The biggest mistake I found I have made in doing my laundry is letting the dryer cool off in between loads! It dawned on me that each time that happens the dryer has to be REHEATED, starting all over. If you pay closer attention as you empty one dryer load and have the next one ready to go to save a little bit of that heat!
I am still using my cousin's washer/dryer that came with the house and it is older, the timer is broken on the dryer so I don't start loads at bedtime or when I will be gone because it can't shut itself off! When I know the load is small and requires less dry time after I know the dryer is warm enough, I shut it off and let it finish drying with the heat already inside it, the same as do when I bake in the oven. Then hang the clothes up on hangers on a rod so they won't be as wrinkled if they are at all!
The second biggest mistake I make in the laundry room is using too much SOAP! After stain treatment, my laundry isn't all that dirty to require the full measure of soap so I find that 1/2 the cup is plenty. When I open the lid to stop the cycle and look, there are always lots of suds even though I am cutting back on the soap! Sometimes I will mix an off brand with a better brand and I am just as satisfied with the results!
By law, the instructions on the detergent box/bottle give the amount needed to saturate the laundry/water. You should not really use this much. Also, it almost never takes into account the washer's capacity. One can easily cut the amount of detergent in half (or less) and get their laundry just as clean. Since soap attracts dirt, you don't want any extra left in your clothes after washing them. This in itself will double how long the detergent lasts and the life of your clothes.
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