Ways to Cut Laundry Costs

Whether you own your own washer and dryer or make trips to the laundromat with a bag of clothes and a handful of coins, washing laundry can add up over time. Follow these seven easy ways to cut costs while doing laundry and save yourself loads of money — no pun intended!

Hang ‘em up. Not even a top-of-the-line dryer can beat fresh air and sunshine when it comes to drying your clothes. One of the easiest ways to cut costs when doing laundry is to hang dry your clothes. A clothesline outside is great for warm months, but try a drying rack for colder days so you can dry your clothes conveniently inside.

DIY detergent. Making your own detergent will not only help you save money, but it can be environmentally friendly, too! There’s plenty of resources available online for DIY laundry detergent recipes to try — be sure to check your cupboards to see if you already have some of the ingredients before heading to the store. You could save around 20 cents per load simply by making your own laundry detergent.

Less is more. Sure, the bottle tells you to use a capful, but cutting down to 3/4ths or even half can get your clothes clean.

Keep it cold. Hot water has to be heated, which means you’re paying for that luxury. But wash most, if not all, of your clothes in cold water. If you’ve got super dirty clothes after that fun game of touch football or impromptu tug-o-war match, by all means splurge for the hot water, just to make sure everything’s clean.

Shake ‘em out. It’s easy to quickly dump everything from the washer straight into the dryer, but if you take the time to shake out your clothes, you increase their surface area and allow the warm air to dry them faster. It’s eco-friendly, too, since it reduces the amount of energy used when your dryer is running.

Remove dryer lint. Laundry 101 instructs you to remove dryer lint from the vent every single time. Here’s why: when you let the lint build up, it blocks the warm air flow around the clothes, which means it’ll take longer to dry your stuff, which can add to your energy bills. Get in the habit of removing dryer lint every time and you’ll notice your clothes drying quicker and your piggy bank staying fuller.

Use vinegar for softener (we’re serious!). From polishing spoons to treating bee stings, vinegar is the “Swiss Army knife” of kitchen products. You can even use it as a fabric softener. Just add 3/4 cups of vinegar to your final rinse cycle and your clothes will come out soft. Bonus tip: vinegar helps remove odors from the clothes and the washing machine, too!

Over time, these smart, cost-effective methods add to your savings for trips and other things that are most important to you. That makes it totally worth the effort!