Nobody really likes doing the laundry – but it’s one of those things you can only put off so long. To help you get your laundry done more efficiently and perhaps less expensively, why not look into some laundry hacks? You may not have thought doing the laundry was something you could hack, but trust us, you can. And we think it’ll make your life at least a little easier.
1 – Tired of spending money on dryer sheets? Try this hack
A simple ball of aluminum foil can replace your dryer sheets for as long as six months. Instead of buying box after box of sheets, just create a ball of foil and leave it in your dryer, allowing it to work its magic (and help you save some money!).
2 – Easily avoid pesky ink stains
We’ve all had a favorite shirt that gets stained with ink during the work day. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to get it out. If you have hairspray at home, simply use it to soak the stain and then give it about ten minutes to sit before washing it. After it comes out of the wash, your ink stain should be taken care of.
3 – You can take care of grease stains, too
You can also easily get grease stains out of your clothes. Chances are, you’ve got at least one piece of chalk lying around. Try rubbing a piece of chalk over any bothersome grease stains before you throw them in the washing machine to get stains out of your favorite clothes.
4 – Leave your socks in a mesh bag when they go through the wash
Instead of losing one sock out of every pair, use a mesh bag for each family member’s socks. Leave them in the bag as they go through the washer and dryer. They’ll all get clean while staying together!
5 – Vinegar vs. fabric softener
Some people don’t like to use fabric softeners. If you’re one of them, try out white vinegar instead. A gallon of vinegar will last you a long time, considering that you only have to use about two tablespoons per load of laundry. That makes vinegar a less expensive and more natural choice than fabric softeners.
Add essential oils for a nice scent
If you’d like to add a slight scent to your homemade fabric softener, you can just mix some essential oils that you like with the vinegar. This should give your clothes a modest fragrance that you’ll be able to enjoy.
6 – Keep your white clothes looking brilliant
White clothing has a tendency to become dingy after awhile. Fortunately, there are ways to stop that from happening and keep your white clothes looking bright. One simple way to do this is to slice some lemons and boil them in a pot of water. Next, you’ll place your clothes in the pot (just remember to turn off the heat first). The clothes should sit for an hour before you put them in the washing machine.
7 – Put directions on your appliances
Sometimes, it’s hard to remember how to treat different pieces of clothing while doing the laundry. A great way to combat this is by putting directions on your washer and dryer using dry erase markers. Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself ruining a load of clothes again!
Keep in mind what will or won’t go in the dryer
A good thing to put on your dry erase list is a list of what will or won’t go in the dryer. This should help you avoid shrinking the items that don’t belong in there.
8 – You can unshrink items as well
Even if you do shrink your clothes, it’s not your last chance to wear them again! You’ll only need about a tablespoon of baby shampoo or conditioner in a sink of warm (not hot) water. Let the clothing soak in the sink for around ten minutes. Once you’ve taken it out, you’ll need to make sure it’s free of all excess water. (You can do this by rolling it up in a towel, if squeezing it out isn’t enough). Finally, stretch the article out and lay it down flat to dry This should bring it back to its original size.
9 – When you don’t have time to iron
We all have days when we just don’t have time to iron. If you own a flat iron, however, you can still get those annoying wrinkles out of your clothes. Everyone knows what it’s like to spot-clean an outfit. And using a flat iron (the kind you might use on your hair) to hit the worst parts of a wrinkled work blouse or shirt is a similar strategy.
Choose your favorite hacks and dive in
Our hope is that some of these laundry hacks will be useful to you. You may not use all of them, but perhaps one or two of these will rescue your laundry experience. You never know when a nifty hack will be your best option! Plus, simple tricks like using a flatiron will come in handy at the last minute, especially on a day when you’re out of time to get out the door. And for busy laundry days, be sure check out these snack options to fuel your work, from sorting to folding.
About EZ Homes Design Team
