Household chores are hardly anyone's favorite pastime. And laundry might just be in the top three most hated duties, right after cleaning the bathrooms and doing the dishes. But no matter how much we dislike it, there's no avoiding it. So we've put together this list of hacks that'll make washing all those clothes, towels, and sheets easier and faster. Not only that, but these tips will also help everything last longer and stay stain-free. So keep scrolling if you're ready to make the most out of your washer and dryer with hacks that actually work.
Ice Cubes in the Dryer Means Less Wrinkles on Your Clothes
Worried about having wrinkled clothing? Don't worry - we all are. And yet none of us want to pull out the ironing board. It takes way too much time and effort and just doesn't seem worth it. The good news is that ice cubes can help solve this problem! Throw a few ice cubes into the dryer with your clothes, and the steam produced from the ice melting acts like an actual steamer.
No need to buy a steamer or use an ironing board with this hack. You can save time, effort, and money with just a couple of ice cubes.
The Trick to Unshrink
There is nothing worse than realizing that you put your favorite (shrinkable) garment in the dryer. You pull it out and see that it no longer fits you and would only fit a small child or a doll. But did you know that it is possible to unshrink accidentally shrunken clothes? You need a sink full of water, some hair conditioner, and some soaking time. By wringing out the garment and stretching it on a flat surface, you can restore it.
At the end of the process, you can rewash the garment to get rid of any of the conditioner residues. Just don't throw it back in the dryer at the end!
Use Dish Soap or Shampoo on Grease Stains
There is probably no stain that is more dreaded than the grease stain. Oils and greases are nearly impossible to get out of clothing, and no one wants to throw away a whole garment just because of a little oil stain. Instead of using regular laundry detergent to remove it, try dish soap or shampoo. As these are made to remove oils, they can also be great for removing oil stains.
Laundry detergent isn't made necessarily to remove oily stains and messes, so an alternative liquid can be great to spot treat.
Label Your Laundry Bins and Make Laundry Day a Breeze
It may seem like a simple and unnecessary thing to do; however, labeling your laundry bins can actually save you a lot of time and help you to clear your head and organize your thoughts. It can also help to ensure that everyone in the family puts the laundry in the right spot and that all the similar items are washed together. All you need for this is a small label maker - or some flash cards and a marker!
You can also use a different variation of labeling items. You can get a small chalkboard so the labels are removable and changeable, or you can get a more permanent option.
Save Money by Making Your Own Dryer Sheets
Whether you are trying to protect the environment or just don't want to spend a lot of money on dryer sheets, this hack is a useful one. It will help save you time and money. Instead of buying expensive dryer sheets, did you know that you can just use crumpled-up pieces of aluminum foil? This will decrease the static electricity in the dryer and help to fluff pieces of fabric and clothing.
You can even use recycled pieces of aluminum foil. After all, most people don't know what to do with the little chunks left over. Here is one more use before you throw them away!
Use a Salad Spinner to Easily Wash More Delicate Items
Delicate items are always a challenge to clean, and you may even avoid wearing them as you don't want to start an entirely separate load just for them. One of the least-known hacks that you might never guess would work is to use a salad spinner to wash the delicates. All you have to do is add some detergent and some water and start spinning. It is short, simple, and effective.
Salad spinners are used so rarely in the kitchen that it is nice to have an alternative way to use them and make the salad spinner purchase worth it. And if you use yours often, you might want to consider buying another one specifically for laundry.
A Lazy Susan Is What Your Laundry Room Is Missing
Organization is key, but why not jazz things up? There is no reason to be ordinary and conventional with bins or jars. Why not bring out the spinning and rotating display trays? They can be the perfect addition to your laundry room, making it both aesthetically pleasing and fun. You can even install multiple rotating trays to organize all of your different items accordingly. When you need a specific item, just spin the tray to the front, and voila, there it is!
This simple solution can save you a lot of time and energy as you do your chores. After all, laundry is no one's favorite task, so why not make it a little more enjoyable and less time-consuming?
Make Your Own Folding Board for Easy (and Perfect) Folding
Have you ever seen Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory fold his laundry? He has these little devices that help him to make sure that everything is folded perfectly and evenly. Although he may have taken the obsession too far, these tools can actually be really useful and can make the annoying job of folding clothes a lot more pleasant and faster. You'll also have perfectly folded clothes every time!
The best part about this is that you can buy a clothes folder online, or you can create the DIY version out of cardboard or another sturdy material.
Use Chalk to Absorb Grease
We've got another hack for grease stains because, lets be honest, we could use all the help we can get with these pesky spots. Before putting soap or liquids on the stains, pull out a piece of chalk and rub it on the stain. It will pull out the oil and help to remove the stain by absorbing the grease. The best part is that the chalk will come off easily in the wash, along with the oil.
You can also use baby powder if you don't have chalk around the house. Both of them work very well, and you'll be amazed how it removes the stains in a moment.
Bring the Black Back With Tea or Coffee
You might think it is hopeless once your black clothing loses its color. You may even try to avoid washing them as much as possible so that they stay dark and black for as long as possible. Instead of worrying about it, you should know that once fading occurs, it's not hopeless! There are ways to get the dark color back. All you need is some freshly brewed tea or coffee.
You can add fresh tea or coffee to the wash cycle and see the clothes darken. Make sure there are only black pieces of clothing inside, though, or you'll have some dyed clothes.
Dry Your Clothes Faster by Throwing in a Dry Towel
Sometimes you don't have the time to wait for the entire drying cycle to be complete. You need your clothes to dry fast. Don't worry or panic; there is a simple trick for that! Throw in a dry towel to your load of wet laundry once it's in the dryer). It will help soak up all the excess liquid from the other garments and also help the entire load to dryer quicker.
This can save you some valuable minutes next time you need to dry your clothing in a jiffy. And you don't have to worry about cleaning the towel after as all of the clothes were clean anyway!
Mark Stains With Clothespins so You Don't Forget to Pretreat
Clothespins are usually the item used to hang clothes out to dry or maybe to close containers. But did you ever think of using them to mark something on a piece of clothing? There's nothing more frustrating than doing a whole load only to realize you didn't take care of those stains. So mark them with a clothespin ahead of time and easily find them when you have time to take care of them.
There is nothing worse than losing a small stain on a large garment and being unable to find it or completely forgetting about it until after all your hard work. Clothespins can prevent that!
Keep Things Crease-Free With a Pool Noodle
Did you ever think the day would come when you would need to bring a pool floating noodle into the laundry room? Well, they can actually be quite handy and useful. If you are sick of seeing your clothes coming off the drying racks with unsightly creases, a pool noodle may be just the thing for you. Cut it in half, attach it to a hanger, and hang your clothes over the top to see amazing results.
Wrinkle-free clothes and fabrics are yours forever now. You do not need to worry about bringing out the ironing board every time you take a garment off the drying hanger.
Don't Let Any Space Go to Waste
There is no such thing as too much space to hang clothes, especially when it comes to a laundry room. This hack will help you save space and organize things. All you need to do is install a rod above your laundry machines, and you suddenly have significantly more storage space. Alternatively, hang a few hooks behind a door or inside a shelving unit so you can hang freshly washed or slightly wet clothes whenever you need to.
You can hang all sorts of things here, and it will save you lots of space in other areas of the laundry room. It is a great hack for tight spaces.
Mix Unscented Detergent and Your Favorite Essential Oils to Make the Perfect Scent
Although fabrics can use a little bit of extra scent to freshen them up when they are washed in the laundry, sometimes the artificial fragrances of the detergents are a little too aggressive. If you can't find the perfect scent to your taste, consider getting an unscented detergent and just use your favorite essential oils to freshen up the loads. You can customize and use as much or as little as you want.
The unscented detergents also tend to be less expensive, making this a cost-effective option as well. And everyone will be raving about your freshly smelling clothes.
Why You Should Throw Tennis Balls Into the Drying Machine
If you ever walk by a laundry machine and hear strange banging noises coming from it, don't worry. There is most likely not a person or something absurdly large inside. It's probably just some tennis balls. Tennis balls are actually a very common way to ensure that large and fluffy items maintain their shape and don't come out of the dryer as a big lumpy mess.
The tennis balls help to even out the puffs of stuffing as the piece is drying, flattening what needs to be flattened and spreading everything out evenly.
A Squirt of Shaving Cream Is the Best Stain Remover
It can be quite devasting to realize that you just spilled tomato sauce all over your favorite white shirt. Sometimes it seems hopeless and impossible to get the stain out. However, that is where shaving cream comes in. It may not seem like the most logical thing. However, you can get out so many stains by just using a little squirt of shaving cream. It helps lift out and loosen the stain.
This can work on all sorts of different stains, so try it on your next oil stain, coffee stain, or even wine stain! It should do the trick.
DIY Anti-Wrinkle Spray
The enemy of laundry is obviously dirt. However, wrinkles are a close second. Countless sprays on the market can help ensure that your clothes are wrinkle-free, but you can also make a DIY version for much less money and much fewer toxins. All you need to do is combine one cup of water or vinegar and then one tablespoon of fabric softener. Spray it on your clothes to see the wrinkles disappear.
If you want to add a little extra scent (especially if you chose to use vinegar), consider adding in some essential oils to make the spray smell much fresher.
Pro Tip: Wash Your Washing Machine
Although this may not seem like it is completely worth it, as it is adding time to your routine, you should really wash your washing machine on a regular basis. It seems like a silly concept since it is washing clothing constantly, however, you will see the difference in the long term. Your machine will start working better and cleaning your clothes more efficiently. It can also extend the life of the machine.
You don't need to wash your washing machine every time you use it, but do try to make sure that it is done regularly to keep it well maintained.
Keep Your Towels Fluffy by Using White Vinegar
One of the biggest challenges of towels (washing them, at least) is that you buy them all nice and new, full of fluff and life. However, after just a few washes, they seem to change entirely. They harden and become rough, and it seems like you will never succeed in getting them back to their original softness. But don't be dismayed; there is a solution: just a little bit of vinegar!
By adding a little bit of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment of the machine, you can make sure that your towels maintain their softness and freshness always. It also kills bacteria, so it's a great two-for-one.
Use Hair Spray to Remove Ink Stains
People who choose to put a pen in their pockets usually realize that it is a poor choice and make sure that it is a one-time occurrence. That is because the possibility of the pen leaking and being stuck with a horrible ink stain is terrifying. After all, who knows a trick to remove pen stains from clothing? Luckily there is one, and it is pretty easy to find: hair spray!
The chemicals in hairspray work their magic against ink stains and help to lift the stains out entirely and without a trace. It's really like a miracle solution or the kryptonite for ink stains.
Make Your Life Easier by Transferring Laundry Detergent Into Here
There is no reason that you have to keep everything in its original packaging, especially if the packaging is ugly or not environmentally friendly. Instead of holding onto those plastic jugs of laundry detergent, why not empty them into glass jars? It will make your room much more aesthetically pleasing, and you can use a jar with a spout to make the pouring a lot easier and smoother (less of a mess).
No one likes having to deal with spilling detergent and soapy messes. This spout helps you to pour out the exact amount that you need every time.
The Perfect Mini Iron for Your Shirt Collar
As you are probably well aware, ironing is not the most beloved task. Most people do not like to spend time taking out an ironing board and ironing out all the creases on their clothing. In case you need a quick fix on a small part of an article of clothes, this is the perfect trick for you. You can use a hair straightener to iron out small parts of clothes like the collar or sleeves.
This will save you so much time and help to ensure that you look professional and put together in time for your next job interview. No need to show up with a wrinkled collar ever again!
Matching Bins Make for Better Organization and Aesthetic
Let's be honest: all that mix-matched packaging is destroying the organization in your laundry room. Not to mention that having a bunch of different boxes and labels makes things less aesthetically pleasing. But there is no need to deal with this; there is an easy solution. Just buy some matching bins, organize your stuff, and label them to find things easily. It's minimal effort and will change the whole appearance of your laundry space.
This will make your entire space look much more organized and put together. And the bins don't need to be anything special; simple white boxes will do the trick.
Better Safe Than Sorry - Use Color Catchers
It is pretty terrifying to do a white load of laundry and live with the fear that you possibly forgot a red or colored item in the batch. It's a serious nightmare that all of your white items will come out colored pink as a result. But did you know that there is a simple way to prevent this? A "Color Catcher" is a little sheet you can put in your laundry.
If you do accidentally include a colored item, the color catcher will absorb all of the colors instead of it being spread to all the other articles of clothing.
Don't Waste Any Bit of Soap With This Trick
Have you ever been annoyed by the little drips of detergent that fall down the sides of the container? There is nothing more frustrating than having to clean the sides and the floor around your detergent container just because of the dripping excess liquid. Instead of rinsing it off every time, why not save some detergent by just adding it to your laundry load? It will keep the bottle clean and add some liquid to your load.
Although this might end up ruining the quality of the plastic lid, they usually do not last for very long times anyway and by the time it is totally destroyed the bottle will be empty.
Hang up Your Cleaning Supplies to Save Space
There is nothing worse than stubbing your toe on a broom or a mop that is left lying on the floor or has fallen over and blocked your way. Instead of dealing with the mess of these items constantly, there is a simple solution. All you need are a couple of pegs to hang the hook on the wall and you are good to go. You can hang all of your cleaning supplies there.
This will keep them all organized and out of your way, making sure that you can walk around freely and use that space for other things that need to be organized.
Use Ice to Remove Gum From Clothes
Ahh, the age-old question. How do you remove gum from your clothing? Whether you sat in some gum or brushed against it, it is a difficult substance to remove. It may seem hopeless at first, but don't worry. There is a pretty simple solution to remove the gum effectively and without ruining the garment. All you need is an ice cube, and voila - the gum will harden and be easier to peel off.
Who would have thought that an ice cube could be so useful? From helping to reduce wrinkles to getting gum out of clothing, the possibilities are endless!
Take Clothes Out of the Dryer ASAP to Avoid Wrinkles
It can be a challenge to keep your clothing wrinkle-free. As no one wants to pull out the ironing board every time they do a load of laundry, this is an amazing hack to make sure you have consistently wrinkle-less clothing. You may not be aware, but you are probably keeping the clothes in the dryer too long, causing them to wrinkle. Try taking them out while they are still warm and see the difference it makes.
Wrinkles and creases start to form as clothing cools down. That is why it is essential to take the clothing out of the dryer at the perfect time. You'll be surprised by the difference it makes.
Here's Why You Should Use a Colander for Those Handwash Items
Although no one likes to handwash their clothing, sometimes it is inevitable. There are delicate and fragile pieces of clothing that cannot just be thrown into the wash. They can be destroyed in a moment. To help the handwashing process for these items, consider bringing out a colander. This will help keep the clothes contained in one area and clean while you rinse and wash them to perfection.
This is particularly great because, unlike a bucket, the dirty water washes away immediately. So you don't have to worry about the clothing soaking in the same dirty water for a long time.
For Cleanest Results, Don't Overload Your Machine
One of the simplest ways to make sure your clothes are cleaned properly and fully is to make sure that you do not overfill your laundry machine. It can be tempting to stuff it all the way to the brim to get the most out of your wash, but it is not worth it. You should really only be filling the machine about 3/4 full to help ensure that the clothes have room to move around and be cleaned.
If you fill the machine too full, then the clothing will be stuck in one place, and the cleaning will not be evenly distributed. It can also overwhelm the machine.
Wool Dryer Balls Will Help You Save Time and Money
You have probably seen these little guys hanging around the laundry section at the grocery store. You may not have known what they were used for or if they were actually useful at all. However, you are being informed now: these wool dryer balls are a game changer. They will help to make sure that your clothing dries quickly and also helps with warm air circulation in your dryer. They are silent and effective.
They can also be used as a fabric softener. These are a three-in-one product that should not be overlooked! They can change your whole laundry experience and almost make laundry an enjoyable experience.
Watch the Temperature
Many people wonder when doing laundry if they really have to put as much time and effort, and thought into which cycle they choose as the machine makes it seem. There are so many different options - delicates, bedding, towels, acrylics, wools. Does it really matter what temperature the water is? The answer is YES. If you want your clothing and fabric to last as long as possible in the best shape possible, make sure the water temperature is just right.
There are different rules for different fabrics, so make sure you look at the instructions on the garment before just throwing it in the wash mindlessly.
Keep All of Your Laundry Supplies in One Place
Organization can be challenging. However, there is nothing worse than being totally disorganized and trying to get a lot of things done quickly. If you are constantly searching for the right detergent, fabric softener, or ironing board, you should organize your laundry room. Use one of the shelves in the storage space to put all of your supplies so that they are easily accessible when you need them.
It will save you so much time in the long run if you just organize everything that you have in one space. You won't waste time looking for things that should be easily accessible.
Hang up a Designated Lint Bag on the Wall
Not everyone has a laundry room that is large enough to also hold a trash can. In that case, you might be disturbed by the thought of what to do with all the lint that you take out of your dryer on a daily basis. You can't leave the lint in your dryer, and yet you don't have an easily accessible trash can to place it in each and every time.
That is why you need a lint container. It can be small and takes up very little space. You can even make things out of the lint that you collect, like dog or cat toys that your pets will enjoy.
Invest in a Folding Drying Rack for Better Organization
Although most people have a washing machine and a dryer in their houses, you can never underestimate how useful a folding drying rack can be. Sometimes there are articles of clothing that cannot be placed in the dryer, and you are stuck hanging them over chairs or shelves. Instead of struggling, you could just buy a cheap foldable drying rack to pull out every time you need to dry an item.
They are both inexpensive and don't take up a lot of room. It is the perfect combination and will help save you from drying woes.
Keep All Those Clothespins in One Place
Clothespins are an incredibly important item to have in your laundry room, especially if you don't have a dryer. However, they are also small and difficult to find when you need them most. Why not organize your space and keep them all together in one place? Instead of having them scattered through your laundry room, buy a few glass jars and put all the clothespins in there. This will make sure you always need one when you need one.
You can even organize the clothespins by the different sizes, so you aren't fumbling and scrambling when all you want to do is just want to hang up a piece of wet fabric.
Make Your Own Shelving Unit for Easy Access to Everything
Not every laundry room comes fully equipped with all the storage space that you might need. And sometimes, you don't want to buy a whole shelving unit, or you don't have room to fit an entire unit in your space. That is when you can make a DIY shelving unit to hang on the wall to keep all your supplies organized. All you need are some bins and some hooks, and you're set!
There are so many different styles of shelves that you can use. You can personalize it as you need and make it fit the look of your laundry room and your house.
New Parents Listen up: Here's How to Get Rid of Formula Stains
There is probably not a person in the world that has not, at some point, needed to remove a stain from an article of clothing to save it from being ruined. However, they may not always know precisely what to do. For new parents, baby formula can be a particularly tricky stain to get out. But dish soap, cold water, and dry cloth can help to remove this easily.
Beverages can also be difficult to get out. But warm water, dish soap, and a little white vinegar can also save the day there.
Can't Find the Lint Roller? Tape Will Do
Although it may seem like one of the most useless and silly contraptions on the planet, the lint roller is actually one of the most useful. There is practically no other way to get unwanted hair or particles off of some clothing items without this handy little tool. What happens, though, when you run out of the rolls? Instead of feeling devasted, grab some duct tape and use it as a DIY lint roller roll.
This may not work quite as well as a normal lint roller, but it does come pretty close, and it will help you if you're in a pinch.