While laundry is much easier to do now than it was 100 years ago, the modern conveniences like a washer and dryer and commercial detergent can add up over time. If you have a large family or live in an apartment and have to use the Laundromat, you will see your costs increase even more. However, just a few easy changes to your routine can add up to significant savings over the course of a year. Make Your Own Laundry Detergent—This sounds more difficult than it is. If you are going for an easy recipe, try making your own powdered laundry detergent. A simple recipe is 2 cups finely grated soap (Fels Naptha or Ivory soap), 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup Borax. Mix together and use 2 tbsp. per laundry use; this makes enough for 64 loads. If you would like to make liquid laundry soap instead, it is a bit more work but still easy enough. The Duggars, parents of 19 children, certainly have experience with washing a lot of laundry, and I imagine they make their own laundry detergent. While the cooking process may be a bit messy, you don’t have to do it that often if you make a large batch of the laundry detergent. Hang dry your laundry . Years ago, everyone used to dry their clothing outside. That is forbidden in many cities now, but there are still ways you can dry your laundry. Find alternatives to the dry cleaner. Dry cleaning costs can add up quickly. There are many strategies you can utilize to cut these costs including buying clothing that doesn’t require dry cleaning and using home dry cleaning systems that you can use in your dryer. I used those home kits when I had to wear professional clothes and never had a problem. Buy an energy efficient washer and dryer . When the time comes to replace your current washer and dryer, switch to a more energy efficient model. Many families run at least a load of laundry a day; using an energy efficient model that uses less electricity and water can lead to real savings over the course of a year. Wash clothing on cold. Wash on cold, and your water heater won’t have to expel energy to heat the water. Washing on hot can also set stains in your clothing; if you miss a stain and run the garment through the load on cold, you can always treat it and wash again; that is not likely to help if you ran the load on hot. There is no way to get around some laundry expense, but that can be reduced dramatically with just a few strategies. Best of all, many of these strategies are also better for the environment.
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