Tips for Using Less Laundry Detergentby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 25 Mar 2009 07:03 AM
Let's start with using less detergent. You have heard me say it before. You can cut back on the amount of laundry detergent you use but still get the clothes nice and clean. While this is true, there are some tips and techniques that improve your results when cutting down on your detergent. Skip the cheap detergent, because you may wind up washing your clothes more than once to get them clean, or having to replace them when they get stubborn stains. Instead choose a good detergent but then just use less of it. My favorite detergent is powdered TIde, and while it can be expensive, I find that using just one-third of the recommended amount in the washing machine still gets the job done. Look for sales and collect your coupons. Buy your Tide in bulk. Start by filling the washer with water. When you have a few inches of water in the washer, add the detergent, and wait for the water to continuing filling at least half way. You can use cold even when your detergent doesn't specifically say cold on it. The important thing to to make sure that powdered detergent dissolves before you add any clothes. Don't overfill the washer. There is a balance here between making the most of your washer's capacity and leaving enough room for the agitation in the washing machine to work. The agitation is the main thing that gets your clothes clean, so make sure it can whisk those clothes around. Presoak the laundry. If your washer has an auto-soak feature use it. Soaking the clothing for a few minutes before the agitation starts can help loosen up any soil. If your washer doesn't have this feature, simply stop it after it has filled and wait 15 minutes before restarting the machine. Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. Starting June 1st, don't miss her articles in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here. Related Articles: Frugal Laundry: Make Your Own "Detergent" Dry Your Clothes Twice as Fast Alternatives to Hanging Laundry Outside Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments StBridgit (322) 25 Mar 2009 09:07 PMI use plain white vinegar as my softener/rinse aid. It's cheap and it doesn't leave any odor--a plus if you're sensitive to scents. I also use Fels Naptha soap as a stain remover. I've found it works better than more expensive stain treatments and it even works on things like grass stains that I've accidentally dried in the dryer.  Mary Ann Romans |
Frugal categories |
