Money-Saving Laundry Tips

I have been experimenting lately with saving money in the laundry department.  Since Grace was born, our weekly laundry loads went from 2-3 to 5-6!  Amazing that one child could generate that much laundry.  With another one to make his/her arrival in August, I'm diligently reviewing our current laundry costs. 

Since our homeowner's association does not allow personal washers/dryers in our units, we have to use the coin-operated machines in the building.  At $1 per wash or dry, each load costs $2 to complete.  Throw in stain treatment, detergent and dryer sheets, and you could be close to $2.50-$3 per load!  Hanging laundry to dry is not an option in my condo, or I would try that.

So here's my 4 step plan for reducing laundry costs:

1. 
   
   SPRAY STAINS IMMEDIATELY.  Honestly, this can be a challenge, but it really makes a huge difference when you wash your clothes.  I use Spray 'n' Wash right now, because I paid just pennies for it with a coupon.  I know some people swear by Shout.  Whatever your preference, use it!
2. 
   
   STOCK UP WHEN THE PRICES ARE LOWEST.  For me, I shoot for $.08 or less per load.  I stick with good brands like All, Purex 3-in-1, Tide, and Gain (my favorite!) Right now I have about 260 loads worth of detergent stocked up in my laundry closet! That should last me about 43 weeks based on my current laundry load usage.   Several folks that I know make their own laundry detergent, but from various testimonials and reviews, the detergent doesn't work especially well on stains, nor does it have that nice perfume-y, just-cleaned smell.  I could live without the pretty smell, but with an 18-month old child, we gotta have some serious stainfighting detergent. 
3. 
   
   USE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF DETERGENT FOR YOUR LOAD SIZE. I was amazed when I actually read the back of the bottle, how little I should use for a normal size load.  For my ALL detergent, the proper amount was less than half of the size of the cap!  You will really maximize your savings here.
4. 
   
   CUT YOUR DRYER SHEETS IN HALF.  These little sheets are ridiculously expensive!  I kept pulling them out of the dryer, only to find that they were still stiff.  Obviously, they still had a little life in them, and could be re-used.  Then I had a light bulb moment, and cut them in half.  I have not noticed any change in static cling.  I was pumped with my new discovery.

Hope this helps, and best of luck tackling the Mount Laundry!

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Frugal Friday at Life As Mom