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Love it or hate it, doing laundry is a necessary chore. When you consider that the average American family does 300 loads of laundry per year, you realize just how expensive it can be, especially if you’re going to a laundromat and using coin laundry machines.
Between the cost per load for the washer and dryer plus what you spend on laundry products like detergent, stain remover, and fabric softener, putting some of that money back in your pocket would be nice. Here are some tips to help you save money at the laundromat:
1. Wash Full Loads Only
A small load of laundry costs the same as a full load. If you only have a few things that need washing, you can save money at the laundromat by waiting until you have enough dirty clothes in your basket for a larger load. Just make sure you wash the clothes you wear the most. That way, you won’t have to wait to wash your favorites or something you need for work.
2. Bring Your Own Laundry Supplies
Have you ever lugged your laundry to the laundromat, realizing you forgot to bring detergent and fabric softener? I have, and it’s a costly mistake. If you have multiple loads of laundry to do and you buy the single packs of supplies offered at the laundromat, you’ll realize you could’ve picked up an entire bottle or box of detergent for what you spent. So don’t forget to bring your own detergent and fabric softener.
3. Use Store Brand Detergent
By not buying name brands, spending less on detergent will lower your cost per load at the laundromat. According to Consumer Reports and Good Housekeeping tests, Costco’s Kirkland brand laundry detergent cleans as well or better than some well-known brands but costs about half as much, earning it the best value award. Give cheaper laundry detergent a try and save a lot of money over time.
4. Buy Cheaper Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener
If you can’t bring yourself to buy a no-name laundry product, stop paying the full retail price for them. Scour the sales flyers in your area and compare prices. At least one national brand is probably on sale somewhere. You can also use coupons and stockpile when you find the lowest available price.
5. Use Less Detergent
You can save money at the laundromat by using slightly less than the recommended amount of detergent. Liquid detergents and powdered soap are highly concentrated, so you probably won’t notice a difference when using less detergent per load. When you use the same amount every time, you know you’re not using more than you need, and you’ll know how many loads you get out of every purchase and when you’ll run out.
6. Skip the Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets Altogether
Fabric softeners work, but do you really need them? Before your next trip to the laundromat, look at the care labels for your clothes. You may find that many items recommend not using fabric softeners at all. If you have to add some softening agent, consider using dryer balls.
Dryer balls are the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option. Six wool dryer balls cost $10 to $15 each and last for around 1,000 loads. If you’re handy with crafts, you could try making your own!
7. Try DIY Stain Remover
Stain remover might be a big part of your laundry routine if you have kids or messy adults. You can save money and know exactly what’s in it when you make your own stain remover. Most homemade stain removers consist of ingredients you probably already have on hand. Some examples include:
- Dish detergent – Dawn or a more eco-friendly alternative
- Baking soda – removes odors and is safe for use on all fabrics
- Hydrogen peroxide – works well on tough stains like wine
- Lemon juice – natural bleaching for underarm or rust stains on whites
Try making your own the next time you run out of stain remover. You’ll save a few bucks and get your stained laundry clean.
8. Consider Homemade Laundry Detergent
If you’re on a really tight budget, consider making Homemade detergents. Though some say you should never use homemade detergent costing around five cents per load, trying the DIY method is very tempting. You’ll have to decide whether homemade detergent works well enough for you and whether the cost savings are worth it.
9. Wear Clothes More Than Once
There are times when you can wear your clothes more than once before washing them. If I throw on a fresh sweater to run a quick errand, it’s not worth washing. If my husband is going to do yard work, he’s wearing his old jeans and not putting on a clean pair. Wearing certain articles more than once is practical, saves you money, and extends the life of your garments.
10. Do Smaller Loads by Hand
Maybe you have a favorite T-shirt to wear. Or you’re traveling, you’re out of clean socks, and you don’t have access to laundry services. If you only have a few items to wash, wash them by hand in your sink or bathtub. It’s cheaper and more efficient than trekking to the laundromat and running a tiny load of washing.
11. Use a Clothesline for Drying
Line drying is cheaper than feeding coins into a laundromat dryer, but that’s not all. In addition, line drying conserves energy, reduces wear and tear on your clothing, and makes your clothes smell fresh without chemicals. If an outdoor line isn’t an option where you live, you can still use an indoor clothesline or drying rack. You’ll get your clothes dry and save money.
12. Check the Lint Trap
Even though it’s not your job, you should check the dryer lint trap before putting your clothes and money into the dryer. Heavy lint build-up prevents dryers from operating efficiently. Your clothes will take longer to dry and cost you more money. Too much lint in the trap can also lead to mold and fires.
13. Shake Out Your Clothes Before Drying
There’s nothing more frustrating than pulling wet clothes out of the dryer. You’ve wasted your time and your money. When your clothes are balled up, they dry much more slowly. This is especially true for T-shirts, socks, and bedding when you throw them into the dryer all twisted up. Shake out each item before it goes into the dryer. Your clothes will dry evenly and faster, saving you money.
14. Stop the Dryer Early
Depending on the type of coin-operated dryers used at your laundromat, you may save money by timing your drying just right. Sometimes, your clothes will be dry before the cycle completes. So, if you stop the dryer early, you can use the additional time to start another load without spending more money. You can also add fewer coins and plan to take your items home to finish drying on a clothesline or drying rack.
15. Shop around for the Cheapest Laundromat
Going to the laundromat means never worrying about running up your electricity bills, using all the hot water, or wear and tear on your expensive appliances. However, not all laundromats are created equal. Shop for prices and services online or by visiting the different locations before settling on one. Saving money and reliability go hand in hand when depending on a laundromat.
16. Join the Rewards Program
Not all laundromats have customer loyalty cards or rewards programs but take advantage if yours does. You typically earn points for every dollar you spend. You can usually redeem points for free soap, discounts on washing machine use, or free drying time. One loyalty program I’ve seen offers additional perks, like free soft drinks and candy bars. Joining the program will help you save a little money on laundry.
17. Make Fewer Trips
Making fewer trips to the laundromat saves you time and money on gas. That doesn’t mean you should wait until every scrap of your clothing is dirty. But you could combine trips to the laundromat with other errands. You could put your laundry in, hit the pharmacy, and be back in time to put your clothes in the dryer. Though combining trips requires some planning, you’ll drive less and get more done in less time.
18. Make Money While You Wait
Waiting for cycles to complete is the boring part of laundry. However, you could use that idle time to make some extra cash. You can make extra money by taking surveys, watching videos, or playing games on your phone through SurveyJunkie, Swagbucks, or Mistplay. Or perhaps you could pursue a side hustle like freelance writing, translation, social media management, or web design.
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