Do Laundry ... Save Energy and Money

Did you know there are a few little tricks you can do to save energy and money when doing the laundry?

Do you really need to wash the items in hot or warm water? Can it be washed in cold water? If so you are saving the energy it would normally require to heat the water!

Why do you use so much detergent? Make up this little concoction and your detergent bill will be cut in half!

1 part dishsoap (helps with grease and oil stains)
1 part baking soda (helps with smells, whitens, and softens)
1 part white vinegar (helps with smells, stubborn stains, and whitens)

I usually use 1 cup of each and store in a container, dont forget that when you mix baking soda and vineger there is a chemical reaction (remember the 1st grade volcanoes?)

When doing your laundry use only half of the detergent you would normally and add 2 tablespoons of your new detergent boosting concoction.

Wait until you have a full load to do laundry.

Dryer Tips:

Jeans, Blankets, and towels are great items to hang outside to dry! Just hang them outside until dry, hang off the back porch, on a clothsline, etc.... You can also hang clothes in your shower while you are at work, usually dry when you get home.

Have a wrinkled shirt or pants, instead of putting in the dryer, hang in the bathroom with you while you take a shower, the warm water vapors will help loosen the wrinkles and you can smooth them out with your hand!

Every month you need to check all of the vents for your dryer to make sure it is not clogged, this could be a fire hazard and make your dryer be less effecient.

Check your lint trap..... Depending on what you are drying, you may need to check it after every load you do. *Don't throw your lint away, it is a great ingredient when you are making homemade paper.

10 minutes before the dryer automatically turns off, check your clothes, are they already dry? They may be tumbling for no reason.