Thrifty Thursday - Laundry

Thrifty Laundry, yes there is such a thing. For the longest time I was not a person who thought much about how much doing laundry cost, I just bought laundry soap, fabric softer, had the husband pay the electric bill , water bill and  buy me a new washer every 2-3 years when I would burn out the motor.

But then I finally grew up and had to think about what doing laundry was costing and with a family of 8 that is a lot of laundry and expense.

                                                              

First I have learned that with a top loader I will always overload, and never balance right. So after much looking and thinking we bought a front loader, a pricey investment even with getting the cheapest model  but it uses less water, the clothes come out dryer, and I can never overload, and rarely unbalance a load. We also bought the 5 year warranty just in case I did manage to kill it, I did have the repair guy out a few times to empty the pump trap thingy. I also know how to do it myself now and can skip calling the repair guy.

Picture from Google Images

Next is the commitment to use the clothesline outside for drying when the weather permits, even going as far as looking at the weather reports in the spring-fall and doing laundry on the days I will be able to hang laundry. It is easier to just toss the laundry in the dryer, but hanging is cheaper, gives me a upper body workout and some sun to my pale skin.

Picture from Google Images

Laundry soap and fabric softener, I do a couple of things here I do sometimes buy laundry soap when it is on sale, but usually make my own laundry soap using washing soda, borax, and  fels napta soap ( that soap your mom and grandma used to get stains out). It's cheap to make, it works, and it lasts a long time. I have made it both as a Liquid Laundry Soap and a powder, right now I am using the Powder Laundry Detergent.

For fabric softener I use plain white vinegar bought in the big jugs at Sam's Club, you just fill the fabric softener cup on your washer with the vinegar. Yes when you take your clothes out they will smell a bit like a salad, but once dry there is no smell ( it even gets rid the pet smell out of towels), and your clothes are soft.