Reader-tested laundry tips for sparkling clean and not-stanky clothes
Back in the day we put out the call to help us with some laundry tips to make our lives and clothes better (and specifically for those discolored pit stains!). Y’all delivered as you always do. I pulled out some of the best laundry advice that you gave us to see if we could crowdsource the best methods to keep our clothing sparkling and less stanky.
Cranking out laundry old-school-style with hand crank washing machines
Traveling to the laundromat can be time-consuming and expensive. However, purchasing your own standard washer isn’t always an option. And those portable min-washers that attach to your sink are not allowed in rental units. However, there are these small hand-crank washing machines that seem like they could be a viable alternative…
How to make your own Borax-free laundry soap
This recipe is Borax free, Naptha free, perfume and dye free, and about as gentle as it gets. It’s great for babies, people with allergies or sensitive skin, and doesn’t leave residues. Natural laundry soap is great for hard and soft water towns. And if you DIY it, it costs five times less than commercial detergents, and you can use less of it!
Embracing and hacking the laundry piles with (of course) baskets!
I have had many clever and functional Ikea storage solutions gather dust because I can’t help but let my clothes pile up on the floor. So when I moved in with my boyfriend I knew I could’t let stuff pile up, but I also knew I would never be able to fight my piling ways forever. So just like you do in any relationship, I compromised with myself. I bought cheap hampers to separate my clothes into contained pile — keeping them clean and within reach.
How do you get cigarette smoke smell out of clothes?
Other than forcing my roommates to quit or go outside to smoke, what are some good ways to get the smoke smell out of clothes without re-washing them? Bonus points for the solution being scent free as I work in healthcare and powerful scents (including smoke) can trigger allergies, asthma etc.
My all-time favorite gadget for drying wet, snowy accessories
We live in snow country and deal with the fluffy white wet stuff about half the year. This is my all-time favorite gadget for drying soggy gloves/mittens, boots, shoes, damp socks, or anything small…
Learning to fold: everything I know about laundry I learned from working shitty retail jobs
When I was in college, I worked for The Disney Store. They taught me this thing called “The Disney Fold” … a laundry folding method that I use to this day.
I like cleaning my house: WTF?! When did this happen?
Somehow, I’ve gone from a person who found herself filled with resentment and rage while cleaning to someone who actually (get this) enjoys doing my chores. Somehow, I now understand the concept of “domestic bliss.” I genuinely don’t know when this happened. Somehow, I’m that asshole who shouts “LAUNDRY ZERO!!” with a sense of genuine accomplishment once all hampers are empty and all clothes are folded. I don’t know how or why this happened, but in the interest of bottling it and sharing it, here are a few of my theories…