Save Money Doing Your Laundry
There’s a good chance you like to save money. There’s also a good chance you have to do laundry. It’s a part of life, just like death and taxes. You may as well be cost effective while getting your clothes fresh and clean. Here are five tips that can help you do just that.
Do you really need that much detergent?
If you’re filling the cap with detergent every time, there’s a good chance you’re wasting money! The Detergents that are sold on today’s store shelves are a minimum of 2x concentrate, and some are more! If you have a high efficiency washer, it is easy to use too much of that soapy goodness. So, read the directions on each bottle of detergent, and note that high efficiency washers will use a 1/4 cup or less for a normal load in most cases. Also, consider having a less expensive detergent for everyday washes and something a bit stronger for those harder-to-clean clothes.
Less is more.
Use less water by washing full loads. Sometimes you need that lucky shirt, or your favorite pair of jeans, but if you can wait, you’ll save water by doing fewer loads. Smaller loads use almost as much water as the big ones.
Don’t work that dryer too hard.
In the case of your dryer, two loads are better than one big one. When your dryer is overfilled, it causes it to work harder and take longer to dry. Also, don’t forget to clean that lint catch after every load! Lint that builds up on the screen will restrict the amount of airflow and will cause long dry times.
Wear it again.
You might read this and say “ew, really?” Really! Unless you’re doing something strenuous, or you spill something on them, your clothes probably don’t need to be washed every time. As an example, did you know most jean manufacturers recommend that denim jeans should only be washed after 4-5 times being worn? Don’t believe it? See what you can find with an Internet Search!
Hot or Cold?
You can reduce energy costs by reducing your water temperature. Most of the energy used in washing clothes goes into heating the water. Many of the new washers that feature electronic controls will optimize water temperature and you don’t have much of an altered selection to that cycle, but if you do, choose to wash with cold water instead. Also, most of today’s detergents are better suited for cold washes. Some items need hot water in order to sanitize, such as gym clothes or towels, but most do not.
Be sure to check out our 3 Things You Should Be Doing For Your Washer blog to learn more about proper care for your washing machine.
We want you to save money. Whether you’re doing your laundry, or if you end up needing that washing machine repaired. If that happens you can reach us at 844.3.GUINCO, or visit us at Guinco.com. As always, Thank You For Letting Our Family Help Yours!
