The Only Laundry Hacks you Need

When it comes to washing clothing we all have the same problems trying to get clean laundry and to reach the bottom of the pile! We have loads of laundry each week, there is a often a regular load and then smaller pieces going in at different times during the week.

Combating stains, being careful with special items like embroidered patches and using our washing machine in the best possible way to achieve high efficiency is the aim! But when you have a family, often these problems get put to one side as you put your wash on, throw in some detergent sheets and set the programme just hoping for the best.

However, I have some of the best laundry hacks to help you keep your laundry clean, get rid of the stains and use less energy. Without further ado, here are the only laundry hacks you need. 

Switch to a cold wash

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Many of us will have switched our washing machine to a 30-degree setting, but you could even choose an eco programme or even switch to 20 degrees. Cold water still get stains out with the proper treatment and you can save energy in the process. A win-win situation. 

How easily your washing gets done changes depending on the different types of washing machines and which cycles they offer. You don't have to go for small loads but try not to over fill the machine as well. Especially if you are removing stains.

We find using baking soda and white wine vingegar is great at removing stains. If you soak these two together first, poured over the clothing, give them a little scrub and some hand washing. Then after a few hours pop back in the machine for a good wash. Powder detergents or detergent pods are just as good for this issue but try and avoid toxic chemicals and go for fabric softener, optical brighteners or laundry sheets (earth breeze is a good one if you want to reduce single-use plastic) with natural ingredients where possible.

Chalk can treat grease stains 

Grease can notoriously be one of the toughest stains to get rid of, so you can actually treat them with chalk. Having some chalk in your kitchen and using it on grease means the grease particles are dried out and the stain can then be easily removed when washed with your usual load of laundry. This is one of the best eco-friendly laundry detergent hacks to have at home and a powerful stain remover.

Add a clean towel to your dryer to dry clothes faster

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The tumble dryer is one thing that many of us like to use in our homes. But they can be costly. However, if you do need to dry a load of washing pop a dry clean towel into it as well as the wet washing. The dry towel helps to dry the clothes faster and therefore means you don’t need to have the dryer on for too long. 

Ice cubes can fake iron your clothes

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Another little hack for your tumble dryer that will save you from ironing is to use ice. Put whatever it is you need to dry into the tumble dryer with some ice and set it to a quick cycle. You will find the ice dampens the clothes and straightens out creases and then the tumble dryer works its magic. 

Use a mesh bag for socks 

Socks are the one thing that just gets lost in wash cycles. They go in together put come out as singles, am I right? But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can use a mesh bag and put all of your socks or delicate items in it. Then wash as you would normally. Two socks go in and two socks come out. Do the same in your dryer and use dryer sheets with a fresh scent, especially if you are dealing with sports clothing!

Unshrink clothes with baby shampoo

Soaking shrunk clothes in the bathtub with some baby shampoo will help to unshrink them, believe it or not. The softness of baby shampoos softens the fibres and helps the clothing to regain its shape. 

Holiday washing will be less hassle with this hack 

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Finally, when you go on holiday you should have separate packing cubes or even pack in a separate case all of your holiday washing. This means when you get home you can easily separate the clean stuff and put it straight away and wash what needs to be washed only. You can even pack a small bottle of liquid detergent and was some items before you come home.

Environmental impact

If you want to maximise your eco-friendly cleaning power! This is actually a way you can make a difference. Most cleaning and laundry products available today contain chemicals made from fossil fuels, a non-renewable source of carbon.

Not only can these cause allergic reactions and skin irritation but swapping to friendly alternatives is much kinder to your family as well as addressing environmental issues. Always check the full ingredients list on any products you buy and go for items in plastic free packaging where possible. Lots of companies are now producing zero-waste packaging and leaving out the toxic ingredients as we all become savvy shoppers!

I hope these laundry hacks help you and your washing weeks are better and more efficient!