How to Save Money on Laundry (7 Easy Ways)

How to Save Money in the Laundry Room

The cost of doing laundry may not seem that high at first, but once you dive a little bit deeper, you’ll find that there are plenty of expenses involved. Buying laundry products and running the washer and dryer easily adds up to hundreds of dollars in payments per year.

So what can you do about it? Well, a lot, actually. There are plenty of ways to optimize your laundry routine, and today we’re going to show you how to save money on laundry with 7 super simple yet effective tips.

1. Use the Rapid Wash Setting

Putting your washing machine settings on “rapid wash” so that it’s going for only 30 minutes instead of 45 often gets your clothes just as clean.  I haven’t noticed a difference in my clothes, but I have noticed a difference in my electric bill.

The one exception I make is for extra dirty clothes or heavier items such as jeans and towels. I’ll wash those on a longer cycle, but for everything else, the rapid wash cycle gets the job done just fine!

2. Make Your Own Laundry Soap

Depending on how many loads of laundry you do each month and which laundry detergent you’re using, you could be spending anywhere from $100-$200+ each year on detergent. This number could be even higher if you’re using too much detergent in each load.

To cut this cost in half (or more), first just make sure to measure your detergent carefully. This is an easy way to save money instantly. Next, for the really big savings, start making your own homemade laundry soap! This is easy to do and will cut your load costs down a ton.

3. Make Your Own Stain Remover

Just as you can make your own laundry detergent, you can also easily whip up an AMAZING homemade stain remover with only 3 inexpensive ingredients. Best of all, it works exceptionally well! It was able to remove stains that even my store-bought cleaners couldn’t.

4. Hang Dry

The dryer uses a lot of energy to produce enough heat to dry your clothes in a short amount of time. By hang drying your laundry instead, you’ll lower your energy bill and cut out the need for things like dryer sheets.

The question is: are the savings worth the extra time commitment? Well, Trent Hamm from The Simple Dollar did the math and found that for each hour or so he spends hanging clothes, he saves around $10. Is a relaxed hour of your time worth $10 in savings?

5. Use Cold Water

While there are going to be times a warm or hot water wash is necessary, cold water is going to handle most loads just fine. And, by using cold water you’ll lower your energy consumption a ton, your clothes won’t lose their color as quickly, and you’ll be helping out the environment too. Win-win-win!

Oh, and if you think cold water won’t clean your clothes as well, check out this article. It’s actually very effective! In fact, too hot of water can actually damage your clothes.

6. Find Dryer Sheet Alternatives

If you’re going to be using your dryer, an easy place you can find savings is with your dryer sheets. Some people cut their sheets in half to save money, but I personally think you should just get rid of the dryer sheets altogether. There are better alternatives!

For example, I highly recommend trying out these Wool Dryer Balls. They last for 1,000+ loads of laundry, help soften your laundry, and they shorten drying times. Pretty amazing right?

You can also try out these DIY dryer sheets if you’d like. They’re not as convenient as the wool dryer balls though.

Oh, and if you still have some on hand, check out these 25 creative uses for dryer sheets. Might as well use them up while you’ve got them!

7. Don’t Overwash Your Clothes

It can be tempting to throw your clothes in the wash after wearing them once, but it’s really not necessary. Why waste time and energy washing clothes that aren’t really dirty?

Unless you’ve been running around sweating in your clothes or you fell into a puddle of mud, your clothes will probably be fine for another day. Washing them less frequently will also make them last longer.

So, when in doubt, give your clothes an inspection before tossing them into the hamper. Check for stains, do the smell test, and then decide whether something really needs a wash.

Final Thoughts

Doing laundry is one of those things that’s a necessary part of life, but it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune! If you follow the tips above you should be able to save money on laundry pretty effectively without sacrificing too much of your own time.

P.S. If getting your laundry done faster and more efficiently is something you’re interested in, check out these laundry tips!

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