Amanda - I have discovered that Arrid Extra Dry deodorant works better than the fancy ones that cost outrageous amounts of money.  Also I have used ammonia on an old toothbrush to take out the "ring around the collar" my husband sometimes gets so maybe that will work for your shirts as well.

As a pre-treater I use a mixture of half "dawn" (I use the off brand) and half water in a spray bottle on the stain before I put it in the laundry hamper.

I used to work at a laundry service years ago and learned when we would have to do someone else's clothes to wash by color, but dry by weight.  Jeans, towels and other heavy stuff in one dryer; socks, underwear and t-shirts in another and delicate stuff in the last one.

Donna - don't let ignorant folk get you down - you ROCK girl!

I can hardly wait for Donna's next piece.  It will be something like save a $1 a week by reusing your toilet paper.  Jeez people it's no wonder this county is in trouble if you can't figure out the simple stuff like doing laundry I don't know how you manage the important stuff.  

Hmm I'm rather disappointed Donna doesn't turn the sheets inside out and sleep on them for another two weeks! Or take it all home to wash at Dad's like the other college students.

This blog is not really about "smart spending" maybe it should be retitled "how to live cheap and not care how others think." But there are a dozen or more better, more comprehensive books on the subject from frugalists who have been doing the same for decades. You can get the books at a library or for ten cents at a garage sale with the money you saved at the laundry mat.

MSN, why not hire a writer in addition to Donna who is interested in middle of the road techniques that apply to the AVERAGE consumer?  This just screams of political polarity; either you're ultra conservative or ultra liberal and there's no one speaking for the rest of us. And no, MP Dunleavy does not speak for the rest of us.

MPnLizallTheWay you missed the entire point of this ... the point is for people on the ragged edge of not knowing if their company will lay them off in the next 6 months. This is also to those who don't have 6 months of living expenses saved up. The reasoning is that perhaps "the Average person" you speak of was a 'let the good times roll and debt spend yourself into oblivioun kinda person' (like perhaps you are but i hope not). This is just one simple tool for people, who may be alright now but have uncertain and a potentially scary future ahead of them learn how to save and cope before the other shoe drops. By the way ... ever heard the term "a dollar saved is a dollar earned"? Actually it's not acurate ... when you figure in your lost quality time having to re-earn that dollar, taxes, gas to get to where you earn your dollars etc the ratio is probably $3 to $1 (if not more) ... so with that in mind ... if a single parent with 2 kids and little support takes home $7 an hour from their job (assuming they are fortunate enought to get that) and can do this and some other relatively painless but effective efforts to save $100 a month ... then the realized gain is $300+ a month by not having to re-earn the $1 in the first place ... and that's assuming that in this economy they could get more work or overtime ... how much time and quality of life would the parent and the kids loose with each other if the parent had to spend time re-earning dollars ... and here is something to add to the equation ... the time the parent has to spend re-earning those dollars they are probably spending money on child care so that $3 figure just went up ... just some things to think about while you are putting down people for trying to better their families station in life ... Great job Donna and keep up the work ... btw ... I am not frugal because I need to be (I have enough) I am frugal because it is the wise thing to do ... like Dave Ramsey says "the paid off mortgage should be the new status symbol, not the leased BMW in the driveway" (paraphrased) ... have a prosperous New year everyone ... and yes MPnLizallTheWay I wish that for you too

I agree not to use hot or warm water for washing, but living in New England, my water is *very* cold in the winter.  Using my home washer, I put it on the warm/warm setting, but turn the hot water valve in the back way down so the water is a cool tepid at most.  I save energy, but don't suffer from the soap performance of washing or rinsing in very cold water.  Thank god I have an older washer, modern washers don't have a warm rinse setting :)

These are REALLY GREAT suggestions, as well as the additional ideas recommended by the other bloggers.  In these times (really) all times, we of us that have in home laundry facilities are lucky, however, ALL of the suggestions are absolutely great for ANYONE!  

For those of you/us that use fabric softener; it not only softens your clothes it also prevents static cling.  Plus, your laundry actually comes out smelling “fresher” and as with only using half of the suggested amount it to will last you longer. On the inside lid of my washing machine it states to add your fabric softener as indicated by product use then fill with warm water to the X mark in my dispenser.  It has been a long time since I have had to go to the Laundromat so I don’t know how there dispensers work, however, if you use only half of the suggested amount (which is now 3x’s stronger than it used to be;)) and then warm water for the remaining amount you will not only not notice the difference in softness or fragrance, just a better way to utilize your money and your fabric softener.  Plus, by doing so eliminates those fabric softener spin spots, because the softener is thinner it all releases in the spin cycle. So, you don’t need to use dryer sheets – save the money for your laundry and put back into “kitty till”.    

For brighter colors and brighter whites instead of using the “major” suggested product, use Borax Mule Team.  My mother has been using this since I was a baby.  

BRIAN

Brilliantly stated.  

Now if MPnLizallTheWay actually reads these blogs maybe she will learn a thing or two.

Brian, you too have a safe, healthy and financially stable new year!  As I wish for all of the bloggers.

MPnLizallTheWay

You must either not have been educated on “smart” spending applications as well as not needing too?  Apparently you are one of the fortunate “few” that can scwander money away.   As for your comment “Good lord, get a life woman. Heaven forbid you actually spend a few dollars here and there besides on your cheap yard sale crap. You know, it is okay to spend money like a normal person. I hate your blog, and you are extremely unrelatable to the average person”.  First, you misspelled yard sale it is two words not one and unrelatable is spelled un-relatable.  So, first when you learn to compose your negative blogging, maybe you should use spell check first.

WE, the people that have been taught frugality by our mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers (etc.) have been given a great advantage of how to minimize the use of a product or products.  Most of them came from the same era of economic times that we are in now.  So I hope that you prosper with your ways and we that maximize ours are and will continue to have great lives.   We don’t have to be a name dropper or men and women that think that throwing a dollar out the window is ok, or as you stated “spend money like a normal person”, we are spending money like normal people, it is you that us not.  A common phrase in my in my family was and still is “spend what you need too, and then save the rest”.  In today’s society, everyone is trying to keep up with the Jones’, however, what we don’t know us how they became the Jones’ and now are they one of the unfortunate people that are now losing their homes, and for what?  So MPnLizallTheWay, I/we are sure that if you ever have to experience the need for a dollar you should have learned “value” of a dollar first!

FYI - According to new Federal Asthma Guidelines, bed sheets and blankets should be washed once a week.  Washing them once a week can help avoid asthma triggers in your home.  According to the same guidelines, you should be sure that the bed sheets and blankets dry completely.  If you suffer from asthma, I would not recommend following Donna's suggestions regarding the frequency of washing bed sheets and blankets.

The center post of the washing machine is called an "agitator," I believe.

You're right: I should have mentioned washing in cold water. I always do.

As for "dander," Jules, yep, we all shed skin. That's the primary component of household dust, and it's what feeds dust mites, and as for dust mite "allergies," well, it's not the mites we're allergic to -- but I won't go on, lest some people become extremely grossed out. (Those who are curious can go look it up.)

But it's not just dander, but rather body oil, that dirties sheets. This is why I alternate sides. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks to all for reading, and for taking the time to comment.

Best regards,

Donna Freedman