Frugal Laundry Choices

Here at the House on the Corner we've been rethinking and examining how we do everyday things. Instead of going along the way we've always done (or the way our parents did), we've been trying to take a closer look to see if there are any changes we can make that will benefit us financially, make things easier for us, or are better for the environment. Laundry care is one of those areas that we've made some changes.

• We switched to washing everything in cold water with the exception of our bath towels and haven't noticed any issues. This should save us some $ because the hot water heater is running constantly.
• The only items that we put in the dryer are bath towels, socks and underclothes (this is only because there were some complaints about crispy towels and underwear). Most of our shirts are hung on hangers to dry and pants are laid across a wooden drying rack. I sometimes throw a small load of almost dry blouses into the dryer for a few minutes to get rid of wrinkles because I don't like ironing. Most clothes will dry overnight using this method. The many benefits of this include lowering our electricity bill, our clothes are lasting longer and fading more slowly and the environmental benefits of not consuming energy.
• We started making our own laundry soap. We use 1 Tbs. of home made laundry soap per load. It doesn't have a strong fragrance and doesn't bother my sensitive skin. We use about 1/2 the recommended amount of softener, but only on select loads. Since we rarely use the dryer, a box of dryer sheets lasts a very long time and we tend to use one sheet several times before tossing it.

Laundry Soap Recipe

Here is the recipe that I use for powdered laundry soap, this recipe makes about 7 cups of laundry soap (approximately 112 loads) this works out to around $.06 per load:

3 bars Fels Naptha soap, grated (I paid $1.29/bar)

2 cups Borax (I paid $3.99 and this box contains enough to make several batches)

2 cups washing soda (I paid $2.49 and box contains enough to make several batches)

I start out by cutting the soap into chunks with a knife and then chop it into powder using the food processor.

I put this soap powder into a large airtight container and add the remaining ingredients. Then, I shake to thoroughly combine. Use 1 Tbs per load. Because I wash using cold water and worry a little about this soap dissolving, I let the washer fill with a little water and add the soap to let it dissolve before throwing the clothes in and I haven't had any problems.