Susannah Constantine shares tips for saving money doing laundry
Laura Dove of @fivelittledoves on Instagram has partnered with AO.com to share the laundry tips.
The mum-of-five said: “It’s no secret that doing the laundry is most people’s least-favourite household job, but for many of us it’s a necessary evil.
“With three younger children and a husband, I’ve picked up a number of helpful tips along the way that help make tackling the laundry a little bit easier.”
1. Invest in the right machine
Although this may seem simple, finding a washing machine that works for your household can be “game-changing”, according to Laura.
She explained: “For people with families and kids, a 10kg washing machine will likely be most effective for getting your wash loads done without wasting energy.
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“However, for people who live alone, having a too-big machine will end up eating up your energy usage and your bank balance. Where possible, make sure you are doing full loads of laundry, even if that means waiting a while before putting a wash on.”
2. Don’t overload the machine
Overloading the appliance may mean clothes are not washed as thoroughly as they should be, often meaning they’ll need to be washed again.
Laura recommended a “quick hack” to see if you’ve overloaded the drum which involved putting your hand on top of the clothes.
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If it won’t fit, take some items out of the washing machine as this can damage the overall quality of the wash cycle.
3. Apply the correct temperatures and cycles
The mum continued: “It may seem obvious, but using the right wash setting for your fabric is really important.
“Where possible, washing clothes on a cooler setting will make laundry loads more efficient – even switching from washing at 40C to 30C can save 38 percent of energy usage.”
4. Keep certain fabrics separate
It is crucial to be mindful of what items are being washed at the same time as others.
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Kitchen towels shouldn’t be washed alongside everyday clothing as these are likely a hotspot for bacteria.
Kitchen towels should be washed on a hotter wash with a different amount of laundry detergent compared to standard clothing.
5. Adding an extra spin can speed up drying time
The mum-of-five noted: “Many of us don’t fancy using a tumble dryer because of the hefty cost associated with them, so I always pop heavier items like towels on an extra spin or two before hanging them out or putting them on the radiator.
“If you don’t like rough towels, just put them in the tumble dryer for around 15 minutes to keep them soft.”
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