10 Laundry Hacks To Save You Time and Money

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Some people enjoy laundry. We know this to be true. You’re probably not one of them, because most of us all got together and agreed that we hate it. Whether you’re stuck going to a laundromat or you’re lucky enough to have a machine in your own home, it’s a task that can really suck the joy out of your day.

Good thing there are ways around the worst parts of it, and this Reddit thread generated a lot of strategies and tactics. Take a look at these 10 laundry hacks, all designed to save you time and money.

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by u/kukukele from discussion Whats the best life hacks for cheap/efficient laundry
in lifehacks

Use Less Detergent

A whole bunch of users came right out of the gate with this one. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the company you’re buying laundry detergent from wants you to buy more laundry detergent — the “recommended” dose is probably more than necessary. Use a little less in each pour, or consider tossing one less capsule in there.

Better Yet, Make Your Own

You probably don’t even need to buy any detergent in the first place, to be honest. There are a ton of online recipes that can be far more cost effective than buying a new container of Tide all the time.

Ditch Fabric Softener

This showed up all over the thread. Many Redditors claim that fabric softener at best does nothing, and at worst does actual damage to your clothes. Take it off your grocery list.

Air-Dry When You Can

Heated drying can be a huge menace on your electric bill, so if you’ve got the option to air-dry your clothes, think of it as sticking money back in your pocket. Got a big backyard? Maybe it’s time to bring back the clothing line.

Rethink Dryer Sheets

You can probably get rid of dryer sheets entirely, but if you’re addicted to the mild amount of extra softness you get from them, consider dryer balls. These are obviously more expensive, but they’re reusable — some even claim to offer up to 1,000 loads worth of use.

Outsource It to Your Parents

Remember this old chestnut? If you’re privileged enough to be a short drive away from your parents and their working laundry machines, you can skip the horrible laundromat altogether.

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by u/super_suz_aus from discussion Whats the best life hacks for cheap/efficient laundry
in lifehacks

Wash on Cold and Inside Out

This one’s more of an efficiency hack. Turning your clothes inside out and washing them on cold will help preserve their quality and design.

Hang Up and Button Collared Shirts Immediately

Many users cite that to help with collar crispness, you should button up your collared shirts and stick them on the hangers as soon as you take them out of the dryer.

Is Separating Colors Even a Thing Anymore?

I obviously cannot speak for your personal washing machine, but I have to tell you, I haven’t separated my clothes by color in at least 10 years. I’ve never had an issue. Save yourself some time, if you can. Something tells me machines have adapted by now.