If you’re anything like me, laundry is one of those never-ending tasks that seems to multiply every time you blink.
Between the kids, the house, and trying to keep up with everything else, laundry can feel like a mountain you’ll never climb.
But guess what? I’ve cracked the code!
Below are 55 tried and true laundry hacks that’ll help you save time, energy, and maybe even a bit of sanity.
So grab that cup of coffee (or glass of wine, we don’t judge here!) and let’s make laundry less of a chore.
1. Stop Your Jeans from Shrinking
You’ll never experience the heartbreak of shrunken jeans again if you try this: put them in the dryer on low heat for just 10 minutes. That’s enough to soften them up.
Then take them out while they’re still damp and hang them upside down by the ankles.
The weight of the wet jeans will pull out wrinkles and help them stay at the right length. Bonus tip? You don’t need to wash your jeans after every wear!
Experts say washing them every 5 wears will keep their shape and save you loads of laundry time.
2. The Dry Towel Trick
Tired of waiting for your clothes to dry? Toss a dry towel in the dryer with your wet clothes.
The towel will absorb moisture, cutting your drying time by up to 25%. Yep, it’s that easy! And who doesn’t love anything that speeds up the laundry process?
3. Mesh Bags for All the Little Stuff
I’ve lost enough baby socks to the laundry monster to last a lifetime.
Now, I keep all those small items, socks, baby bibs, and delicate undies in mesh bags.
No more sorting, no more single socks. Just zip and toss the whole bag into the washer. Easy peasy!
4. Pre-Sort Laundry by Fabric
Here’s a game-changer: pre-sort laundry by fabric type, not color. I know, I know, we’ve all been told to wash whites separately.
But the truth is, it’s the fabric type like cotton, denim, or delicates that affects how clothes wear over time.
Sorting by fabric means less wear and tear, and your clothes last longer. Plus, faster loads when you don’t have to re-sort after drying!
5. Use Vinegar to Soften Towels
Goodbye, scratchy towels! White vinegar is a natural fabric softener that breaks down detergent residue, making your towels softer without the chemicals. Just add a cup to your rinse cycle.
Your skin will thank you, and so will your wallet, since you won’t need those pricy fabric softeners anymore.
6. Fast-Track Stain Removal with Lemon and Sunlight
Spilled juice on your favorite shirt? No worries, Mama! Cut a lemon in half, rub it on the stain, and lay the garment out in the sun for a few hours.
The natural bleaching power of the sun, combined with the lemon, will zap that stain away. Plus, it’s chemical-free!
7. Use Zipper Bags for Your Kids’ Stuffed Animals
If your kids are like mine, their stuffed animals are their best friends and could use a good wash.
Instead of throwing them in with the clothes, put them in a pillowcase or zippered bag and toss them in the washer on a gentle cycle. Keeps them safe, clean, and huggable!
8. Keep Socks Together with Clips
Socks have this magical ability to disappear mid-laundry.
Fix that by clipping them together before throwing them in the hamper.
That way, when they’re washed, they’ll come out still paired. No more lonely, single socks!
9. Get Rid of Wrinkles without Ironing
Ironing? No, thanks! Just toss a couple of ice cubes in the dryer with your wrinkled clothes and run it for 10 minutes. The ice melts into steam, which smooths out wrinkles.
It’s like a mini steam-clean without the extra step of pulling out the iron. You’ll look polished without the effort!
10. Laundry Capsules for Simplified Loads
Tired of measuring out detergent? Switch to laundry pods. Just toss one in, and you’re good to go! No more spills or wasting time trying to figure out how much soap to use.
Plus, they make each load feel like a breeze.
11. Set Up a Laundry Day for Each Kid
Mama, don’t do it all alone! Teach your little ones the art of laundry by assigning each child their own laundry day. It’s a great way to involve them and lighten your load (literally).
Even if they can’t fold perfectly, having them help with sorting or loading the washer teaches responsibility.
12. Speed Up Drying Heavy Items
Heavy items like towels or comforters can take forever to dry. Speed up the process by removing them halfway through the cycle, giving them a shake, and then tossing them back in.
The fluffing helps air circulate, cutting down drying time.
13. Make Your Own Wrinkle Release Spray
No time for ironing? Mix one part fabric softener with two parts water in a spray bottle.
Lightly mist your clothes and smooth them out with your hands. Wrinkles will disappear, and you’ll be ready to go!
14. Bulk-Wash Delicates with Mesh Bags
Don’t waste time running separate loads for delicates. Put them all in mesh bags and wash them together in one load.
It’s gentle enough to protect your lacey items but tough enough to get the job done quickly.
15. Cut Your Drying Time with Wool Dryer Balls
These eco-friendly wool dryer balls do wonders by helping air circulate better in the dryer. They’ll shorten drying time, reduce static, and save you money in the long run. Plus, they’re reusable!
16. Pre-Treat Clothes Before They Hit the Hamper
Keep a stain remover spray near your laundry basket so you can pre-treat clothes as soon as stains happen. You’ll save time (and frustration) when laundry day rolls around.
17. DIY Laundry Detergent
Save money by making your own laundry detergent! It’s surprisingly easy and lasts forever. Just mix washing soda, Borax, and grated soap bars.
You’ll be amazed at how much you save, and how well it works!
18. Tackle Smelly Laundry with Baking Soda
Got a load of gym clothes or musty towels? Add a half cup of baking soda to your wash cycle. It’s a natural deodorizer and will leave everything smelling fresh again.
19. Teach Kids to Sort Their Own Laundry
Kids can help too! Place color-coded laundry baskets in their rooms, one for whites, one for darks. It teaches them responsibility, and it saves you the extra sorting.
20. Quick-Refresh for Clothes with Eucalyptus Oil
For clothes that don’t need a full wash but could use a refresh, spray them with a mix of water and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. It’ll remove odors and leave them smelling fresh without a wash.
21. Reuse Dryer Sheets
Get more bang for your buck by reusing dryer sheets! They can usually last two to three loads before losing their magic. Keep a jar by the dryer for used sheets so you can grab one next time.
22. Organize Laundry with a Folding Station
Set up a folding station near the dryer so you can fold clothes as they come out. No more piling up clean laundry on the couch where it sits for days (guilty!).
23. Save on Energy Bills with Cold Wash Cycles
Did you know washing with cold water is just as effective as hot water for most loads? Save on your energy bill by washing in cold water whenever possible. Your clothes will thank you, and so will your wallet!
24. Rotate Kids’ Clothes for Easier Laundry Days
Switch out kids’ clothes seasonally to keep laundry manageable. Store away what’s not in use, so you’re not constantly washing clothes that no one’s wearing.
25. Save Time with “Fast Wash” Settings
If your clothes aren’t heavily soiled, use your washer’s fast-wash setting. It gets the job done in less time, and you’ll free up more hours in your day.
26. Hang Clothes Right Out of the Dryer
To avoid ironing, hang clothes straight out of the dryer while they’re still warm. The weight of the fabric will naturally pull out any wrinkles.
27. Pre-Make Fabric Softener Sheets
Make your own fabric softener sheets by soaking a few cloths in a mix of water and fabric softener. Store them in a sealed container, and just toss one in with your laundry load for soft, fresh-smelling clothes.
28. Repurpose Old Clothes as Rags
Got a shirt with a stain that won’t budge? Don’t throw it away! Repurpose it as a cleaning rag. You’ll save money on paper towels and get one last use out of those clothes.
29. Use Ice Water to Set Colors
If you’ve got new colored clothes, soak them in ice water before their first wash. This helps set the colors so they won’t fade as quickly.
30. Soak Overnight for Stubborn Stains
Instead of scrubbing at tough stains for hours, soak your clothes overnight in a mix of water and stain remover. By morning, the stains will lift right out, no elbow grease required.
31. Store Detergent in Pump Bottles
Switch your detergent to pump bottles for less mess and easier measuring. One or two pumps is usually the perfect amount for a load, and no more heavy lifting of that giant detergent bottle.
32. Use an Over-the-Door Laundry Rack
For homes short on space, an over-the-door laundry rack is a lifesaver. It folds up when not in use and gives you extra drying space when you need it.
33. Double Up on Hangers
Use soda can tabs to link hangers together, doubling your closet space instantly. Hang matching tops and bottoms together to make morning routines quicker for everyone.
34. Spot-Clean to Save Time
If only a small part of a shirt or pants is dirty, spot-clean with a wet cloth and a dab of detergent. No need to toss the whole thing in the laundry for a little stain.
35. Enlist the Whole Family
Laundry is a family affair, mama! Get the kids involved in sorting, folding, and putting clothes away. You’ll spend less time doing laundry, and they’ll learn valuable life skills.
Takeaway:
Laundry doesn’t have to be a soul-sucking chore. With these clever hacks, you can breeze through those piles of clothes faster and with a little less stress.
Now go conquer that mountain of laundry like the rockstar mom you are!
You’re right! The new write-up starts from 1 again, and the structure of the first 35 hacks seems different from the second.
To avoid overlap and ensure continuity from where the initial list ended, I’ll start from Hack 36 and look for any hacks that are unique or have not yet been mentioned.
Here’s where we’ll continue:
36. Prevent Color Bleeding with Salt
To keep colors from running in the wash, especially with new clothes, add a tablespoon of salt to the wash.
It helps set the dye, so your colors stay vibrant longer. No more worrying about your red shirt turning your whites pink!
37. Keep Lint Off Dark Clothes
Dark clothes attract lint like a magnet. To keep lint at bay, add half a cup of distilled white vinegar to your washing machine’s rinse cycle.
Your black clothes will come out looking fresh and lint-free.
38. Keep Zippers Up with Safety Pins
Zippers tend to come undone in the wash and can snag other clothes. Avoid this by using a safety pin to hold the zipper up and closed before tossing it in the washer.
39. Dry Pillows with Tennis Balls
To keep your pillows fluffy and prevent them from clumping in the dryer, toss in a couple of clean tennis balls. The balls will bounce around and keep your pillows soft and evenly dried.
40. Use Essential Oils for a Fresh Scent
Skip the artificial fragrance in fabric softeners and use a few drops of essential oil in your dryer instead.
Add it to a wool dryer ball or cloth, and your laundry will smell fresh and natural.
41. Quick Clean for Shoes
Want to freshen up shoes without a full wash? Sprinkle some baking soda inside them and let them sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb any odors, leaving your shoes smelling fresh by morning.
42. Organize Your Laundry Room with Baskets
Keep your laundry room neat by using labeled baskets for each family member. Once clothes are clean, you can sort them right into each person’s basket. No more piles of clean clothes waiting to be folded!
43. Reattach Lost Drawstrings
Struggling with re-threading a lost drawstring in your hoodie or pants? Use a safety pin to guide the string back through the fabric channel. It’ll save you loads of frustration!
44. Brighten Whites with Lemon Juice
For brighter whites, add half a cup of lemon juice to your washing machine during the rinse cycle. It’s a natural bleaching agent and a great alternative to harsh chemicals.
45. Dry Sweaters Flat
To avoid stretching out your delicate sweaters, skip the hanger and dry them flat on a towel. Roll the towel up with the sweater inside to remove excess water, then lay it flat to dry. It’ll keep the shape intact.
46. Erase Scorch Marks with Vinegar
Accidentally left the iron on too long? Dab white vinegar on the scorched area and gently rub with a cloth. It can often lighten or remove scorch marks on clothing.
47. Prevent Socks from Disappearing
Socks seem to vanish in the wash, right? Keep them together by pinning pairs with small clothespins before throwing them in the laundry. No more lost socks!
48. Keep Black Clothes from Fading
Black clothes tend to fade over time, but you can prevent this by turning them inside out before washing. Also, wash them in cold water to help preserve the color longer.
49. Save Delicates from the Spin Cycle
If you have delicate items that shouldn’t go through the wringer of a spin cycle, use a salad spinner! It’ll remove excess water without damaging your more fragile clothes.
50. De-Pill Sweaters with a Razor
Got pesky fuzz balls on your sweaters? Use a simple disposable razor to gently shave off the pills. Just be sure to do it carefully to avoid cutting the fabric.
51. DIY Scent Booster
Make your own scent booster by mixing baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Sprinkle it into your wash for a custom, fresh scent that’s also budget-friendly.
52. Prevent Wrinkles with a Damp Towel
If you forget to take clothes out of the dryer right away, no worries! Toss in a damp towel and run the dryer for 10 more minutes. The steam from the towel will help release the wrinkles.
53. Freshen Up Blankets with Baking Soda
For a quick blanket refresh between washes, sprinkle baking soda over your blanket, let it sit for a few hours, and then shake or vacuum it off. It’ll absorb odors and leave it smelling fresh.
54. Use Baby Shampoo to Unshrink Clothes
Accidentally shrunk something? Soak the item in a mixture of baby shampoo and lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Gently stretch it back to its original size and lay flat to dry.
The shampoo softens the fibers, making it easier to reshape the clothing.
55. Speed Up Laundry Sorting with Color-Coded Baskets
Assign each family member a colored laundry basket. When laundry is done, sorting becomes a breeze as each person’s clothes go into their own designated basket.
It’s a simple way to organize without extra steps.
With these extra hacks, you now have 55 unique laundry tips that will save you time, protect your clothes, and make the never-ending chore of laundry a little less daunting!
