Laundry is a task every woman has on her To Do List. It is a chore we can’t seem to get away from. The other day my friend Julie twittered that she was doing laundry…again. I typed her a little song I put together about laundry. Ok this isn’t my song, but one that I changed the lyrics just a bit. The song is the closing theme of the Shari Lewis Show. Here’s how my Laundry Song:

This is the chore that never ends. Yes it goes on and on my friend.

Some Mommy started doing it not knowing what it was and she’ll continue doing it forever just because,

This is the chore that never ends. Yes it goes on and on my friend…

This is exactly how laundry can feel isn’t it? No matter how often you do it, there is always more to do. I think that clothes breed in the laundry sorter, although I can’t prove it. Even still there are ideas you can put into practice that will help you cut the costs of doing the laundry.

1.      Always run a full load.

2.      Dryer sheets can be costly. Most women use them in every load. You can cut down the cost of dryer sheets by either a) cutting dryer sheets in half, or b) using a damp washcloth w/ liquid softener on it. Either of these will cut your costs significantly.

3.      Hang on your laundry. I have said this so often, because it is one of the easiest ways to see an immediate and dramatic savings. Drying on a line outside is ideal, but if you don’t have a line you can hang your laundry on a rack, shower rods, or in doorways. One positive to hanging your clothing from rods or doorways is that you place each garment on a hanger, reducing the amount of time you spend on ironing and putting it away.

4.      Use the right amount of concentrated detergents. So many detergents and liquid fabric softeners are concentrated. A little measuring cup lid is supplied with each container. However, the fill line is most typically located on the bottom of the cap, unlike older caps; where you filled the entire cap. Using the wrong amount of detergent is not only wasteful, but it can cause skin irritations as well.

5.      Make your own laundry soap. There are lots of great homesteading and frugal blogs on the web that explain how you can make your own laundry soap for pennies per use. Of all the women I know who use their own homemade detergent, I can’t say one has ever said one negative thing about it. That should tell you something.

So do your task over and over, but do it with some common cents!

These are my thoughts.