Laundry Must-haves

Everyone knows laundry is never a fun chore but it's one that every homemaker must do. So, why not make sure you have the right products to get the job done more effectively and efficiently?

Recently, I have discovered Borax. What I didn't realize when we moved here was the hard water. What I did notice was my clothes wearing out and fading faster than they had in Virginia and my darks, especially thicker pajama pants and jeans, would seem to develop a bit of a foul odor while air drying. We started buying clothes more frequently and machine drying some of the darks we already had to cut down on the smell. After a while, I couldn't stand it! I spent all this time trying to care for our clothes and my fiance was spending a lot of money on new clothes and high-priced detergent and all was failing. So, I began to research hard water effects, under suspicion that was the culprit. Sure enough, sources stated that hard water can substantially lower the effectiveness of your laundry detergent, meaning your clothes aren't getting clean, and it can leave mineral buildup on your clothes, which makes them fade and deteriorate faster. By online recommendation, I started adding 1/2 cup of Borax to every load, using my normal amount of detergent (I use Cheer for HE). I cannot believe the difference! Our newer clothes are holding in good condition and aren't fading and even our older clothes seem softer and brighter. Even better - no foul smells! I cannot recommend Borax enough! I picked up a 5-pound box at our local big-box for around $2! That's pennies per load to ensure your clothes are getting clean and remain looking their best!

I also use Shout Color Catchers to keep clothes looking bright, as well as cut the number of loads I have to do (huge plus). These are fantastic! I throw 1 in with nearly every load to catch any dyes that may get washed out. The dye is trapped in the cloth instead of transfering to other clothes. So, now I can wash my reds with the darks and pinks with the mediums without worry! (Admittedly, I usually throw 2 cloths in if there are new items in the load.) Then, once the load is done, I grab the cloth out and let it dry to be reused. They don't say it on the box but, provided the cloth isn't dark when it comes out, it can safely be used through quite a few loads, grabbing dye every time! These are generally around $3 or $4 at big-box stores for a count of 24 and using them the way I do can stretch one box for a few months!

So, for around $6, you can ensure your clothes will be clean and stay looking their best, as well as reduce your work load!

Happy washing! x