We’re all tightening our belt an extra notch these days in an effort to cut back - - not just to save money, but also to help the environment. It turns out there are some simple steps that will save you a lot of money in the laundry room.

First, switch from hot water to warm or cold water during your wash and rinse cycles. Heating the water accounts for 90% of your energy costs when you wash clothes. If everyone in America would switch from hot to either warm or cold water in the washer, we would save energy equivalent to 110,000 barrels of oil every day. By the end of the year, that adds up to more than 40 million barrels of oil, to the tune of a half billion dollars.

When it comes to drying your clothes there are a couple of ways to save money. If your dyer has a “sensor” setting, which stops the cycle once your clothes are dry, use it. We all tend to set the timed drying a little longer than necessary – costing us more money. Also, consider line-drying your clothes. That’s free! If you don’t have a yard or porch, you can buy an indoor drying rack at just about any discount store. Once you make the upfront purchase (approximately $15-50), you don’t have any monthly charges like with an electric or gas dryer.

And if you’re really ambitious, you can make your own laundry detergent. Here are some recipes and tips from www.thefrugalshopper.com .....

Liquid Laundry Detergents

Saucepan Full of Water
1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
5 Gallon Bucket
1 Cup Washing Soda
4 1/2 Gallons Water

Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water, and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools it will thicken. May be used immediately. Use 1-2 cups per load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

For light load, use 1 tablespoon.
For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.

TIPS
• Liquid detergent can also be used as a pretreater for stains.
• Ivory Soap, Deodorant Soap, and Beauty Bars can be substituted for the Fels Naptha Soap. Fels Naptha is made by Dial and sold any where Dial is sold.
• Essential Oils can be added to soap for fragrance.