Giveaway: Complete the Cycle
August 27, 2009 by Jenn @ Frugal Upstate
Filed under General Frugality, Sponsored
Laundry. It just never seems to be done, does it? I swear that by the time I’m done washing everything, folding it and putting it away, all the dirty baskets are full again!
I actually don’t mind cycling the laundry through the washer and dryer-or hanging it on the line when the weather permits. Actually-I find hanging laundry on the line to be quite zen-like, plus I fold it when I take it down so I’m that much farther ahead.
I absolutely detest folding laundry. Not really sure why! I frequently wind up with laundry baskets full of clean laundry that sit around for a week or so before I get around to folding it and putting it away. . . Hey, I’ve never tried to pretend I’m perfect.
Recently the folks over at Collective Bias asked for several bloggers to document their typical laundry routine from purchase to completion. I did mine using a Whrrl Story:
Remember, just click on that picture above, and then to view the full “Story” (like a slide show) all you have to do is click on “See the story”. No need to sign up! You only need to sign up for a free account if you want to make comments or create your own Whrrl Stories.
Well Collective Bias and their client, Clorox, used our input to come up with this free printable “Complete the Cycle” laundry guide. It covers how to use various additives and has a handy stain removal chart!
Most of you know, I make my own laundry detergent, and just use a stain stick, dishwasher detergent soak and maybe some bleach for most stain related needs.
It’s not that I’m adverse to store bought detergent, I just feel that I save so much by making my own.
Sometimes however I’m out and haven’t gotten around to making any detergent, I am sent a particular type to try or there is a stain I can’t get out. In those cases I don’t mind using a store product that works. For example, Buddy is joining soccer this fall and I have already admitted to myself that I may need a little bit more help getting the uniforms clean. . .
As part of the entire “Complete the Cycle” campaign, the folks at Clorox & Collective Bias sent me a very nice little laundry kit, and have given me FIVE kits to give away here on Frugal Upstate! Each kit includes:
* A laminated copy of the Complete the Cycle Laundry Regimen Guide
* 50 oz bottle of Gain Laundry Detergent
* 34 oz bottle of Downy Ultra
* 22 oz bottle of Clorox 2 Ultra
* A Clorox Bleach Pen
* Coupon for 1 Free bottle of Clorox Bleach
* A Flip Fold- Ultimate Folding Tool
* A laundry basket
So now on to the rules!
This giveaway will run from 8/27 until midnight EST 9/2.
To enter:
Leave a comment telling me your best laundry related tip. This can be organizational, time saving, clothing maintenance, or money saving.
Entered once but want additional entries? Leave me a comment for each of the additional entries.
1) Tweet/and or post to Facebook once a day about the contest linking back to this post and include the hashtag #completecycle
2) Subscribe to Frugal Upstate
3) Subscribe to the Frugal Coast2Coast (aka Joint Frugal Upstate & Being Frugal.net) Newsletter. The signup box is on the sidebar over at Frugal Coast2Coast.
Good Luck!
***This is a sponsored post***
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I love to do laundry and do it daily. I usually wash the dark stuff first then do the whites. The reason I do this is because I have an HE washer and find that it gets smelly when I don’t use bleach in it on a regular basis. I have seen the washer cleaners that are for sale in the stores, but find that the bleach routine works just as well and is cheaper!
Last year my hubby bought and installed the washer and dryer pedistals on my HE washer and companion dryer. It really made a big difference in being able easily see into the washer when loading and unloading clothes. Before the washer was so low and I could not see in very well unless I bent way over.
So 2 tips – Clorox (I love the scented kind so it does not smell so bleachy) and then get pedistals under your machines to raise them up (if you have the front load style).
This sounds so simple….. but it works for me.
Do your mending! This includes sewing buttons, repairing seams, etc. It is a wonderful way to stretch your clothing budget.
I personally find it very relaxing. I also love the fact that I’m keeping stuff out of the landfill.
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My best tip is to make sure you do laundry everyday to keep up with it. Also a scoop of Oxyclean in your wash will get rid of almost any stain.
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Actually, laundry is one of my favorite things to do around the house (maybe not the putting away though). I like to hang my clothes on the clothesline outside, but before I do, I put them in the dryer for 5 minutes. The wrinkles are then gone and I do not have to iron the clothes. I enjoyed your video on youtube making laundry detergent and hope to try making it myself very soon. You have a great blog as well!
Janel Tenerelli
ccd4thgrade@yahoo.com
What a fabulous giveaway, one I could definitely use with twins on the way and 2 other children to wash for.
My favorite laundry tip is to sort clothes by dirtiness. This helps me to use the right amount of detergent and proper temp of water to get clothes clean.
Example: Hubby’s work clothes (carharts and t-shirts often covered in dirt and grease) and some kids clothes need more detergent and warm water for good results. All of my work clothes, most kids’ clothes, and hubby’s underwear and socks only need a small amount of detergent and cold water is fine.
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Thanks for the offer. I keep a stain stick (one of those that looks like solid deodorant) by the hamper and pretreat small child’s clothes before they go in the hamper. Helps them come clean when I do the wash, sometimes days later.
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My fav trick is when you have icky musty smelling towels or other stinky things to add about 1/2 C baking soda to the wash, gets the stink right out. A great thing to have in the laundry room
Carm
I always turn my jeans and zippered clothing inside out so the zipper teeth don’t catch on other clothing (even when zipped, they are rough).
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Shampoo is a great stain fighter. And you can get a bottle for under a dollar at most places! Cheap, easy, and effective!
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My best laundry tip is to buy the large IKEA blue bags and use them as laundry baskets. They take up very little space in your laundry room and you can empty all the finished clothes from your dryer in them and easily take them to the right bedroom to put away. I know this sounds simple, but I hate the cumbersome large laundry tubs and much prefer the bags.
I have been sitting here trying to think about laundry hints. I don’t have many tips. I have my stain guide laminated, and I love to iron listening to a book on tape (this week, Alexander McCall Smith’s “Espresso Tales,” downloaded free from the library!!)
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My favorite laundry trick is that when you buy a new washing machine- buy HE or High Energy. It uses less soap and is more efficient in its run cycles – (or at least in the front-loader, it is.)
I use Peroxide to get any difficult stains out of my clothing i.e. blood. Also, I use vinegar as a cheap fabric softener. I find that using cold water cleans just as well as warm or hot AND if you wait till after 10 pm to do laundry (night owls unite! lol)you’d be using off-peak electricity which is cheaper!
Call your Mother and kindly ask her to do it for you.
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Here’s a tip. Have you ever heard of KISS – keep it simple stupid?
The principle by which most things work well is KISS.
In other words, if you ever hope to have your kids or your husband doing the laundry, just KISS.
This means, use the Purex Complete Sheets or the Bounce Dryer Bar or the Tide Stain Release Caplets. The less measuring, pouring, thinking, and learning it takes to do the laundry, the more chance they will do it and do it right.
I have made a laundry chart for our laundry room – it shows how to do whites, how to do colors, how to separate the colors so that darks go in a different load than brights. I think this is very helpful to kids when doing laundry. I also have purchased a couple of rolling laundry baskets. Now it is easy to go from room to room and pick up and drop off laundry.
Always have a little prize for kids too – mine is, any change you find in the pockets of clothes is your to keep!
In the end it works best for me not to let laundry build up. A days worth of laundry is more than 1 but not always 2 loads. They get separated light and dark and a half load will wait until the next day. And then there are extra loads for sheets which go into the washer in the morning and back on the same beds that afternoon. Over the years, that saves a lot of time trying to nicely fold fitted sheets. I try to spray stains or treat them directly w/detergent. We are beyond sports teams now so I’m not so vigilant on stain inspection.
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betty dennis
While it took me twice to get the info in there, realized that the dates are off. The blog has it starting on the 27th and your post is dated the 27th, but its only the 26th.