Thursday, October 15, 2015

A little about laundry.


One of the things I will miss most when winter arrives....hanging our clothes on the line to dry.
I mean, who doesn't love the relaxing look of clean sheets gently blowing in the breeze?

I'm sure if you're reading this you know how to do laundry....
but....I've gotten many tips on how to do laundry from people over the years....
Today I thought I'd share a little of their wisdom that has helped me greatly!



1. Everyone Gets Their Own Laundry Basket. {my mom}
Once the boys started wearing men's clothes...socks in this house became a nightmare!
Telling their things apart became hard as they all grew to the same size as my husband.

Each person has 2-3 loads per week.
Whites.Darks.Lights.

Clothes are no longer mixed up.


2. Everyone Has a Laundry Day.
Monday- My boys have first dibs on the washer {they do their own laundry now..for the most part}
Tuesday- Girl clothes and sheets.
Wednesday- Mine and Jeff's clothes and sheets.

Towels are done everyday or every other.
Frankie's clothes are washed randomly...since he messes things randomly. :)


3. Soak Your Stains Away. {my mother in law}
My mother in law is the queen of dirt removal. The woman can get a serious stain our of anything!
I think she has a special stain removing machine in her basement she doesn't tell anyone about.

Her secret... soak, soak, soak. Pour a little detergent on the spot...leave it soak.
Soak for days if that's what it takes.

Something I do with my baby clothes...
I leave a bucket with soapy water in the laundry room..
...when something gets dirty I stick it into the bucket to soak until I wash the load of clothes.
It helps so much with stains...I love it.

4. Never Dry Clothes All The Way. {my mother in law}
If my mother in law catches you putting a shirt in the dryer...Watch Out!!!
I can honestly say though...air drying keeps your fabrics nicer longer.

I take my clothes out of the washing machine and put them in the dryer for just a minute or two...
...this gets all the wrinkles out and gives clothes back their shape after the spin cycle.
Then I hang them to dry. Laundry dries fresh and crisp and I hardly ever have to iron!

*I do dry my towels, socks and pajamas. {and sheets during the winter months}

5. Use a Clothesline. {my mom}
Like I said...my mom always used {and uses} a clothesline.
The sun bleaches and takes stains out of your whites!
Your laundry will smell fresh and airing things out is a healthy thing to do.

Standing outside in beautiful weather hanging clothes on the line is actually quite therapeutic too.
Clotheslines can be good for the soul.

6. Grease Spots! {My Grandma}Dish Soap! DUH! Dawn cuts grease on pans....why not on clothes?
When I was little....I remember being in my grandmother's kitchen
and watching her pour a little dish soap onto her shirt.

It stuck with me and I've been doing it for as long as I can remember.
If you happen to splatter grease...immediately put dish soap on it..
then...soak it. You'll be pleased.






Finally...this past summer I started making my own laundry soap.
I know I'm the last person to get on this train..but I'll talk about it anyway.

Oh my goodness...SO easy and SO cheap! and no chemicals.

I make a powder that lasts us about 7-8 weeks. {and we do a lot of laundry}
This is the recipe my neighbor gave to me....

1 box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda {$4.00}
1 box of 20 Mule Team Borax {$4.00}
3 bars of Fels Naptha bar soap {$1.00 each} ...you can use any soap you like..
...{I want to try Mrs. Meyers next, but her bar soap can be a bit pricey.}

Mix the two powders together.
Grate the bars of soap into the powder.
Mix together.
Store in a container.
Use a 1/4 cup per load.


*I've still been using spray and wash or oxy-clean for stains*


Hopefully some of these tips will help you like they helped me!
...and if you have any great ideas feel free to share.
Everyone would appreciate any help they can get I'm sure.

Happy Laundry Day.
XxOo

2 comments:

  1. Since we moved, we don't have a wash line. I missed it so much that I strung up a makeshift line on an old swing set! I will use the dryer for a lot of things, but when something has a stain, I don't want to set it by using the dryer, and yes, the sunlight takes some stains out. I want to get an indoor drying rack for the winter, but the kind I want is expensive!

    Maybe now that we moved, I could try homemade laundry detergent again. Different water may make all the difference. At our old place, it just made the clothes very grey and grungy over a short period of time. The savings weren't worth it!

    I need to start soaking clothes more. One stain remover that I have found effective on very stubborn stains, especially baby stains, is about 3/4 c. Borax, a cap of Tide and about 1/2 a cup of dishwashing detergent (do not use orange colored!) and mix it in HOT water. Let set for several hours or overnight, throw the entire thing in the washer, water and all, with your other clothes, and wash as usual.

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  2. I love using my clothes line! And yes, it is very therapeutic ☺ I use homemade soap as well and I have noticed that it fades my laundry faster.....?So I started switching between the home made and detergent from the store. ...it seems to help ☺ I love reading your blog and seeing your pictures!

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