipped it over the bag and it is well protected with ease.
Sort Laundry As You GoSo as to run full loads only in my washing machine, which is most efficient, I keep 2 popup hampers in my bathroom closet. One has a little hanging tag marked "Lights", and the other "Darks". As I take off my clothes, they are put into the appropriate hamper. When one is full, I do a load of laundry.
Borax to Boost Laundry DetergentIf you add 1 cup of borax to your laundry water at the beginning of the cycle, you can decrease the amount of detergent you use by half! Not only does this save you money and detergent, it also boosts the cleaning power of your laundry detergent.
Creative ClotheslinesI like to take advantage of warm weather to dry clothing outdoors. Even though I have a couple of drying racks, sometimes it was not enough. I did not want to invest in an outdoor clothesline that would have to be removed every time the lawn was mowed and when the winter came. I solved my problem in several ways.
Stretching Fabric SoftenerThere is nothing more pleasing to me on laundry day than smelling the fragrance coming from my bottle of Gain Fabric Softener. Problem is that I live on a limited income and all the "name brand" fabric softeners can become pricey.
Quickly Dry Small Clothing ItemsNot having your washed clothes dry in time for an event can be a bit of a damper. (Get it? Damper! Sorry.) Here is how to get them dry quickly. Here is a real-life example with my socks.
Baskets to Store Dirty Kitchen Towels and SpongesI like to wash some items separately from others. This includes all of my kitchen hand towels, dish sponges, dust cloths, and cleaning rags. To keep them from getting mixed in with the other laundry, I store the used towels/sponges beneath my sink in small dollar baskets.
Wash New Colored T-shirt SeparatelyI put my red t-shirt in the bag with some dirty clothes to bring home from a trip. It must have had a little damp spot on it because it bled onto my beige shorts. I'm glad I did not throw it in the wash with the colored clothes. The white on my husbands plaid shirts may have come out pink.
Remove White Lint with VelcroI accidentally threw my husband's dark pants and other dark clothing into the front load washer that I didn't realize, or see that I already had white towel rags in there already. I wasn't even looking, I just took a "hug full" of his dark clothing, threw them in the washer, and started it up.
Use Washcloth and Fabric Softener as Dryer SheetThis tip not only saves money, it works far better to control static, and your clothes come out of the dryer smelling wonderful.
Wool Balls as Natural Fabric SoftenerAbout a year ago, I transitioned into using wool balls - they are a natural laundry fabric softener. I purchased my wool balls on Amazon, but you can purchase them online, in select stores, or even make your own.
Air Dry Socks Using Laundry Basket HolesHere is a way to air dry socks and keep them together if they are still damp. Simply insert them in the laundry basket holes. You can also put other small laundry articles in them. Saves dryer energy and you keep pairs together!
Smaller Bottles for Laundry Products Make Doing Laundry EasierI have bad arthritis to the point where I can't lift anything heavy. Whatever it may be, it tends to fall right through my hands and ends up spilling or breaking on the floor. With trying to figure out an easier way to deal with heavy bottles of laundry detergent, I came up with this idea.
Transporting Wet Clothing to ClotheslineThis is a tip for old folks like me and maybe some young folks as well. Use 5 gallon buckets and a wagon to take heavy wet laundry to the clothesline.
Coffee Container for Collecting Dryer LintI keep a Folger's coffee container on the clothes dryer to put lint in. When it gets full, I empty the lint into the trash.
Check Line-Dried Clothes for SpidersI went outside to get my clothes after they dried outside. I found this little creature taking advantage of the soft fabric. I was about to put them on after I finished shaking it. I must not have shaken the shorts enough because this creature was still hanging on.
Use a Clothesline or Drying RackUsing a clothesline outside or a drying rack inside can help save in more than one way. It saves on the electric bill because you aren't using the dryer as much or adding heat to the A/C load by using the dryer. It also saves your clothes because it won't shrink them or wear them out as fast.
Drying Laundry More QuicklyIf you want your laundry to dry quicker in your clothes dryer, add a dry fluffy towel to the machine.
Avoid Static in Your ClothesEspecially in winter, sometimes you want to wear leggings, yoga pants, or even pajama bottoms under long skirts or dresses. Yet the inevitable annoyance of static electricity rears its ugly head and ruins things for you.
Flatten Shirt Lapel Without an IronHere is how to get the flattest lapel in town; it is better than using an iron. Take your shirt out of the dryer and hang up on a hanger damp or if it's already dry apply a mist of water to the edge you are looking to press.
Make a Bottle of Fabric Softener Last for 8 YearsI got this tip from the Mary Hunt website. Get a spray bottle and fill 1/3 with fabric softener. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Spray a few times on both sides of an old washcloth, and throw it in the dryer. Turn the bottle gently before each use to mix up the contents well. I don't shake the bottle.
Ice Cube in Dryer for Wrinkle-Free ClothesI decided to try this on a super hot 103 F day when I just could not imagine getting the iron out to work on a load of clothes. Toss an ice cube or two with your wrinkly clothes into the dryer. Run it on the hot setting. It steams the wrinkles right out.
Washing Bib Overalls Without Straps TanglingI learned this from my husband years ago. He wears bib overalls almost daily, and the straps tend to tangle. But, if you unbutton the front pockets, take the strap buckles and place them between the button and pocket and then rebutton it (or snap on some pairs) they will stay that way during the wash cycle.
Getting Rid of Pilling on LaundryWe all have that favorite sweatshirt or blanket that accidentally got put in the dryer. Well there is a way to get rid of almost all of the balled up lint that has been stuck there. Just take a razor preferably new and run it over the fuzzies stuck to your sweatshirt.
Finding Single Socks in the LaundryWhen doing laundry I always have socks that don't come out with their match partner! Instead of just throwing the single sock into the sock drawer I propped a plastic utility basket up between the top part of the dryer and the wall. This is where I put all the single mismatched socks I find while doing laundry.
Tension Rods for Drying LaundryMy mom taught me this awesome tip. I bought two tension rods and put them in the shower. I wash my clothes and just hang them in the shower. It's easy and if you're hand washing it's time saving. You could skip pulling out the hanging rack. You don't even need to iron when they dry.
Removing Starch from JeansAfter total frustration and desperation, I put 2 pair of heavily starched jeans in the washer, on warm, added 2 cups of Advanced Finish dishwasher detergent and 2 cups of cider vinegar. I washed them for approximately 30 minutes and added 3 fabric sheets to the rinse. Almost all the starch is gone!
Vinegar for More Absorbent Bath TowelsI use white vinegar in my final rinse when washing all my towels. Your clothes will not smell like a pickle either, that is, unless you use the whole gallon of vinegar.
Perfume Dirty Laundry with Orange PeelsI am moving from a house to an apartment. All is chaos. I just discovered I confused the laundry basket with the trash - only once. I found that the dirty clothes smelled great thanks to the dried out orange peel.
Spin Mop as Off-Grid Laundry MachineIn desperation to clean my clothes without using a lot of water, soap and electricity, I wondered if using a spin mop bucket would be useful in washing, rinsing, and the most difficult part of hand washing, wringing out water from the clothes.
Sorting Socks into PairsThe one item I never put into a dryer is socks, because they always seem to shrink in there. So instead they get hung on the washing line on good days, or indoors on a foldaway airer on rainy days. Either way, this makes for a good opportunity to sort socks into pairs at an optimum time.
Line Dry Jeans Inside OutI love hanging our clothes outside to dry, but don't like stiff jeans. My late mother-in-law taught me to turn them inside out when I hung them on the clothes line. They end up soft and wrinkle free. It also helps to slow down the fading of the jeans.
Put a Knot in Stained ClothingIf you notice a stain in your clothing, and you are not going to wash it right away, tie a knot in it before you put it in the laundry basket. When you do the laundry, you will know that piece of laundry has to be pretreated before it goes into the wash.
Dry Clothing on HangersWhen drying your laundry outdoors, instead of using pegs, hang as much washing on clothes hangers as possible. Separate the hangers using pegs to stop them gravitating together.
Ethanoic Acid as Fabric SoftenerI found that vinegar 'softens' fabrics as well as any commercial fabric softener I've ever used.
So now, I use vinegar, instead. Right? In a word, No! As it turns out, that nice, fresh smell, smells just like the vinegar it is. I refuse to 'go around' with my clothes smelling like a jar of Del Monte gherkins.
Hairspray for Creased JeansI recently got out an old bag of jeans I thought I would never fit into and also thought that they would be way out of style. #1. They fit. "Yeah!" And #2. The styles are all back in.
Removing Tissue From LaundrySometimes we leave a tissue in a pocket of our pants and wash them. Then, the clothes will be covered in lint. There's no need to rewash the load, just put a fabric softener sheet in the dryer and tumble for a while.
Problems with Fabric Dryer SheetsHe changed the sensor in the dryer and told us those "dryer sheets" had coated it, causing a false signal that turned off the dryer. He told us to stop using them. Now we only use liquid with our wash and no more trouble.
Diluting Laundry DetergentI've tried cheaper detergents and homemade laundry detergent but I always go back to Tide Coldwater. I love the smell it leaves my clothes. I've discovered that if I diluted the Tide by 50% water, my clothes are just as clean and smell just as good.
Wash Laundry Detergent CapI hate having streaks of detergent running down my detergent bottles. It will then drip onto my dryer. After it dries, I have to scrub to get it off.
Towel To Speed Dryer TimeWhen putting clothes into the dryer, add one large clean dry towel. This will absorb the wetness and your whole load will dry twenty minutes sooner.
Teaching Kids to Care for Their ClothesWhen my kids were younger, each had plastic hangers, a laundry hamper and clothes basket in their favorite color. They knew what laundry was theirs and were responsible for putting it up, just by the color of the hanger and basket.
Prepare Ivory Soap in the MicrowaveIf you use Ivory soap for your homemade laundry detergent, put your bar in the microwave and turn on high until it blows up into a "mountain". Stop the microwave, let cool, then push down the mountain into a hill of soap flakes.
Use Gap as Hanger HelperIf you have a dowel, piece of PVC pipe or like me, a butter knife you can hang up to 5 or 6 shirts or pants between the washer and dryer. I recently found this was so much handier than hanging up clothes on door knobs and the backs of chairs.
Vinegar for LaundryAdd a half cup of white vinegar to your wash. It is better than buying Oxiclean type products and better for your machine!
Use Half Recommended DetergentLaundry detergent may help remove stains and scent your clothes, but it's not the main reason they get clean. Most of the cleaning is done by your washer's agitator and by the clothes rubbing against each other, which loosens dirt.
Use Towels to Dry Clothes FasterI saw my husband using this trick over the weekend when our dryer broke and we had to go to a laundromat. To absorb excess moisture from clothes and reduce drying time, place a dry towel or two in the dryer along with your wet clothes.
Save Money on Dryer Sheets and Laundry SoapA full size dryer sheet is not necessary. I cut mine in thirds and it works fine. !00 sheets become 300.
Place Overalls Inside PillowcaseIf drying overalls is chipping the inside of your dryer, put the overalls in a pillow case and safety pin it shut. This should cushion the metal fitting enough to protect the paint. As long as you take them out of the pillow case right away, they will be ready to wear. Hope this helps.
Freshen Clothing on ClotheslineThis is a tip if you have a garment which isn't soiled or sweaty but has been worn, and which you want to freshen. Just hang it on the clothes line in light rain, and simply leave it there until dry.
Getting WD40 out of a DressThe only way I could remove this stain was to drench the whole dress in Sard Wonder Soap Oxy Action liquid spray so that it would not leave a spray area mark.
Removing Tissue Lint from Washed ClothesIf you open the washing machine and find tissue lint all over your clothes, there's no reason to rewash the load. Put a dryer sheet, like Bounce, in the dryer and tumble the load. Most of the tissue will wind up in the lint trap.
Removing Tar and Grease from ClothingFor removing tar and grease from clothing, I first use some WD-40 and work it into the spot until it starts to break down. Then I use some cream-type hand cleaner and rub that into the remaining spot.
Hang Dry Sheets and Curtains IndoorsYou will need extra shower-curtain tension rod. Put them up in tub area as high as you need for the length of the sheets or curtains.
Tear Dryer Sheets for More UsesI like to use dryer sheets, but they're a bit pricey for my tastes. So for some reason, one time I tried to tear one in half. It was quite easy to tear. Now I tear mine in thirds.
Make Expensive Laundry Last LongerIn my home, we do at least two loads a day so it would get pretty expensive if I didn't do this simple trick.
Using Hangers in Windy WeatherWhen line drying, it's often convenient to use clothes hangers. If the weather is windy, the hangers can easily get knocked off by wind.
Homemade Fabric SoftenerI was using the commercial liquid softener or dryer sheets and decided I wanted something more ecologically friendly. So I researched what would work in the dryer.
Goop as Laundry Stain RemoverI bought a hand cleaner found at Walmart in the automotive section called Goop. I decided to try it on a stain one day, on my child's clothes, and it worked.
Leaving Clothespins on Laundry LineOne day, I forgot to bring the clothespin bag out with me when taking the clothes down from the line, so I just put the pin back on the line. The next load that went up, was soooo much easier to hang out - took less than half the time.
Save Electricity When Drying ClothesAdd a large clean dry towel to your dryer of wet clothes. the dry towel will heat up faster and help dry the other fabrics sooner.
Drawstring Bag for Washing BrasOver the years I have had several bras get ruined in the washer with the hooks getting stuck on the holes to the washer and dryer. I purchased sheets that came in a draw string bag that really had no use after the sheets were taken out.
Stretch your Laundry SoapWhen I have really small loads of laundry, I like to cut the soap sheets in half. If I have a really dirty bunch of jeans, etc., I like to use one and a half or add a half sheet to my liquid soap.
Recycled Zebra ClothespinIf you cut a circle out of a butter container lid, and then cut a 'U' shape inside of it, it will act like a temporary clothespin.
Plastic Party Slinky for ClothespinsI was out putting our kitchen towels on the line to either refresh them or dry them, and I noticed I had a party slinky on the basket by the line. So it occurred to me that those could hold my little kitchen towels.
Use a Wet Cloth for Professional Ironing ResultsWhen ironing fabric that is especially wrinkled, wet a cloth, wring it out, and rub it along the fabric as you iron. This method adds a little moisture without making it too wet and works much better than even a steam iron.
Binder Clips For Spraying Wrinkled ClothesI use metal binder clips or clothes pins to add weight by clipping them on the bottom hem before hanging and spraying. How you place them depends on the garment but I use it on linen mostly.
Vinegar for Fresh Smelling LaundryMy husband is a runner and his clothes get really smelly. They were making all the laundry have an odor. I finally started adding one cup of household white vinegar to each load of clothes.
Use Salad Spinner to Dry a SweaterIf you have a sweater or a piece of clothing you have to hand wash, it can take forever to dry. Try putting it into your salad spinner, and it will remove a lot of excess water, and dry faster.
Prevent Bleach from "Eating" Your FabricIf you need to use bleach on your fabric, make certain to rinse with white vinegar in the water. This keeps the bleach from continuing to work after it has been 'rinsed' out with plain water.
Hang Dry Laundry InsideIn the winter, I hang my laundry inside on hangers. The water from the clothes adds moisture in the house making the dry heat more tolerable on the mucus membranes and makes the house feel warmer.
Store Dirty Socks in a Mesh BagsGive each family member their own mesh bag for them to keep in their rooms to place their dirty socks in. They go in the washer and dryer in the mesh bag. After laundering, each bag goes into their stack of clean clothes.
Use Less DetergentIt's common knowledge to save on water by adjusting the water level of the laundry load. They say to wait until a full wash load is dirty before washing to also save on hydro.
Dry Towel in Dryer with Wet ClothesYou can save your clothes wear and tear from the dryer and save electricity on your electric bill by putting a dry large towel in with clothes when you go to dry them. The towel cuts time down in the dryer and makes them fluffier.
Safety Pin to Eliminate Static ClingThe natural way to fix static cling is to pin a small safety pin to the seam of the slip you are wearing. It acts like a grounding device. It eliminates the static cling in your dress.
How To Hang A JumperHanging your jerseys and jumpers on a coat hanger can cause them to stretch or put 'dents' in the shoulders.
Eliminate Wrinkles EasilyWe all have tossed away "fabric softener" sheets; but if you have clothing coming out of the dryer wrinkled or have clothing that is wrinkled coming off of a hanger...
Liquid Starch as Wrinkle ReleaserAdd about 10 oz. liquid starch to a large spray bottle, then fill with water. It works best on damp clothing and/or on the clothesline. Spray clothing and let dry, or smooth or pull if badly wrinkled.
Whiter WhitesWhites will be whiter if you soak them in hot water for 10 minutes along with a few lemon slices.
No More Messy Laundry CapsWhen you use the laundry cap from the big shelf bottles and the cap has to be rinsed, don't bother. Fill the cap as needed, when done slide the cap forward so it scrapes the dispenser of any dripping.
Hang Dry Clothes Inside During Winter MonthsI occasionally hang my clothes to dry inside during winter months to counteract the lack of humidity from using electric heat.
Success Removing Crayon On ClothingI searched this thread and found this to be the most common successful formula for removing crayon from clothes after going through the washer/dryer, so thought I'd try it.
Natural Way to Keep Colors from FadingTo keep colors from fading, an inexpensive and safe tip is to add 1 cup of vinegar to your wash. It also softens your clothes so I don't have to use dryer sheets.
Murphy's Oil Soap and Sunscreen For Dry Erase Marker StainI am an older man and disabled so I do the home work while my lovely wife teaches school. She came home with a major dry erase mark on her new pink blouse from Costco.
Cleaning Stinky Facecloths and TowelsMy facecloths were getting to the point of making me want to vomit from the smell they gave off once wet. I found that lots of people are having this problem. I noticed that it was worse if they were not left for enough time in the dryer!
Tin Foil Ball Instead of Dryer SheetsNo need for those expensive tumble dryer sheets, just use a ball of tin foil. It works just the same but without the chemicals. If you want fragrance, a few drops of your favorite perfume or essence on a flannel will make your clothes smell wonderful.
DIY Colour CatchersColour catchers catch loose dyes in your wash water and prevent dyes from running or bleeding into each other. You can wash lights and darks together to save time and money by reducing the need for half size loads.
Sharing Laundry Facilities With OthersI share a washer/dryer with 4 other families. Since I love where I live, I had to learn several tips to make life easier as well as more affordable. Some you can use in your house saving money, life of the clothing and saving time.
Use a Flat Iron for Clothes when TravelingMy sister and I were away and she had a meeting to go to. Her shirt was quite wrinkled. After hanging it in a steam filled bathroom she used her hair straightener to touch it up. It worked good in a pinch.
Mark Clothing That Shouldn't Be DriedUse dry erase marker on the washer for clothes that are inside that shouldn't be dried! Genius, especially if there are many people in your household!
Chain Clothes Drying LineI use lengths of painted, rustproof chain instead of cotton or nylon cord on my clothesline poles. Then I hang the clothing on hangers and put on the line. When they're dry, all I have to do is hang them in the closet! Towels can be hung the usual way, with clips.
Use Baby Powder to Stop StainsWhen ironing a white shirt, sprinkle baby powder under the arms before ironing. This will keep sweat from seeping through the shirt, and avoid stains.
Using Tennis Balls in the DryerI use tennis balls in the dryer to help fluff clothes. They also cut down the drying time. In the preschool classrooms, they are helpful on the bottom of chair legs to alleviate the noise when moving.
Natural Lemon Juice To Clean WhitesI do not like to use bleach very often because of it's strong odour. A friend told me to use 1/2 cup of lemon juice to brighten your whites. I tried it and it works great.
More Efficient Wash DayMost people use too much soap thinking that more must be better. Read the instructions on the bottle and carefully measure so you don't use more than you need to.
