Searching for the BEST Laundry Money Saving Tips? You won’t believe how much you’ll save in the laundry room with these little-known tips and tricks!
Looking for some creative Laundry Money Saving Tips?
Laundry can get expensive, so do yourself a favor and learn some creative new ways to save money on one expense that isn’t going to go away anytime soon… doing laundry!
Thanks to these simple tips you can save BIG!
Here’s what you need to do…
Laundry Money Saving Tips
Related: 50+ DIY Homemade Cleaners Recipes That Work! {Surprisingly Easy}
How to Save Money on Laundry Detergent:
One of my favorite ways to save money on laundry is by making my own laundry detergent! It’s simple to make and save SO much money. You’ll wonder why you didn’t try this sooner!
Katie writes: “I make my own laundry soap. Costs me about $27 and lasts me a whole year. I also make my own fabric softener with vinegar. MUCH less expensive than regular soaps & softeners!”
Now you can save money on laundry detergent, too with these EASY diy recipes…
Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent
Heather writes: “I made my first batch, when my daughter was about 3 weeks old. She is now going on 13 weeks and I still have a bunch left! It really isn’t that hard. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised!”
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
Colleen writes: “I use baking soda and white vinegar with less detergent to give it a boost and remove odors easily.”
DIY Fabric Softener Recipe
More Ways to Save Money on Laundry Detergent:
Stephanie writes: “My favorite way to save money on laundry detergent is to use less detergent — you don’t really need the full recommended amount. Your clothes will still get clean and smell great!”
Marsha writes: “I use less laundry detergent than is recommended in my front loader washer and I also have softened water. When I contacted P&G directly about it and they said as long as your clothes are getting clean then that is enough for your load. I use the lowest line on the scoop that comes with the Tide but have switched to using a different measuring device as it is so easy to add more unintentionally. My 102 load box is more like 210-220 loads.”
Cathy writes: “I used to be faithful to Tide, until I realized there are lots of lower priced detergents that work just as well.”
Becky writes: “I use Kirkland Brand detergent from Costco instead of Tide. I found it works well enough for our family and saves money.”
Tanya writes: “My tip: Rather than throwing away the last bit of laundry detergent, because it’s not enough for a full load, I save it. It works great for those tiny, ‘hand wash only or gentle cycle’ loads.”
Deanna writes: “My favorite money saving laundry tip is to buy products when they are on sale, and keep those coupons so you can stack them up!”
Wool Dryer Balls vs Dryer Sheets:
When it comes to drying clothes, you’ll want to decide whether you’ll use wool dryer balls or dryer sheets. I’ve successfully used both, and it’s a choice of personal preference. Several years ago I personally made the switch from dryer sheets to wool dryer balls, and I’ll never go back.
Benefits of Wool Dryer Balls:
- Saves Money by Cutting Down Drying Time
- Reusable (save the cost of dryer sheets)
- Soften Clothes
- Reduce Wrinkles
- Fluff up Laundry
- All Natural
- Easy to Make
How to Make Wool Dryer Balls
Lauren writes: “I use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. I’ll never have to buy those sheets again, which isn’t a big thing, but it’s the little things, right?”
Brandy writes: “My money saving tip is to use the dryer balls, which last quite a while. They have saved me a lot of money on dryer sheets.”
Karen writes: “I also quit using fabric softener. I had a coupon for a free set of dryer balls, and took the chance on trying them. They work great. They save on drying time and help reduce wrinkles.”
Do Laundry Dryer Sheets Work?
They sure do! Before I switched to dryer balls, unscented dryer sheets were my go-to. And guess what… you can cut them in half to save even more money! It just takes a minute to cut them in half, and the box will last twice as long!
Once you’ve cut them, just insert them back into the box, like this…
You’ll be amazed by how long one box of dryer sheets can last. You can even sometimes use the half sheets twice!
Cathy writes: “Unless it’s towels, blankets or sweaters, I will rip the dryer sheets in half.”
Beth writes: “I use the dryer sheets again after they’ve been used, but for different purposes, like freshening up a trash can.
How to Make Your Own Dryer Sheets:
Cindy writes: “My tip is fabulous… here it goes:
- Buy a small travel spray bottle
- Fill it with liquid fabric softener
- Load your machine
- Grab a clean hankie
- Throw it in the dryer
- Spray it with the softener
- Run the machine
- You now have your own fabric sheets. Reuse til the hankie is in pieces. I have yet to replace mine. Saves me tons of money.”
More Laundry Money Saving Tips:
Myndi writes: “My favorite laundry tip is to never do a small load, it wastes time and money!”
Joan writes: “I wash full loads only, use a little less detergent, and use cold water most of the time”
Karen writes: “My washer has a sensor that can tell the weight of the clothes and only uses the amount of water needed depending upon the size of load. I also wash most clothes in cold water. Saves a bundle on the hot water bill, even if we are on off-peak!”
Kimberli writes: “I live in a small city apartment and there is not the space nor the proper hook ups for a washer or dryer in my home. Going to the laundry mat was costing me $2.00 a load and that is on the cheap end! Frustrated I started to do some research and found that I could hand wash many of my clothes with a 5 gallon bucket and a toilet plunger! Of course I do not use the same toilet plunger that I use on my toilet. Ewwww! And for very heavy and dirty items I still haul to the laundry mat. But, for items that have just been sweat in I can plunge the nastiness out and hang them on the rack in my kitchen. I’m not sure just how much savings this is. All the equipment cost me less than 20 dollars. I buy my detergent and softener at the dollar tree and I don’t know how much 10 gallons of hot water costs (wash and rinse). But, it works for me.”
Stephanie writes: “Use an HE washer and dryer. Then shop for sample sizes of detergent and use $1 off coupons to get them free.”
Kim writes: “Instead of taking my comforter to the laundromat, I’m going to wash it in the tub!!”
Angie writes: “I save a lot of money by using cold water to wash and, when possible, wearing my clothing twice before washing them.”
Nicole writes: “My tip came from a repair man: once a week wash a load with Lemi Shine to get rid of the build up of hair, fuzz in your drum. It extends the life of your washer. He also said half the amount of the recommended dosage per load is enough. It will extend the life of your washer.”
Georgia writes: “My favorite tip is to fluff my clothes in the dryer for a minute to help get wrinkles out and then hang them to dry completely. This saves energy and maybe a little less ironing!”
DIY Wrinkle Releaser
Gina writes: “I carry a stain stick Everywhere with me! In the car, my purse, and I have them tied to the laundry basket too. As soon as I see a stain I swipe it with the stain stick and I am good. (with 4 kids there are Always stains!) Even if I don’t get to the laundry until the next day or so, the stain is already treated.”
Penny writes: “My money saving tip for laundry on trips or vacations is to pack clothes that can be worn with other outfits, thus reducing the number of outfits taken on a trip.”
Steve writes: “Are you familiar with “Snapping Laundry”? I was amazed how many people didn’t know that before you hang a piece of laundry, you give it a snap (think snapping a towel) but holding both corners and give it a quick snap. You’ll have far fewer wrinkles when it dries!”
Debbie writes: “I hang my clothes up to dry… I think I’ve used my dryer 5x or less this past year!”
How to Dry Clothes Inside:
This DIY Laundry Drying Rod for Small Spaces is the perfect solution to dry your clothes inside… without taking up any extra space. It’s the perfect solution for small spaces!
Our current home is tiny… so I kept looking for different spots to hang dry my laundry. Then one day it occurred to me… the bathroom was the perfect place!
This works great in our guest bathroom, because that shower is rarely used… and when guests come, I just take it all down and hide it!
What You’ll Need to Dry Clothes Inside:
- Tension Shower Rod
- Plastic Hangers
What You’ll Do:
- Simply hang an extra shower curtain rod along the top of your bath tub/shower area… and you’ve instantly got a hidden indoor spot to do some drying!
- After you wash your clothes, hang them on plastic hangers on your rod, and it won’t matter if anything is dripping, either, thanks to the drain below!
- Then, just close the curtain, and it’s outta sight!
DIY Laundry Drying Rod for Small Spaces
Sean writes: “This is so brilliant! When I use my shower rod it goes all over the floor! I never, ever occurred to me to put a rod in the shower itself.”
Pearl writes: “I have been hanging hand washed sweaters over an extra shower bar for years. Love the fact that I don’t have to worry if I wring them out enough or not they drip right into the tub. I also put a folding clothes drying rack in the tub sometime to if I am concerned about hanger marks on the shoulders.”
Joan writes: “Clothes last longer when not put in the dryer.”
Karen writes: “When my husband & I got married, a clothesline was the first thing I asked for. I only use the dryer for our towels in the summer, and I use drying racks in the winter for our jeans and other items that hang well on the racks. This puts humidity in the air for us during the winter. (We live in Minnesota)”
Vicki writes: “I air dry as much as I can. I have a clothes line for blankets, sheets, jeans and a few other things that don’t need to go in the dryer.”
Kimberly writes: “My best laundry money saving tip ~ using a drying rack or laundry line whenever possible.”
How to Save Money Drying Clothes Outside:
This following tips for drying clothes outside come from Trish at Mom on Time Out… enjoy!!
I am proud to say that I have been clothes dryer-free for the last three weeks. Late in June I had an epiphany. As I was transferring clothes from my washing machine to my dryer and my air conditioning was running non-stop, it occurred to me that I was using energy to dry my clothes which was in turn heating up my house, which was then causing my air conditioning to run and use even additional energy! Very costly and not green at all.
I decided to go “old-school” and buy myself a clothes rack to dry our clothes on. I ended up buying two racks so that I could fit an entire load on the racks at a time. A clothesline is ideal but we don’t really have an appropriate place to hang a clothes line and this was a good alternative.
I wanted to know how much I could save by not using my dryer. According to ehow.com, you can expect to pay between 44 cents and $1.32 per load. Variables include whether you own a gas or electric dryer, your energy rates, how big a load, how long it takes to dry your clothes, etc. But let’s take a number from the low end. Let’s go with $0.50/load. If you dry 10 loads a week on the rack you are looking at a $5/week savings. Multiply that by 52 weeks a year and you’re looking at a savings of $260. Not planning on drying your clothes on a rack in the winter? Multiply that $5 a week savings by 16 weeks and you’ve saved $80 – that’s not even taking air conditioning savings into account.
Pros of Drying Laundry Outside:
- Don’t need to use dryer sheets; air drying eliminates static cling.
- Energy savings from not using the dryer.
- Energy savings from not running the air conditioner.
- Clothes dried outside smell fresh and wonderful!
- Sunlight can help to bleach and disinfect your laundry.
- Line drying is better for your clothes than the dryer.
- Simplifies your life.
- Conserving resources and energy.
Cons of Drying Laundry Outside:
- Have to purchase a clothes rack or line if you don’t already own one.
- The turnover between loads is longer.
- May need to use the dryer for a few minutes to release wrinkles.
- Laundry dries quicker during the day.
- Difficult to try larger items like sheets on a rack (easy on a clothesline).
- Limits how many loads can be done in a day (Three a day for me).
The simple pleasure that I have derived from this endeavor has astounded even me. I am really enjoying drying my clothes outside and all the benefits that come with it. The switch was easier than I thought it would be, and I plan on taking full advantage of the sunny days and gentle breezes ahead.
Trish is a blessed mom to 2 darling little boys {ages 5 and 2}, and blogs over at Mom on Time Out.
Helen writes: “Here in Cape Town we have wonderful weather. I grew up hanging all washing on a line and in the sun. Our summers are hot and sometimes windy. There is a slight problem in winter as it rains quite a lot, but I have a storeroom beneath our home and that’s where the washing goes… clothes on hangers and smalls on a “clothes horse”. I don’t know the origins of that description. 🙂 I don’t even own a dryer.”
Linda writes: “I am a strong believer in hanging clothes outside to dry. I find clothes last longer. I won’t put clean sheets on bed unless they have been dried outside. I love the smell of fresh, crisp air on pillow cases.”
Check out these DIY Floating Shelves for your Laundry Room, too!
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Do YOU have any favorite Laundry Money Saving Tips?
Leave a comment & share!
Healthy World Cuisine says
We have learned to purchase easy to dry clothes – for the most part dryers are not used in many parts of the world. The photo of dying clothes outside the apartment window is a common scene in HK. We have these retractable bars so you can pull back in the clothes.
Heidi says
That’s a wonderful tip… and the retractable bars sound like a great feature!
Kelly says
Such a a great tutorial I’m gonna make some tonight when I get home! Where did you get the large mason jars you have then stored in with the clothes pins? Super cute!
Heidi says
Hi Kelly ~ you can find the X Large Mason Jars here: http://amzn.to/2zWARju
Hope that helps! 😉
~ Heidi
Davette M says
I use the wool dryer balls but have static in almost every load. How do you deal work it?
Heidi says
Hi Davette ~ I live in Phoenix where it’s very dry and we can get a lot of static as well. I find that I mostly get static when things are dried too long at too high of a heat. Now that I use the dryer balls in every load, I dry on medium heat and for a shorter time. After making those changes, I haven’t really had to deal with static anymore. Hope that helps! 🙂
Mary Kay says
I live in a tiny apartment. I utilize tension rods for extra hang drying space in my bathroom and hallway. I also have started drying my clothes in my car. I have a rod that conects the two front headrests. I hang the clothes on hangers and leave the windows cracked about half inch so the moisture can escape. After 20-30 minutes I turn the clothes right side out and leave for another 20 minutes. I dried 27 pieces of clothes in this manner last week, probably a full dryer load. So instead of taking 2 days to dry these clothes took hours.
Patricia says
Id cut sheets in 1/4’s. then use 2 pieces, that way they get thru all the clothes all over the dryer, and still throw in a dry towel to cut down on how long you need to run your dryer. I just bought white washclothes 3 for $1 at dollar tree, got them wet, and put them in a huggies wipes box and added a few drops of downy, i turn it over til i know its all saturated and smelling lovely. i wont be using dryer sheets anymore. i bought white cause they dont have dye and are not the same as ones i use in kitchen or baths, this way i know i need to readd the White ones to my white huggies wipes box.
Sheila Williams says
I cut fabric sheets in half , really works same as whole sheets. Save money!
Sharzee says
My tip that I have been doing for years.
Take a clean old sock, old wash cloth/dish cloth. Dampen cloth a tad with water then with fabric softner in a spray bottle, spray cloth 5 times with fabric softner and work into cloth. This becomes your multi use dryer sheet. Who needs to buy those dryer sheets in a box. Those little 5 squirt of sftner last many uses.
Patricia Stires says
I was told that I could use the original Tang for breakfast drink to clean my washer like the lime shine. Is this true and if so how much do I use?
Leenie says
I use dishing liquid with anti bacterial, it works wonderfully gets rid of stains because it has a greaser in it, cheaper then deterrent and less harmful. I buy 5lts at a time..Then Vinegar in the rinse cycle.
Only wash with cold water.
Donna Curtis says
Had (what I call) a “rinse retention” hooked up to my top load washer that saves my “rinse” water that I then use for my next loads “wash” water. Has saved me 27 gallons of water on EVERY load! huge savings on my rather expensive water bill.
Ann Malone says
I LOVE THIS IDEA!! How do you do it??
Marsha says
I use less laundry detergent than is recommended. I have a front loader washer and have softened water. I contacted P&G directly about it and they said as long as your clothes are getting clean then that is enough for your load. I use the lowest line on the scoop that comes with the Tide but have switched to using a different measuring device as it is so easy to add more unintentially. My 102 load box is more like 210-220 loads.