Who doesn't want to be a laundry warrior, mastering the art of making clothes look fresh and vibrant every time they come out of the washer? But did you know that you can achieve this without hurting Mother Nature? Here are 20 eco-friendly laundry hacks that will not only save you time and money but also help you contribute to a greener planet.
1. The Magic of Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar, a common kitchen staple, has a secret life as a laundry wizard. This eco-friendly substance can work wonders on your clothes.
- Detergent Residue Removal: Adding a cup of vinegar to the last rinse cycle can eliminate detergent residue that makes fabrics look dull and feel rough.
- Odor Neutralizer: Vinegar can magically make mildew and body odors disappear from clothing.
- Hemline Marks Eraser: If you frequently alter your hemlines, vinegar can help remove those stubborn marks.
- Microbe Reducer: Couple of cups of vinegar in a hot water wash cycle can minimize microbes that cause front-load washers to stink.
2. Keeping Socks Together
Losing socks in the laundry is a common frustration. A simple trick to solve this problem is to use a mesh laundry bag. This hack is particularly useful for baby socks and other small items.
3. Baking Soda: The Deodorizer
Replacing your fridge's baking soda box? Don't throw the old one away. Baking soda has a myriad of uses in the laundry room.
- Fabric Softener Substitute: If you find commercial fabric softeners making your towels less absorbent, try using baking soda in the rinse cycle.
- Bleach Booster: Enhance the whitening and cleaning power of both chlorine and oxygen bleach by adding a cup of baking soda to the wash water.
- Iron Cleaner: Baking soda can effectively clean the base of your iron without causing scratches.
4. Quick Drying Hacks
In a hurry to dry your clothes? Here are a few tricks.
- Dry Towels Trick: Adding a few dry bath towels to your dryer can speed up the drying process by absorbing excess moisture.
- Salad Spinner Hack: If you hand-washed a single garment, spin it in your salad spinner to remove more moisture without causing damage or creases.
- Hemp dryer balls: try throwing in a couple of hemp dryer balls with your dryer load to reduce the drying time, static and even wrinkles.
5. Wrinkle Removal with Ice
Forget ironing. If you have a wrinkled shirt and no time to iron, simply throw in a handful of ice cubes with the shirt into the dryer. The steam created by the melting ice will relax the fibers, helping wrinkles disappear.
6. Leaving Helpful Notes
If you have kids or teenagers helping with laundry, avoid disasters by leaving notes on what can and cannot be put in the dryer using erasable, whiteboard markers.
7. Reviving a Shrunken Sweater
Did your favorite sweater shrink in the dryer? Mix a solution of cool water and hair conditioner and soak the shrunken sweater in it. The conditioner will relax the wool fibers, allowing you to gently stretch it back to its original size.
8. Finding Lost Socks and Underwear
If you often lose socks or underwear in the wash, check between the cracks of your washer's inner tub and walls. You'll be surprised what you might find there.
9. Saving the Last Bit of Detergent
Don't let the last bit of liquid detergent go to waste. Remove the pour spout with a pair of pliers or cut a small hole in the bottle to access the remaining detergent.
10. Creating a Hanging Drying Rod
If you don't have space for a drying rack, create your own hanging drying rod using a scrap piece of wood nailed to the ceiling joists.
11. Folding Clothes the Efficient Way
Efficient folding can save you time and space. Use a flat, counter-height surface to make the process quick and easy.
12 Avoiding Creases with a Pool Noodle
Use a pool noodle to prevent creases when drying clothes on a hanger. Simply cut a piece to the hanger's size and slip it over the bar.
13. Closing Gaps Between Appliances
Close the gaps between your washer, dryer, and walls using slim rolling carts, pool noodles, or laundry guards.
14. Using Wool Balls as Dryer Sheet Alternatives
Wool balls are a green alternative to dryer sheets. You can even make your own by cutting up an old wool sweater and wrapping the strips into balls. - A new innovative option is hemp dryer balls, that has the absorbency of 5x wool balls while being all natural and vegan at the same time!
15. Reusing Dryer Lint
Instead of throwing away dryer lint, reuse it as a fire starter, pet bedding, craft stuffing, or compost.
16. Using Salt for Stain Removal
Table salt can be a mild abrasive capable of removing blood, rust, and red wine stains. It can also absorb liquid stains before they set.
17. Doing Smaller Loads for Efficiency
Contrary to popular belief, doing smaller loads of laundry can be more efficient. This allows your clothes to tumble freely in the washing machine, resulting in cleaner and less wrinkled laundry.
18. Stripping Your Laundry for a Deep Clean
Stripping your laundry is like giving it a deep exfoliation. This process removes all the residue left behind by your laundry routine, resulting in softer, cleaner, and brighter clothes.
Final Thoughts
Adopting these eco-friendly laundry hacks will not only help you maintain your clothes but also contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet. So, start your green laundry journey today and experience the difference.
