If you want to reduce your laundry costs, you need to get into better weekly habits. We all have to do laundry, but it doesn’t have to cost a small fortune to have clean clothes. Doing laundry is more expensive than most people realize. We do laundry so frequently, that even small savings per load could end up saving you a lot of money.
But there are many simple things you can do to cut the cost of doing laundry. Plus, when you have a large family, it adds up to even bigger savings.
Tips on how to reduce your laundry costs
- Separate lights from darks. Sorting clothes by color is an important first step when doing laundry. Separating whites, lights, and darks can prevent color transfer and keep your clothes looking new for longer.
- Sort clothing by fabric type. Delicate fabrics require gentle washing or hand washing. While heavy fabrics like jeans can withstand a heavier wash cycle.
- Don’t overload the washer. You may think that packing your washer will save you money, but it will result in a not-so-clean wash. Additionally, you can ruin your clothes, so it’s just not a good idea.
- Air-dry your clothes. Do you have the space to air-dry your clothes or hang them on the clothesline outside? The heat and tumbling in the dryer can damage and wear out clothes sooner. While air drying will save money on your electric or gas bill while helping clothes will last longer.
- Dry clothes with a large, dry towel. By throwing a large, dry towel into the dryer with wet items, you can cut down on drying time and save energy costs as well.
- Wash in cold water. While hot water works a little better, it costs more energy to use hot water. So, why not save some money by choosing to go with cold water.
- Create your own laundry products. There are many online “recipes” for making your own detergent, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets that can be a fraction of the cost of grocery store laundry products and work just as well.
- Use less detergent to reduce your laundry costs. Many people don’t realize that you don’t have to pour a lot of detergent into a load of laundry. Using too much soap is another way clothing can wear out faster. Also, with the cost of name-brand detergent, it pays to use less of it.
- Wash full loads to reduce laundry costs. The electricity used to fill, agitate, and drain the washer is basically the same, whether it’s a full or partial load. The same goes for drying, so do full loads to save both time and money.
- Make the most of dryer sheets. If you use dryer sheets, using half a sheet in the dryer is plenty, especially if you’ve already used fabric softener with the wash. You can also put the used dryer sheet away in the drawer with folded clothing to continue to keep clothes smelling fresher longer.
- Clean the dryer trap and exhaust hose regularly. Excess lint in these areas will trap moisture in the dryer and make your clothes take longer to dry. The sooner the dryer shuts off, the less money it costs you.
- Reduce your laundry costs by washing towels less often. Give everyone in your household their own quick-dry bath towel that they can use more than once before throwing it in the wash. This will cut down on dirty laundry as well as save water and costs.
- Purchase energy-efficient appliances. Washers and dryers differ by brand. There are washers that will handle larger loads and use less water, and there are dryers that use much less energy. Sometimes these high-efficiency units cost more upfront, but the savings are worth it.
- Save on fabric softener. Fabric softener is a must for keeping your laundry soft and wrinkle-free. Plus it can also extend the life of your clothes. But you can also save money by making your own homemade fabric softener.
- Use off-peak energy to reduce laundry costs. Some utility companies offer lower electricity rates during off-peak hours. By doing your laundry during these hours, you can save money on your energy bill, so it’s worth looking into.
- Try reusable dryer balls. Using reusable dryer balls is a simple way to reduce the amount of energy you use when doing laundry. These balls help to separate your clothes in the dryer, allowing hot air to circulate more easily and reducing drying time.
Tips for separating colors and fabric types
Color Separation
- Use a separate laundry basket for each color group.
- Sort clothes before washing to avoid accidentally mixing colors.
- Wash whites and lights in hot water to remove stains and bacteria.
- Wash darks in cold water to preserve the color.
Fabric Type Sorting
- Use a separate laundry basket for delicate fabrics.
- Sort clothes by fabric type before washing.
- Wash delicate fabrics on a gentle cycle with cold water.
- Wash sturdy fabrics on a regular cycle with warm water.
Washing clothes is a chore that needs to get done every week, which is why it’s so important to cut costs wherever possible. But when you think about the yearly savings, it makes sense to get into these habits to reduce your laundry costs.
By using a few money-saving strategies, you can significantly reduce laundry expenses without sacrificing cleanliness.