Cost Minimizing Baby Steps - Laundry

Laundry is one of those necessary evils, but there are ways to cut down on the cost of this task.  Over the course of the last few years, I've slowly added the following cost-saving methods to my laundry protocol.  While some of it does require more man power and time, it also yields sizeable cost savings over the course of a year.

Line Drying Clothes: Armed with a set of hand-me-down clothes drying racks, I began drying our laundry by hanging clothes inside rather than using the dryer.  While it was more work, and the clothes didn’t dry as fast as they do in the dryer, this simple act cut $20/month off of our electric bill.  For Christmas a few years ago, I was given an outdoor clothesline.  During warmer months (typically April-November), our laundry gets hung outside to dry. In my mind, nothing beats the fresh smell of laundry that has been dried in the fresh air and sunshine.

Vinegar as a Rinse Agent: When my daughter was an infant, we used cloth diapers.  If you’ve never used cloth diapers, you may not be aware of the laundry regimen involved.  There are specific ways to wash cloth diapers to make them last longer, and avoid getting smelly.  One of those tricks is to use white vinegar in place of fabric softener.  I was hesitant at first, because I can’t stand the smell of vinegar, but since it was recommended I gave it a try.  I was amazed at how well it worked with the diapers, and began using it with all of my laundry.  The vinegar smell fully dissipates, and clothes are left smelling fresh. For about $3 I can buy a gallon of white vinegar that lasts me for a couple of months, which is far cheaper than purchasing fabric softener.

Wash in Cold Water: With certain exceptions (whites, towels, and bed linens), all of our laundry is washed and rinsed in cold water.  For sanitary purposes, the above mentioned exceptions still get washed in hot water. 

Homemade Laundry Detergent:  For a small upfront investment, the cost savings overtime of making your own laundry detergent can be huge!  The recipe that I use for laundry detergent is listed below.  Each batch yields about 2 gallons of detergent.  I simply saved some old laundry detergent containers, and reused them for my homemade detergent.  A box of Washing Soda costs about $10.  A box of Borax costs about $10.  A bar of Fels Naptha costs about $2.  In the two years that I’ve been making my own detergent, I’m still using the same boxes of Washing Soda and Borax! 

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated) – I use Fels Naptha

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring before each use (will gel).

While the Fels Naptha does give the detergent a nice clean scent, if you prefer a stronger smell you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the mix before adding water.