There are a few things you can do to cut costs in the laundry/clothing care department.
First of all you can evaluate whether you are washing things too frequently. The less laundry you do the less water, energy, detergent, softener and time you use. Do you wash your clothing everytime you wear it? Personally, other than socks and underclothes, I take a look at each piece of clothing when I take it off at night (or sometimes the next morning) to see if it actually got dirty during the day. Most of the time all that sweaters, slacks/jeans etc need is to be aired out before being put back in the closet or dresser. I keep hangers on the knobs of our high dresser and anything that is going to be used again for another day I hang up overnight to “air out”. The additional benefit to this is that it prevents garments from becoming a wrinkled mess from sitting in a pile on the floor (which was my prefered method of clothing storage back in my highschool and college days).
Are you taking prompt care of the clothes that you have? A habit I developed when the kids were just babies was to keep a stain stick right in the laundry basket (something that has fallen by the wayside since they got mobile-toddlers + stain stick=mess) then I could treat stains as soon as I took the clothes off of the kids-most everything washed right out as long as it was treated promptly. (a side note-I am a mean mommy who does not allow my kids to drink anything dyed purple or red-those colors NEVER come out)
Also a few years back I started keeping a small sewing kit on top of my fridge. It is a kids zippered pencil case I picked up for pennies at the thrift store. Inside are 3 spools of thread (white, black and white button thread) a seam ripper, a small pair of scissors, a few safety pins, a thimble and a piece of cardboard with three threaded needles pushed through it. Now when I fold laundry (in my den) and I notice a loose button or a seam that is starting to rip, I just set the garmet aside and that night watching TV I make the repairs. It is amazing how much more likely I am to fix things when I have all the equipment right on hand instead of having to dig it out of my craft/sewing area.
Do you use a clothes line? Not using the dryer in the summer can be a big saver in electricity. This house is the first we’ve had with a clothes line, and I hung out most of the clothes all summer. Two extra benefits are that it smells wonderful, and the sun naturally bleaches out a lot of stains. If you feel that towels and jeans are too stiff when dried outside, you can always throw them in the dryer for just a few minutes to “fluff” them. I have read of folks who hang all their stuff inside on drying racks during the winter, but haven’t gone that far myself.
Speaking of the dryer-you don’t have to buy dryer sheets. I bought a huge bottle of the cheapest fabric softener I could find about 2 years ago (less than $2 for the bottle) I bought some sponges from the dollar store (4 per pkg) and cut two of them up into 8 pieces each. I soak the pieces of sponge in a mixture of about 1 part softener to 8 parts water. When I throw my laundry in the dryer I squeeze out a sponge until it is just damp and throw it in with the laundry. When I fold the laundry I take the dry sponge and throw it back in the mixture. I’ve read that some folks like to put their mix in a spray bottle and either spray it on a washcloth and throw it in, or else just spray it onto the laundry.
Are you using too much detergent? Have you actually read the box to see how much you are supposed to use for each load? A lot of times the scoops they give you are larger than what you need for a load of laundry. The manufacturer wants you to use up the detergent faster and come back to buy more. You can experiment with using less detergent until you find the smallest amount you need to still make a load clean. Then take a permenant marker and mark your scoop. Personally I don’t use this tip, because for the last 2 years I have been making my own detergent.
Now I know making your own detergent sounds extreme and difficult, but it really isn’t. I make the powdered type. There are only 3 ingredients.
1 Cup Grated Soap *
1/2 Cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)
1/2 Cup Borax
Mix together and use 1 Tablespoon per load, 2 Tablespoons if it is a really soilded load.
*I chop mine up into chunks w/ a knife and throw it in the food processor. Then I put it in a roasting pan on the top of the entertainment center for a day or two to dry out again, then into the food processor again to make a very fine powder. Actually the powder is so fine that I put a damp kitchen towel over the food processor while blending, and let it settle for a minute or so before opening so I don’t breathe in soap powder. This extra is just personal preference, and not necessary-many folks just use it grated up and mix the powder well before measuring out each load.
This laundry soap really works well, and YES-you only need a tablespoon. I use it right in cold water and have never had a problem with it dissolving. An added benefit-you avoid a lot of the dyes/perfumes etc that cause people with allergies problems. Isn’t it nice to know exactly what is going into the product you are using?
I usually use “Zote” (a mexican laundry soap) for the soap-available for less than a dollar a bar at the Dollar General stores. I have also used Ivory, and have heard of people using all sorts of soap, to include those little bars you get for free from hotels 🙂 Many recipes specify Fels Naptha, but I haven’t ever found it for sale locally. Borax is available in most grocery stores for about $5 a box. (maybe cheaper!) Washing Soda is made by Arm & Hammer and sometimes difficult to find. I will let you all know where to find it in the Binghamton/Norwich area. I moved here in March, have made every batch of laundry soap I have used since, and only just finished up the box of washing soda that I purchased 6 months before my move for about $2.50.
A pkg of Tide is $9.47 for 22 loads on Drugstore.com. That is about $.43 a load.
So for the math for a load of laundry with homemade detergent (rounding down):
Borax is $5 for 76 oz, at 16 oz a cup, for 1/2 C:
$5 / (76/(16*2))= $.55 per one half cup portion
Washing Soda is $2.50 for 55 oz, at 16 oz a cup, for 1/2 C:
$2.50 (55/(16*2))= $.36 per one half cup portion
Zote Soap is $1 a bar
So that is $1.91 for a batch of laundry soap that is approx 2 cups (or 32 TBS). Lets assume that all of your loads are very soiled and require 2TBS each (or 16 loads from that batch). That ends up at about $.12 a load compared to the $.43 for the Tide.
There are also versions of this recipe available to make liquid laundry soap-which apparently comes out more like a gel. Personally I think powdered is less messy and takes up less room, but if you are interested in the liquid you can find a recipe HERE.
That’s it for Laundry/Clothing Care. Hope this has given you some good ideas.
thanks for the great tip about using one of those zipper pencil cases for a sewing kit.i have several of those i didnt have a use for, and a really inconvenient basket for my small sewing kit–now ive solved two problems at once!great blog–keep blogging,because there arent too many good ones out there!
These are great tips!! I’m going to try this.
I suspect that you can find washing soda at Wegman’s–I know I’ve bought it there before in the Buffalo area. I’ve also bought Fels Naptha there. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a bar in the laundry room now that I haven’t ever used. Now I can’t wait to turn it into detergent! 🙂
This is a great post! I totally want to make laundry soap now!
Comparing the price of homemade soap to Tide doesn’t tell the whole story. I spend alot less than you do on laundry soap by shopping loss leaders and buying generics. 100oz of liquid laundry soap can be had for $2-3. The MFR’s claim 30 loads per bottle, but I get 40(about 3-6 TBs per load). Since I pay .05-.08 per load, homemade would cost me money to make plus the hourly ‘wage’ I’d have to pay myself for my time. I do,however,agree with the concept (Tightwad Gazette goes into it in detail).
Being frugal is always dependent on individual circumstances. It only takes me about 10 min to make a double batch of soap using my food processor now (I’ve had more practice and found that with Fels Naptha I don’t have to let it dry to get it ground to a fine powder) so to me the time and effort are negligible. But then again I obviously don’t get the liquid stuff on sale at the same great prices you do. All I ask is that folks think about their choices and do what makes sense for them.
Great tips. I’ll have to try out the fabric softener tips; I don’t like to wear clothes that were dried without a dryer sheet. Thanks!
Jana-glad you found me, and glad that the tips will work for you. 🙂
Great information! I saw that Zote Soap at Dollar General, and I’ve been meaning to look it up. I was wondering how it was used.
I’ve never looked for washing soda in a store, but I use sodium carbonate for dyeing. You can get it in the pool section of stores. It’s pure sodium carbonate this way – no dyes or added ingredients. I usually pay from US$4-6 for 5 pounds, depending on the time of year. It’s used to raise the pH in pools. Watch out though, there is also sodium bicabonate sold in the pool section, so double check the ingredients to make sure you’re getting the right product.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate
Thanks for spreading the word. Saving money is awesome and bonus the environment benefits too!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for the tips on fabric softner and laundry detergent. I am highly allergic to dryer sheets (they give me asthma like symptoms) and have to use the no dyes/perfumes/etc laundry detergent. I have stuck with Cheer free and clear because I know it works but I am going to try making some of my own detergent instead. And now I don’t have to put fabric softner into the wash (it requires so much more) but I can just make my own “dryer sheets” and put them in the dryer. Thanks again!
Kristen-I’m so glad you found this helpful! Also, don’t forget that vinegar is a natural laundry softener that can be added in the washer too. If you buy the cheap white vinegar at a place like Aldi’s it can be very cost effective.
For those folks having a difficult time finding washing soda, you can usually get it at paint stores under the name of TSP substitute. It’s sodium carbonate, the same indgredient in Arm & Hammer washing soda, and it works fine. 🙂
Very helpful, thanks. I’ve been looking for a “recipe” for dry laundry detergent. A quick note though, check out http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_bakingsoda.asp
It explains the difference between baking and washing soda. You can use either one.
I’ve been using the same recipe for past few months. It works pretty well. I use vinegar as fabric softener. 1/2 cup in the dispenser. Then I put Lavendar sachet in the dryer if I am using dryer.
I live in Nebraska where the water is H*A*R*D! My mom learned this tip: regular baking soda is cheap, and she adds 1/2 cup to a load of laundry and only needs 1/4 cup of the actual laundry soap (I haven’t told her about this recipe yet!) and the clothes come out cleaner, nicer, and softener as the baking soda acts as a temporary water softener.
I was so excited to see this post. I have been searcing for a powder recipe for the exact reasons you mentioned. Thanks! It’s also nice to see another tightwad blogger. I do one for my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. Thanks for the inspiration!
I prefer the homemade laundry detergent for 2 reasons: If you use the Fels Naptha soap (I ordered my last online), it smells WONDERFUL! And, it doesn’t leave the residue in the gasket of the front loaders. I rarely find bargains on regular laundry detergent, either, even with coupons and off-brands. And it really doesn’t take that long to make.
Do you use your regular kitchen equipment to prepare the detergent (i.e., is it tough to clean your food processor after)?
Does the vinegar leave a vinegar smell after using it in the wash for softener?
Thanks so much, everyone, for these tips! I buy (that will be past tense after making my first batch!) the free and clear detergent and pay at least a $100/year just for myself!
Lena, the vinegar does not leave a smell at all. And I’ve always grated my soap by hand, but plan to use my food processor today. I can’t imagine that it would be a problem to clean up. I’ll let you know!
You can save on laundry by changing out of your “public” clothes once you get home. If I take off what I wear to work and put on sweats (wearing the same set all week), I don’t get my clothes dirty doing stuff the rest of the day.
It’s easy to get more dirt on your clothes *after* work than it is during! There’s less wear and tear too.
You could also hand wash/rinse your undies in the shower… I especially like doing this with bras as they don’t tend to get as dirty and then you’re not wearing out the underwire by running them through the washer and dryer.
I’ve been using this laundry soap recipe for several months (for my family of 7) and found it works great but have a couple of suggestions. When I used the Fels Naptha the boys complained that it smelled like urinal cakes and when we scooped it to put in the washer it was very powdery. We called it laundry lung: you couldn’t help but cough. I’ve since changed to Ivory bar soap and finds it keeps the “dust” down and the clothes smell better. This winter we’ve given up the use of our dryer (except for towels) and have been hang dying everything in our basement. We use plastic hangers for all the shirts which get hung from the steel beam that holds up our house, in our storage room. Pants are hung on a garment rack from the pinchy style hangers. Socks and underwear are dried (in pairs) on the sides of an unused crib that are standing on ends. The clothes take about 10-12 hours to dry or overnight. What we thought would be a hassle has been very satisfying as we know we are saving on both ends.
Thanks for sharing! I personally don’t mind the smell of Fels Naptha, but to each their own.
I’m very impressed by your hanging things up to dry inside in the winter-I keep meaning to try it, but haven’t 🙂
Lena-Wanda is right (thanks wanda!) the vinegar doesn't leave a smell, and I use my reg food processor and just wash it after-heck, it's soap right?
Mrs A-I really like having "work" & "play" clothes-keeps stuff nicer. I am also a big advocate of aprons for the same reason.
I have been using this homemade for about a year in cold water and it works great even on my hubbys dirty farm clothes! I do add 6 drops tree tea oil and 6 drops of any fragerence essisent oils you like. With the Fels Naptha soap, in the Mohak Valley in Upstate Ny we can get itat Hannfords and Walmart. Keep up the good work!
i really like the tip about the fabric softener. i have some liquid softener and a package of sponges. My next load of laundy i will try it out! thanks for the tips!
Hi,
Certainly awesome tip over here… keep up the good work. please to post more household laundry service tips.
I’ve read the recipes several times but never taken the plunge. Plus, I’d have to figure out where my food processor is!
I’m glad to hear it works so well. Maybe I’ll attempt it yet.
Thanks!
Connie
I have been making my soap for several months now however I prefer the liquid type. It takes me less than 15 minutes to make. One batch lasts my family of four (and sometime up to nine depending on which older children are visiting) at least 2 months. We do quite a bit of laundry because my husband is in tree work and his clothes are very soiled at the end of the day. You can find my post on the liquid version here: http://mid-lifemama.blogspot.com/2008/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html